808 Smart Car Rentals

This is my first Unilocal review EVER, but I had to give 808 Smart Car a raving review. Me and my boyfriend traveled to Oahu for a 4-​day vacation and rented a smart car from Kalani. He was the epitome of aloha hospitality! We didn’t have a reservation but he was so accommodating to our needs — truly a stress-​free experience, like borrowing a car from a close friend.
So glad we decided to rent a smart car, albeit sticking out like a sore thumb. We literally drove around the whole island, visiting North Shore, Lanikai, etc etc, and filled up only once and that was when we were returning the car on the last day of our rental!
As a local, Kalani also recommended really great hikes and great restaurants to check out. We were sad we didn’t get a chance to say bye to him as we returned the car. KALANI YOU ARE TRULY A GEM!!! — Wendy & Johnny

These guys are awesome. So nice and straight to the point. The car is fun to drive and really great on gas. We drove around the whole island on just ½ tank and did several stops. We kept the car over night and used their parking garage for only $ 10 vs our hotel of $ 25 a night.

I was originally skeptical about renting a smart car, but I read so many great reviews here on Unilocal I decided to give it a chance. I’m glad I decided to get a smart car from 808 Smart Car Rental. It was a stress-​free experience getting our car thanks to the wonderful attitude and professionalism of Kalani who patiently helped me get all my paper work done and put the keys in my hand.
As for the car itself… a great ride! We traveled around the entire island and had the car for 2 days. I must say the 50 miles per gallon really saved us a lot of money. We spent less than $ 18 on gas even with all the driving we did.
If you’re on the fence when it comes to Smart Cars like I was… it’s worth trying for yourself. If (when) I come back to Hawaii, 808 Smart Car Rentals will be the first stop I make. Thanks again Kalani for being such a great example of the Hawaiian spirit!

This was such an awesome experience to explore Oahu with the simple ease of a little smart car! Kalani gave such awesome customer service with great aloha spirit:) I will be referring all of my local friends to go to him and support a local owned company. I will definitely be using these cute cars again! Thank you Kalani!

This was my first and maybe only time to visit Hawaii, so my boyfriend and I decided to rent here because of the raving reviews. We wanted to have an amazing experience and figured that a smart car would be the best way to get around. The reviews for this company are very enticing and we were so excited to rent from this company. Plus, supporting local businesses is great right? I mean, everyone else had a great rental experience so we figured ours would be similar. Boy, was I wrong…
I emailed the company for the rates using their website and received the following rates for my dates of rental:
«Daily Special rates are:
***69 dollars for 24-​hour rentals
***59 dollars per day for two rental
***50 dollars per day for three days or more
Rates include all taxes, unlimited mileage, and GPS. Optional Collision Damage Waiver is $ 20 daily.»
I emailed the same email address for questions about the best way to get to the company from the airport… Never got a response. Maybe they don’t use that email address to respond to customers? Thus, I decided to call and make a reservation while asking my questions about the best way to get to their location. They took my email address, card number, phone number, date of rental, told me there was a $ 250 deposit which they would take a few days prior of the actual rental, and then told me I was set. I asked if there was going to be an email confirmation and they replied yes. I waited for this confirmation for about two months and never got it, so I wasn’t entirely sure if I even did rent a smart car. Just to make sure, I called a week before AND a couple days before the rental and they said all was a ok. All the while I checked my bank account wondering why there was no hold for the deposit yet (found out card declined, and we got no notice) and then flew off to Hawaii to begin our vacay…
We arrived in HNL, took our shuttle to their rental kiosk, and lo and behold there was no one at the kiosk and there was a sold out sign. Imagine our shock! Weren’t they expecting us? Then, I saw another sign that said they were out on a service call. I called their number multiple times to get a hold of a human and finally was able to talk to Kalani. He mentioned he would not be back for another hour… If it wasn’t for the fact that alternative rentals would cost around $ 500 we probably wouldn’t have rented from here that day. So we sucked it up and waited an hour with our luggage. Kalani later showed up and we processed the paperwork. Another reviewer mentioned that they prefill your paperwork for you, and they do, and this is where I discovered my name and my email address was spelled wrong so that must’ve been the reason why I never got a confirmation or any other email from them? I don’t know. My rates on the prefilled contract were totally different from the quote I got through the email. I was originally quoted $ 250 for 5 days (and confirmed this through phone multiple times before) but my prefilled contract had $ 350. I pointed this out to Kalani once I realized it and unfortunately after he had already charged my card for the wrong amount. Thankfully, he reversed the charge. I wish I would have been given a receipt of my actual charges and a new contract with the actual prices I was charged, but that did not happen… in hindsight, I probably should have requested that.
Now a month after the rental we’re trying to get our $ 250 refundable deposit back, which was supposed to take 5 – 10 days. It’s been more than 10 days, and I have now submitted a credit card dispute. This is the worst way to try and get a deposit back. It’s ridiculous. I’d say the response from emails and calls from 808 Smart Car rentals is about 30% because it’s run by only two people.
Anyways, regardless of the previous hiccups, the car was great.
Pros:
–A/​C is AMAZING. It takes about 3 seconds to kick in COLD!
–Parking with this car is wonderful. You can get in all the tight spots.
–Car was clean on the inside
–Fits two carry-​on luggages easily
–The convertible top is fun to utilize but we didn’t use it most of the time.
Cons:
–The engine is in the back of the car so it’ll heat up the car. (if you put any groceries that could melt in the back, it WILL melt because of the engine)
–If you don’t use the shifter the car will not function as smoothly
–The ads of the company on the rental are somewhat unsightly and makes you feel like you’re going to be a victim to theft.
My lesson learned: Stellar service is determined by how a company resolves problems, not by how smoothly service is if there are perfect conditions.
Would I ever rent from this place again? Nope. It was more work than the pleasant experience we never got. Maybe your experience will be better. Just don’t try to rent too far in advance like we did. This place is more for a one day rental. I think that’s where we chose wrong in rental companies.
Great product, poor service.

