Originally Posted by bocastephen

Seriously, your concern is waaaaay over fraught.

Countless people drive this highway every day in a variety of cars, most of which are rental cars. If you get stuck, which is itself a highly unlikely event, the towing charge is on you (no problem with a AAA membership), otherwise it's a very useful and important way to see a wonderful side of Maui.

The road is bad after heavy or sustained rains, something you can determine by the weather forecast before heading out...but if conditions were dry for a few days, it's a great drive with a few chunky spots here and there to be cautious while driving through to avoid the potholes.

I've done the drive a few times myself, no "survival gear" or special training needed, and if conditions permit, I insist on it vs dragging myself back through the hairpin turns of the Hana Hwy a second time.

We had this same issue/discussion on the KOA thread for years - before Saddle Road was re-aligned, every rental co stamped the paper contracts with a big red "Driving Saddle Road is Prohibited" stamp - yet half the cars on Saddle Rd outside rush hour were rentals. Today you cannot take your rental car to the summit of Mauna Kea due to the unpaved gravel section, yet every single car up there at sunset is a rental. There is a huge volume of knowledge online that explains the dos/don'ts and the how-to's of driving these (and other scenic) roads.