I want to start by saying the business owner will respond to this review by saying we did something we weren't supposed to and took the god awful stink buggies out on the beach during high-tide and it was our fault for damaging anything. He might even try to say that we were drinking all day or that we were in search of the lost city of Atlantis.
To me the way to run a car rental business would be to pose a simple question as the owner. "Would I trust these vehicles to drive my family around in?" The answer to that question is an unequivocal NO. Yes they were fun, but I'd choose a different rental next time.
My recommendations are that you rent the Jeep if you intend to go on the beach OR plan to push a dune buggy. Your call. Don't believe the marketing the dune buggies shouldn't be on the beach.
DO not conduct business with these people. They're not afraid to fabricate stories and other information to make sure they are the victims and you are the wrongdoer.
We were SO EXCITED when we rented dune buggies to drive on the beach. Seemed like such a great idea.
They guy that handled my reservation was very nice he explained all the rules and the ins and outs of the buggy. He was great. I drive a standard daily so I did not expect any problems. I was wrong. The cart did not go into first at all and the brakes did not work until you really put your foot in it. Stopped to get gas and a really nice officer at the station informed us that our turn signals did not work he looked at the vehicle and confirmed none of the lights worked. I did the $295 all day deal but only kept it for 3hrs. Attempted to return it and speak with the guy that did my reservation about the poor quality but the doors were locked and the lights were off also attempted to call. Dropped the buggy off at 2:30 rental wasn't over until 5:30 still haven't gotten any response to calls.
Bottom line is it is fun, no doubt, just way over priced for what it is. These vehicles need some major work to make them safe and reliable. I wish the business good luck, as everyone was very nice, they just have to be kept up better.
1. Beach is quite a ways from store (which they tell you)
You can read all the reviews from the last year to get an understanding of how shoddy this operation is.
Here are the 2 fundamental problems:
1 buggy leaked gas, had terrible brakes, no reverse, and the driver seat was literally held on by one bolt. The rest of the bolts we're rusted out. The other buggy had a terrible gearbox, bad idle (stalled constantly), and no suspension travel. They were fun, but way overpriced for what they were. The worst part was they knew about the problems when we returned them. If you are not a seasoned manual driver you will have major problems operating these vehicles.
2. Beach driving really is for 4 wheel drive vehicles as the signs say (they don't tell you). Of course you don't see the signs until you've driven an hour to the beach.
The moral and ethical compass of the owner/business operators are completely off. Instead of putting time and effort into improving their business, they use that time to respond to every poor review by saying "you took the dune buggies onto the beach during high tide" or "the dune buggies are in perfect/pristine condition". Ridiculous. Their dune buggies are trash cans on wheels with motors. All this owner does is fabricate stories and perfect conditions, which did not exist during rental services.
So...that leaves you with soft sand you get stuck in. I'm fairly convinced the locals know this and just watch the buggies get stuck for entertainment.
WARNING
Sure the dune buggies are old and could use some work...I expected that. They are horrible to shift. Even that I can deal with. Two big issues are what make me say no.
Rented these on our trip to OBX. Truthfully it was a blast, but these vehicles are beat. The buggies in their current condition are probably valued at just over $1000. So you're paying $300 to rent a $1200 vehicle for the day. I'm sure they were in good condition and beat down by customers, but they should charge less for the current state of the cars.
The buggies DO NOT belong on the beach no matter what they say. You really CAN NOT stay on the 'compact sand' as they suggest because other people are on it and the tides change.
This was the best thing we did all vacation!! We rented the dune buggy Iron Man and loved it
Buggin Out Dune Buggy Jeep Rentals is a US Car Rental based in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Buggin Out Dune Buggy Jeep Rentals is located at 2901 N Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948, USA.
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