On your next trip to Maui - rent a fun car

Rented a Porsche Cayman R in Maui and what a blast. The price was extremely reasonable and they have some cool cars currently (Lotus Elise, 500c Abarth, Minis, M4 and 3 wheeled Morgan) and will be bringing in a bunch of other neat vehicles like the original Mini Cooper and a crazy turbocharged 240z. Talk to David, he does a fantastic job of going through the vehicle and the dos and don’ts, plus where to go depending on your interests.

It was the first time I drove a Cayman R and because of the small size, I think it was nearly perfect for the narrower roads around here. It was a total riot.

https://mauiminigo.com/


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Road "from" Hana? Was there this year and rented a wrangler for the to and from Hana on different days (roads were not connected due to construction). Wrangler was perfect as there were 4 of us. Have to say, a Morgan sounds like fun for certain areas, especially up to the Volcano or Winery. To Hana, not so much. Also, did a Side by Side ATV Can Am rental somewhere near where that pic looks to have been taken. Great trip!

 

Road to Hana has too much traffic - I would not bother with the Cayman..... best car would be the smallest car you can get...... a 2 door wrangler is a good vehicle for that... or a motard style motorcycle...early in the morning . We had 6 people and could not get a minivan, so I ended up with a Lincoln Navigator L (the extended length version)..... did the road to Hana in that..... I never held anyone up, but that thing sucked. You need 100% concentration all the time, because it is so huge.

The Cayman- took it up the volcano and did the southern road that goes to Hana past the winery, but turned around before it turns to dirt. Those roads were fantastic with little traffic. We rented the Cayman for the day, wife and I went for a nice boot, then Took the kiddos for a spin.

We love Maui.

 

I would think that a Miata or an Elise would be the best car for the road to Hana. The trouble with roads like that (or highway 1 in California, which I have driven) is that the driver has to concentrate so much that he or she doesn't get to enjoy the views. Now the passengers, as long as they're with a driver that doesn't scare them, have the best situation.

 

gf: look at the view!
me: nope, nope nope... I can't.

This was on the unpaved portion on the other side of Hana, inclines without barriers, etc.

 

Road to Hana is very busy and too tight to just rail through it. Lots of places where you can only fit 1 car. PCH1 is a wide road by comparison..... done various sections in car and motorcycle. The section north of San Fran to Fort Bragg is fun! A Miata would also be a great car for the Island, but hard to find as a rental. The company I rented from also have an Elise... that would be interesting too!

If things work out, I want to give the Morgan a go before I leave.
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Road to Hana too wet too crowded and too narrow at places. But the south side of the Island is a great place for a drive, albeit not as pretty or tropical.

 

The section of PCH from Morro Bay to Monterey is a lot more fun but needs to be done on a weekday in the off season. Full of tourists otherwise. A motorcycle with some power is best.

 

Forgot to mention, took that Morgan for a Haleakala (volcano) run back in the spring. You guys gotta try it! If in Maui.... must do!

 

Took this pic yesterday..... yes this is a road, one way road. First time renting the Mini.
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I was in Maui this summer (July/2019). The roads are slow and congested, traffic is horrendous and parking is premium. Get a cheap, small car. I had a Camaro convertible and it was a total waste. Driving in Maui is not fun.

 

Small cars are good. Minis and Abarths are perfect little cars. I agree going from one town on the Island to another traffic is often slow. However you can do some roads at certain times that are almost traffic free. I had a great time driving up and down Haleakala, or the south road to Hana (before it turns to gravel).... they can be very good. There are other smaller roads that are nice too, but yes that is not going from one bigger town to another I.e Kihei to Lahaina or Lahaina to Kapalua.