Best small rental company ever. It’s deceivingly a business, but honestly felt like borrowing from a friend. We rented a car for $ 69 a day for 4 days without any hidden taxes or fees — insurance charge voided since we’re covered by our personal — and it was the best decision we made on our first day of the trip. Local companies quoted $ 110/​day with possibilities of extra fees, and expedia wanted $ 250 (2 of us) per person more for a cheap rental for the duration of our stay.
At the end of our stay, we were stranded for a few hours until our flight and they were so accommodating, they let us drop our car off at a really late time as well as booking us a shuttle that beat Über’s price by 300%. I can’t recommend these guys enough! Everything from renting the car to returning was such a pleasure. If we ever come back to Hawaii, we’ll rent from here indefinitely.

«The Spirit of Aloha»
Experience really could not have been any better. We were walk ups and got off and running in a convertible in less than 30 minutes.
The price beats any fuller sized cars on the island, and the size of the car lets you squeeze into small spots when hitting tourist heavy areas.
Will absolutely rent again next time we are in Hawaii. Make sure you ask about the weekly rate if you are renting for 5+ days.
Mahalo!

Thank you for such a wonderful car rental experience. Everyone was super nice. I’m so glad that we rented a car to see Oahu in a different light. Great experience, great service and a fun way of traveling around the island. My only suggestion would be that they upgrade the website to include online reservations. It’s frustrating to try and reserve a car by phone and no one answers. I’m glad that it all worked out. I would definitely rent another car from 808!

Please do not look else where!
This is the best place to rent a car, especially if it’s just two of you. Perfect for going around the area and also across the island. Cute on the outside and perfect room in the inside, it doesn’t even feel like you are riding in a smart car. It serves the same purpose as other cars, obviously, but for a great price and also a gas saver.
*Customer Service:
–Excellent and Very Friendly.
–Kalani certainly works with his customers and makes sure that they are satisfied.
*Rental info:
–Everything is pretty much covered and no hidden fees.
*Additional parking at this location for $ 10/​24hrs with in/​out privileges. Very good compared to the other places around the area.
Thank you Kalani for your warm welcome and for making our first trip to Hawaii perfect. If we ever visit again we know exactly where to go. :)
Madel & Carl

They gave us a price that included insurance then when we got there they added another $ 20. And the GPS option was also taken away, just because it’s a mistake.
Apart from its easy to park there isn’t much advantage to a regular rental cars. The car drove horribly, the streering wheel was stiff and hard to turn, acceleration was good but the car literally jumping back and forth everytime transmission shift gear. The seat was hard as a rock. Overall you can get rental car with much better drive and handle for the same price else where.
Oh one more thing it’s a lot more expensive then the price on the brochure.

I HIGHLY recommend 808! The cars are suited for only 2 people, but hopefully that will change, I would love to see 808 even be more successfully. The car was super fun to drive and made parking in the crowded areas easy.
I wish I could give them 10 STARS! and here’s why.
Kalani greeted us with open arms and was super friendly and personable.
He was very informative about the vehicles that he rented out, unfortunately some idiot who was either too cheap or didn’t pay attention to his rule of using premium gas caused our car to feel like it was about to die at any moment and it could have! Which I’m glad it didn’t since we drove the car along the coast and also visited Monoa falls.
We returned the car the next day and explained the situation to him and he turned around and gave us another vehicle to use and was very apologetic, and also gave us gas money for the rest of our rental.
PLEASE go see 808! You won’t regret it!
Kalani if you read this, THANK YOU x100! Thank you for making our first visit to he island a memorable one!
xo — dilok & michele

The car was nice and the owner was very nice as well, the only reason why I’m a little upset right now is because he told me my total was $ 109 with extra insurance coverage and two weeks later I check my bank out and only to find out he charged me the $ 109 and an additional $ 250! Pretty upset about the charges not being valid so make sure you guys check your bank accounts!

