Kauai Car & Scooter Rental

I highly recommend Kauai Car & Scooter Rental! They have GREAT customer service and can easily be reached. I made reservation changes on two occasions and they were very accommodating/​understanding.
You pay $ 25 daily ($ 175/​weekly) with no hidden fees. Compared to the big guys, their rates are incredible and cannot be beat. Plus, there are no mileage fees or «extra driver» charges, and drivers under 25 are not charged extra. Fantastic, right?
We were given a Toyota Solara. It was well-​maintained, had great mileage, and a working A/​C and radio. Since the car was not brand new (as expected), it was a bonus that we fit in with the locals. With a rental from Kauai Car & Scooter, you do not have to worry about the break-​ins that occur to tourists in newer cars (as it became easy to identify them since the island is considerably small).
Since we arrived past office hours, we took a quick taxi ride to their office and picked up the car ourselves. It was waiting for us and ready to adventure on. The same process goes for late departures — drop the car/​keys off and taxi back to the airport. Very convenient and hassle-​free.
We had no problems with the car and successfully explored Kauai for the week! With your hard-​earned money, you are not only supporting a great local business but you are making a smart (and cheaper) investment!
Super positive and wonderful experience. Mahalo, Mike & Dara! You guys are great. Will contact you again next time.

The only reason I am giving this place a star is because i can’t give them zero.
We rented an old beat up toyota echo for $ 50 a day, we were just trying to get up to kokee and Mike said it would make it. As soon as i drove off the lot the hubcap popped off, and my boyfriend put it back on when i got back to the house. None of the instrument panel worked, speed, gas, engine temp, all of it was screwy, so I called Mike and he told me ‘oh don’t worry it should start working again after like 5 minutes of driving it’ it didn’t. I should have turned around and returned the car then, because while we were on our way the car died and wouldn’t start back up. We called Mike and he said that he would drive out to replace the battery. My whole day was ruined at this point and I was just trying to get the car back to the lot, and myself back home. Since Mike had driven himself all the way out to us, I had to drive the Toyota back to the lot. On my way back, the car died again while i was driving it!!! By this time it was dark and none of the lights worked not even the hazard or the power steering/​brakes. I coasted to the skinny shoulder and got out of the car hysterically slammed my finger in the door, and called Mike. He called a tow truck and that guy was cool. I had the tow truck guy drop me off at my place and I have yet to hear back from Mike.
TLDR;
Spend the extra 10 bucks a day and get the professionalism and piece of mind. Don’t be overcharged and put in danger by renting a crappy car.
UPDATE:
I got my deposit back and refunded $ 25 of the $ 50 I still can’t give any more stars because I don’t feel the vehicle was safe when lent out to me. A solution maybe would be to have all cars ran through a safety inspection before being lent out.

These are definitely old well used cars. I got an Echo with over 70,000 miles, crank windows & manual locks which would stick & I would get locked inside. It sound like it ran rough & the instrument panel needles Kept going haywire. I filled it up with gas in route to the airport & didn’t top it off after it finished then noticed it wasn’t at full once I started the car but because of the instrument panel issues I text Mike immediately and explained the situation & offered to text him my receipt, however in hindsight I should’ve drove back to the gas station and tried to fill it up more because the following day I was charged $ 21 for the additional 3 gallons even though he said no problem.

1. $ 25/​day
2. They rent out to people under age 25 as long as the driver is older than 18
3. You don’t need a deposit to secure the rental
My rental took a few exchanges by phone before it was finalized. I contacted them by phone a few days before getting to the island. Mike told me the price was $ 25/​day with no extra fees even though I’m younger than 25. Other places have a daily fee for drivers and renters under 25. He had to go so we hung up and decided to secure the rental in our next phone call.
Later on during our next phone call he told me that it’s busy season so they’re surging their price to $ 30/​day. I decided not to secure a rental with them and look elsewhere.
So then he contacts me a couple of days later by text and asks if I’m still interested in renting with them to which I declined. That’s when he offered $ 25/​day again! I changed my rental dates and he said it’s all fine. He said to secure the rental over the phone so I did and I was set. I didn’t need to give my card number over the phone. Just make sure I have my insurance, payment, and driver’s license when I pick up the rental car. He offered a ride to the facility but I didn’t need one.
It was quick and easy to pick my car up. I got a ride to the facility, waited 5 minutes, and Mike was there. I sign paperwork, pay my dues, and I then on my merry way. Final price was about $ 26/​day but that’s still cheap compared to the big name car rental companies at the airport. I had a choice among 3 cars at the facility so I chose the Suzuki Aerial hatchback.
The service engine light was on and I asked Mike about it but he said to ignore it. That light stayed on the whole time until I returned the car but I never had any technical problems with the car.
Car wasn’t spotless clean but that’s okay because I was sandy/​muddy 75% of the time that I drove it so I didn’t have to worry about getting my rental car dirty. It already was.
When I was exploring all the nooks, buttons, and compartments in my car one day, I did find a nug of weed in the ash/​coin tray of the car. He probably missed it when he cleaned the car. I threw it out.
You can drive anywhere on the island except past the Navy base because you might get your car stuck on the dirt road at Polihale. I didn’t mind since I had connects that have 4x4s. But if you must drive on a dirt road, consider renting a 4×4 for yourself.
I returned the car with the gas filled up and my deposit was returned to me.
Reserving the car was a game of timing and bargaining. The car had a lot of character. So if you’re high maintenance then don’t rent from them. But if you’re chill and looking for a great daily rate then you’ve found your place.

