Shipping car from San Diego, where to go from there? (rental car, rental) - Big Island - Hawaii (HI) -The Island of Hawaii - City-Data Forum

FallenIntoGreatness · 12-28-2011, 12:37 PM

First up, I am only shipping my car because what I paid for and the cost of shipping it to the BI is still only a 1/3 of the HI Blue Book value. Cheaper to ship than replace.

So I am shipping out of San Diego but my flight out to the BI leaves around 7 a.m. that means I have to drop off the car the day before and find someplace close to the shipping terminal to spend the night. Was hoping someone who has done this before could tell me if I would be ok walking to a nearby hotel that offered an airport shuttle. I am traveling alone. There are some within walking distance of the terminal, <1mile but I don't know the area.

Mucho appreciation, this forum has given me lots of info and I hope someone can shine the light on this question too.

Dthraco · 12-28-2011, 12:46 PM

Great question for the folks who work at the car shipping location you are dropping it off at.

Congratz on the next step of the process!!!

CarlsbadJames · 12-28-2011, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenIntoGreatness

First up, I am only shipping my car because what I paid for and the cost of shipping it to the BI is still only a 1/3 of the HI Blue Book value. Cheaper to ship than replace.

So I am shipping out of San Diego but my flight out to the BI leaves around 7 a.m. that means I have to drop off the car the day before and find someplace close to the shipping terminal to spend the night. Was hoping someone who has done this before could tell me if I would be ok walking to a nearby hotel that offered an airport shuttle. I am traveling alone. There are some within walking distance of the terminal, <1mile but I don't know the area.

Mucho appreciation, this forum has given me lots of info and I hope someone can shine the light on this question too.

When are you doing this? I live in north county, about a 30min ride to the airport, but maybe I could help? Could crash here and I drive you or hotel and I can still drive you?

Just depends on when. My schedule gets crazy/random.

would be great to discuss who you are shipping with, the process, the move, etc as I'll be doing the same thing this summer!

Joliefille · 12-28-2011, 01:58 PM

The place you are dropping the car off is about a mile from the Valley center mall and "Hotel Circle". I would'nt suggest walking, since we're talking freeways here, but certainly call a cab. There are a ton of hotels in the area, so yes, find a reasonable one with an aiport shuttle. You might also see if the hotel you pick has shuttles to the mall or Old Town. Since you have a day to kill, why not enjoy it?

Dreaming of Hawaii · 12-28-2011, 02:37 PM

We also struggled with that, and luckily had friends pick us up. We called the Matson office, and they just said "call a taxi".

Nice offer from Carlsbad James!

PacificFlights · 12-28-2011, 02:51 PM

Who are you using for the shipping? A shippers to Hawaii may have a little known secret dropff location not at the docks for their "special" customers. These are the sites where the interstate transporter or fleet services groups drop iof the vehicles. They are usually right off the highways, near the airport, and with many lodging options within walking distance. You may be able to get them to allow you to drop off the car at one of those sites if you ask real nicely. These sites are not advertsied or mentioned but sometimes if yuo do a map search for the shipper in theat city, you may get one of these alternative sites pop up.

lost_traveler1 · 12-28-2011, 06:23 PM

Where are you dropping off the car at? The commercial drop off or at the docks? The commercial drop of is far inland and you would need a taxi. You might be able to request to drop off at the docks. If you're dropping off at Bay Marina Drive (docks) you can do what I did:

I got a hotel room at Rodeway Inn and Suites Downtown, smack dab in the middle of SD Downtown. Its cheap and pretty clean but the bonus is that they have free shuttle to the airport which is like a 10 min shuttle ride. Just schedule your pick up when you check in. I spent 2 nights there to do some sightseeing, since I was gonna be in SD. I spent both times at that hotel when I moved to the mainland 2 years ago, and when I returned 2 months ago, so its been a consistently decent place to stay at for a cheap-no-frills-does-its-purpose hotel.

I drove the car to the docks, shipped by Pasha. Then instead of catching a taxi and spending like $15 I walked about 12 minutes to the rail station. The walk was great because it was sunny but cool at about 73 degrees.

You purchase a one time ticket for like $2.50 and the train comes every 15 minutes. I took the train so I can do a little sightseeing of lower downtown. (you can't sight see when you're driving) It was about a 20 min. ride and I got off at the Horton Plaza which is a open air shopping mall. From there I walked back to my hotel while sightseeing the Gas Lamp district and the area, took about 15 mins.

For Directions:
When dropping off the car (by Pasha) you need the print out entire email with booking info and show your ID. You will need to be escorted to the drop off point. Hope that the guy there is nice enough to drop you off back at the check point or else you walkin' back. From the check point walk east until you reach the freeway, walk thru the underpass then take the first left at Wilson Ave.

After the first building there is a park and ride area full of parking which you will cross diagonally to get to the pavilion structure next to the rail tracks and purchase your ticket there. Get off at Horton Plaza and walk about 8 blocks to the hotel. Its located at Ash St and between 7th and 8th Ave. Go to google maps to familiarize yourself with the walking and train routes so you don't get lost. Also write down a couple of cab phone numbers just as a back up, just in case all plans goes to heck.....

KonaBlake · 12-28-2011, 11:17 PM

When we dropped off our car in San Diego there were taxis lined up and waiting for people like us. From what I recall there was not much to walk to from that location (we used Pasha). We were staying in downtown San Diego and the taxi was not hugely expensive. Our car joined us on the Big Island 3 weeks after we arrived. We scored a rental car on Hotwire for that entire period for just a few hundred bucks.

FallenIntoGreatness · 12-29-2011, 10:12 AM

Sorry for the late response, my landlord here is hassling me to hurry up and get out of my unit. She called on Christmas Eve saying she had a new tenant and wants the place by the 5th but starts rushing me the 28th. Like I can schedule a moving truck on Christmas Day. But I digress.

I am using Pasha, after they got high praise from recent users here. Road One San Diego
4645 Brinell Street, San Diego, CA 92111 is the address I was given for the drop off point. I can't book since they don't have the March schedules in the computer yet but the CSR lady told me to call back mid-January. On the map it looks close to a lot of stuff and I do see the freeway between them and the gaslight district. I've never been to San Diego, my sister will be there later in the month for some psych conference and I've asked her to get me maps and stuff.

I am going to try hotwire and Priceline for a rental when I first arrive on the BI. In the past I got one on PL for something like $6 a day and ended up with a Jeep so maybe luck will hold.

I am driving from NE MS to San Diego, I am expecting a 30+ hour drive. I might be up to exploring San Diego or I may be very, very tired. I am in the process of plotting my route and scheduling places to stop and sleep. Everyone has given me some excellent advice and I will be saving that rail info. I really like public transit for seeing a new place.

James - I am going to try to direct message you. If you don't get it, DM me. Thanks for the offer.