My wife and I were on our 1 year anniversary trip and wanted to find an affordable way to get to north shore from Waikiki. This was by far the best deal we found. In addition the owner is awesome, even helping us save money by pointing out that our insurance covered the $ 20 damage insurance fee. We drove from Waikiki to north shore and back twice and only used $ 15 in gas. We may have even kept the car a bit longer than 24hrs without an extra fee. ;)
The smart car is a little slower than I’m used, and if you have a lot of luggage with you it probably won’t fit in the back. Plenty of room for our beach stuff and snorkeling gear though. Only two seats so keep that in mind if you have kids. Also keep in mind there is a refundable $ 220 fee that you get back once you return the car in one piece. I was told it takes 5 – 10 days to get it back.
Overall I highly recommend going here! You get a great deal for the price, and you get what you expect! Just call and reserve ahead of time since they are usually sold out by noon.

Such a good experience with the establishment. So so easy to just walk up and snag a rental for 24 hours or a few days.
The drop off was even easier. Can’t recommend these guys more. So great!

Renting a Smart Car from these guys is a MUST DO!
This might sound a little cliché, but our vacation was tres boring until we rented a smart car.
The smart car made it fun because of:
1. The convertible top.
2. Driving was as fun as riding a theme-​park ride every time we went somewhere.
3. Parking was a dream because it was so small.
4. The trunk space is easy access and we fit four carryon bags in there!
5. Going to the beach was easy! There is a GPS included.
808 made it great because:
1. They were more than polite.
2. They were extremely helpful.
3. The check-​in and check-​out was supper quick.
4. The location was excellent.
5. The nicest guys ever!
I highly recommend renting from THESE GUYS!

As the other reviews have said, it was thanks to Derek and the smart car that our vacation was fantastic!
Derek was super nice and helpful. He went over everything (paperwork, how to drive the car) clearly and thoroughly. He gave us a map of Oahu with his recommendations of sites to visit. He would greet us by name as we arrive, and wave the shaka as we drive away.
The smart car is the best way to get around the island in my opinion.
–Easy to park especially in places where there is only street parking (Lanikai Beach).
–Decent baggage area
–Convertible
-$ 10 overnight parking at the structure.
–We racked up 144 miles and only used half of the gas in the tank. Only $ 13 to fill it up again!
Only con is you could feel every bump on the road.
Would definitely rent here again next time I’m in Honolulu :)

What a fantastic find!!! An extremely affordable rental with absolutely no gimmick or hidden fees. Straight forward, super friendly, fast service and just plain simple. You get a convertible, great AC and a fun car to drive around in for a steal of a deal. We drove the whole island for about $ 18 in gas, and with unlimited miles you can’t help but want to continue exploring. And the $ 10/​night parking?! You will never find a deal that great in Oahu. Thank you 808!!!

Overall great experience with smart car rentals!
Derek helped us out and we initially had a cute white car. Unfortunately, the car was stalling on the road so I had to return and get a decent looking red one. Not too much of an inconvenience.
The red car ran just fine. I will note the breaks were a little squeaky. But no real issues with the actual car.
Pretty straight forward pricing:
$ 69 for one day
$ 59 a day for 2 days
I believe $ 50 a day for 3 days
Plus $ 10 parking with no restrictions on in and out.
Glad I did not have to pay $ 35 a night at my hotel.
Rented for 2 and a half days (extended our time). Ended up coming out to $ 140 + $ 30 ($ 10 a day parking). A pretty great deal!
They charge no underage fee, but you have to be 21 to rent. For those who are 21 – 24, this is an awesome deal!
Another huge plus I will add is that we only had to put in $ 14 for gas! Considering we drove to about 4 different far away beaches and the swapmeet within that 3 day period, $ 14 is super cheap.
Overall, enjoyed my experience and would rent again.
Thanks Derek!

We found this car rental on Unilocal and they have great reviews so we decided to try them out. They located in a parking garage and Derek help me out. He was great it he explained how to car works since i have never driven a smart car. All the paperwork was pretty straight forward.
We rent 1 smart car for 24 hours and it was $ 69 bucks which isn’t bad. If you rent for more days you get more of a price break. We drove around the whole island and only used half tank and it cost me $ 13 to fill it back up.
Smart car is the best way the go because parking is limited and when you have a tiny car it’s not an issue.

Very pleased with my rental!
First off, Derek is very accommodating. I made a couple changes to my reservation, and he didn’t charge any unnecessary fees.
Easy paperwork to sign, and the car is all yours. Very cheap for last minute rental, about $ 60/​day.
All cars are convertible (by option) which is wonderful. Great on gas and so much fun.
Also, there is a parking option for $ 11/​day at the pickup location (with in and out privileges).
This is across the street from hilton hawaiian village. 2 minute walk.
I can’t wait to visit waikiki again and rent a smart car.