The car was kind of a beater but it worked, which was all we needed. The service was great, easy, and they did airport pick up and drop off.
Great option if you’re under 25.

Mike was a lifesaver. When we had issues with our rental car reservation at the airport, Mike stepped up and helped us out. On the phone he let us know he has older cars. He picked us up at the airport within 15 minutes and had us out the door in an older, but decent car. A/​C worked excellent! We had the car only three days, but we were so grateful. Having an older car just made me feel like one of the locals! I can’t thank Mike enough. Kauai Car & Scooter rental has the vibe of island life.

Car was reasonably priced. Staff was helpful and accommodating. Family owned and friendly. Can’t get much better than that.

Smooth, smooth car rental! Called and reserved a car from Mike about a month ago.
He told me he would text me pick up instructions for the car the day before, which he did. All we had to do was take a taxi to his shop (about a mile from the Kauai Airport $ 8) get in the car (a slightly paint-​faded Toyota Echo, about 10 years old) fill out the rental agreement and drop it in his drop box in front of the building.
We drove that little car all over Kauai with no problems whatsoever! Old school crank windows, cold AC, aftermarket stereo, enough little dings and faded paint to blend right in with the locals – PERFECT!
Dropped the car off at his shop the day we flew out – he was there so he got us back to the Airport with time to spare.
If you want to save some money and don’t mind an older car with alot of character this is your spot!
If your idea of «roughing it» is a mint on a pillow, try somewhere else!

Mike was very helpful and informative. Answered the phone right away every time and answered all my questions. We were given a Toyota Solara coupe with 123K miles. It ran great, and was clean inside. The power windows worked well. If you fly in late and the shop is closed, just get a taxi to his place and Mike will leave the key for you inside the car with the paperwork. — Remember that if it’s dark, you cant see the dents and scratches… We actually filled out the papers the next morning in the daylight, and drove back to put the envelope with license # and insurance policy numbers and condition of car (dents and scratches) in the mail box– So much quicker, easier and way cheaper than the big name guys! Would definitely recommend.
Also be aware that the cars are due back at 11:30am the day you fly out… if you know you’ll be flying out late at night as most flights are, be sure to let Mike know WHEN YOU BOOK IT that you’ll need to rent the car till after hours. We forgot to do that but I called him and he said we could keep it till 4:30pm which was really nice of him. We decided to return it at 11:30 anyway and just rented a Jeep from the E rental place for a day so we could drive it on the 4.8 mile bumpy dirt road to the west coast. We got the most out of our vacation and had a jeep to drive till 9pm and flew out at 11pm.
Mike was very laid back, and it felt like borrowing a car from a friend. Thanks!

Beware… Be fully informed before renting.
We rented a car from Kauai Discount Rentals the week of Christmas, last minute after we decided we wanted to have transportation a few days. Cars were widely unavailable on the island at this time and all were priced extremely high ~75/​day. Kauai Discount Rentals had available cars and while on par with the other agencies, all fees and taxes were included in the price quote which resulted in a slight (and only slight) discount.

We experienced excellent and responsive customer service up front with this «mom and pop shop» and a pick-​up from our hotel to get the car. We were told on the phone the car options were «older» but in good condition. I was thinking 5 – 6 years old, which would have been fine. This was NOT the case — imagine 15 – 20 years old POS cars that you are embarrassed to be seen in public in. We had an old beater with rusty paint, smelly interior, and some weird tint on the back windshield that made it nearly impossible to see. I don’t think this car would have passed inspection in most states!
Make sure you read the fine print in the contract (if they give you one). We got screwed with a $ 10/​gallon fuel surcharge when we forgot to fill up. Admittedly an oversight on our part, but that is ridiculous and significantly higher than every other car rental agency. When you take into account the complete piece of crap we had to drive around, you would think they would be more reasonable particularly with gas prices at an all-​time low and a gas station seconds from their office. They refused to provide any kind of credit which I feel would have been representative of all around excellent customer service.
Lesson learned — I should have paid the extra to go with a real car rental company. You should too.

No contract was given at the time of rental stating «fuel charges». I read the fine print when I sign contracts. None were on paper work. Mike also agreed to take us to the airport when we turned in the car. He was nowhere to be found. Charged our credit card $ 10 extra for every gallon of gas Mike used to fill the tank. In total, a charge of $ 60 + was charged to my wife’s card. Really upsetting stuff. Mike says they charge like every car rental agency. That’s great Mike. Put it in paper next time. Say hello to the BBB when you receive it.
1÷9÷2015 Responding to Mike:
No such contract was given and you mentioned no shuttle service back to the airport. You also mentioned to take a Taxi if you (Mike) were not present. It would cost us $ 7 or $ 8 bucks. You mentioned no such credit. And no paper work was given. Only a damage form and 2 receipts. 1 for the charge and the other for the deposit. Please be more honest Mike.

Great customer service!
I love working with locally owned businesses and these guys are great. The cars are fine and you can save alot using this agency. If you want a brand new car then this is not for you. I got an early 2000 model vehical and it worked fine for my family of 4. I saved about $ 300 over our 10 day stay there. That paid for the local art we love to buy on vacation and surf school for my daughter.
They will leave the car at the airport for you in advance so you just walk across the driveway and load up. Its the same with drop off. You just leave the car and they come pick it up. We will certainly be using them again when we travel to Kauaii

Renting scooters for the day is what I was looking forward to our entire trip. We had the most amazing experience. Our day started at 9am when we actually rented the scooters and got a short speech on how to use them along with three detailed maps to different waterfalls and other cool locations. We got slightly lost along the way but never minded because we were having such a blast riding around Kauai. I highly recommend doing this for the day. What better way to explore the island than on a scooter? Kauai car and scooter rental are extremely helpful and very kind! This made our trip!

Very good rental experience. We rented a car for 4 weeks on Kauai. We knew going in that these are older vehicles, so we were pleased with the 1999 Toyota Corolla we got. It was great. Air conditioner worked perfectly and the car was in great mechanical shape. It ran just like new. It also blended in perfectly with the local cars and didn’t scream «break in, I’m a Rental!» when we went to beaches or trail heads. Mike picked us up from the airport minutes after we landed and brought us straight to the airport when we dropped off the car.
I’d recommend renting from Mike.

We rented 3 scooters for a day while on vacation recently, and it was one of the most fun things we did all week! The owners are super nice and laid back, and the price was lower than the other options I’d researched.
They gave us a map of places to go see, including a waterfall you could jump off of into a swimming hole. The route took us through some gorgeous rural/​residential roads that we wouldn’t have followed otherwise, and the waterfall/​swimming hole was off the beaten path – the only other people there were a few local kids. It was pretty easy to get the hang of driving, and while I preferred the backroads, riding on the highway wasn’t bad… most of the highways have a top speed limit of 35 – 40 anyway, and if you feel like you’re holding up cars behind you, you can just pull over into the bike lane and let them pass.
Mike also drove us between our hotel and the rental place. Great way to spend a day on Kauai!

Do not hesitate, Mike is awesome! If you are looking for a luxury car this is not the place for you. But for $ 25 — $ 35 a day who are you kidding. This is a straight to the point kind of business no gimmicks, no games. I was looking for an affordable car rental for my 4 day trip here from Oahu and did not want to spend a lot. I got a Toyota Echo that had cold AC and was great on gas. I called Mike at 1:30pm and he picked me up from my hotel 30 minutes later and then I was on the road. If you’re looking for a cheap and easy was to get around the island this is your place. FYI you only have to be 21 no additional charge for being under 25 here.

Owner’s nice & laid back. Ordered 4 scooters on vacation & everything ran smoothly! :-)

Unsafe car. Awful experience.
We were supposed to be picked up at the airport for free according to the website but the owner told us to take a taxi to his location when he landed. He was returning from a jog when we arrived at his business.
The car he rented to us was stolen and returned a few days before we arrived. It had water in the trunk and a lot of the controls were broken or not working properly. The car was absolutely unsafe to drive and he shouldn’t have given it to us. I thought it was going to fall a part while driving it.

Beware! Do not rent scooters for transportation use for anything more than 5 miles away in Kauai. A car is necessary and safer. We however were informed otherwise. $ 50 a day two day minimum = $ 200 for two scooters (1 per person) which you can’t take anywhere over 5 miles safely and cannot ride at night. DO NOT FALL FOR THIS. GET A CAR AND FROM SOMEONE ELSE.

After we rented from a similar company on Oahu and received a 2007 Elantra and great customer service, we were disappointed to find that for a higher price, Kauai Car and Scooter rental gave us a very beat up and moldy-​smelling 2001 Toyota Echo, complete with ripped, torn, and cracked baby seat.
Mike insisted that we call him AFTER we received our luggage, not before — and we proceeded to wait at the airport for 20 minutes while all of the other passengers on our plane were picked up. When Mike finally arrived, he strangely pulled into a restricted parking zone, and we had to move our luggage down the pathway. He could have easily pulled up to the curb right where we were standing. No offer to help with our luggage either. An altercation with a security guard ensued after he was told he was in a restricted parking area. It was baffling how confused he was considering he is running the business. Once in the car he rudely told me that «I had to sit in the backseat» as I had a lap baby. On our return to the airport, we were running late and asked Mike if we could leave the car there for pickup as we had done on Oahu. He refused and charged my credit card $ 100 as a «pickup fee» (his office is 2 miles away). Nothing like getting the corporate treatment from a «small business» — all the negatives and none of the perks. Don’t rent from this company unless you want to be treated rudely and overcharged for an extremely sketchy car. There are better options out there and I hope Kauai Car and Scooter is out of business (or under new ownership) on our next visit to Kauai.