Nephew got a sand buggy for Christmas.... disappointing.

[ultrarunner]

BMS Sand Sniper 150 - Deluxe Buggy Go Kart - Go Cart- Motobuys.com

Brother bought his kids one of these 149cc crate buggies for use around the ranch...

It took a lot of time to assemble without direction...

So far, it has been a big disappointment... warranty is worthless.

About an hour into the first day the transmission broke... turns out a large internal nut backed off... so at least it could be fixed.

Now, the rims are collapsing... which has been pointed out on internet forums...

Also, the battery only holds for about 24 hours... another known issue...

I went throught the same process when considering a nortrack dozer and TLB... glad to have avoided the pitfalls by lots of reading here at TBN.

Do have to say the engine sounds good... so far.

Wondering if anyone here also has one of these buggies and could give me a heads up on other potential problems areas?

Also, are there low cost rims anyone can suggest?

 

[ovrszd]

Friend of mine bought something similar for his Grandson. Bad idea. Work on it 2 hours, ride it 15 minutes. Sorry you are having bad luck. Sorry I can't help ya in your search.

In these deals, you get what you pay for.

 

[ultrarunner]

That about sums it up... 2 hours work for 15 minutes of fun...

Brother put the buggy in the horse trailer and took it to a mechanic 90 miles away and paid $300 to repair the transmission...

Mechanic was recommended from seller...

Submitted a warranty claim and was denied...

For the last year, they had been looking for a used Deere Gator or Kubota RTV... just kind of hard to justify 10k or more for an RTV...

I've never paid 10k or more for a car except once... and still have the car 13 years later... collector vehicles excluded.

 

[ovrszd]

I hear ya. That is why the grey-market buggies exist. People just can't see investing the money it takes to get a good one for a "toy". My response is, then buy the kids a ball and bat.

 

[kenmac]

looks sharp..Too bad it's made in China..I've got a friend that works on ATV' etc, A lot of people bring him those china made ATV'S to be repaired. often, only after a couple months after they bought it...He usually tells them just to buy another 1 or invest in the name brands..He says by the time he hunts down parts and his labor.. the china ATV'S just aren't worth repairing... Like I said,, that is a sharp looking unit..too bad they don't put a little quality into them

 

[ultrarunner]

No one asked me or I would have ventured my opinion...

When I needed a little buggy around the ranch I bought a Samurai for $1,000. I needed a clutch and a transmission bearing... $125 in parts and I have not spend a nickel on it in 10 years...

 

[Brad_Blazer]

If you search for ATV wheels you may find something. Here's what popped up for me.
ITP Steel ATV Wheels - 8x8.5 - 4 Wheel Parts

 

[riptides]

For the last year, they had been looking for a used Deere Gator or Kubota RTV... just kind of hard to justify 10k or more for an RTV...

Yes, but these vehicles service many different needs and include fun factors too. Plus, they seem to be built for many years of service or the buyers lifetime.

Shameless plug, our RTV, best vehicle purchase we ever made. First model year too. Even taught the kids how-to drive, and all about "4WD", driving conditions, hauling and dumping stuff, etc. etc.

 

[EddieWalker]

That's disappointing. I remember looking at buggies like that when I was wanting something to replace an old golf cart. The golf cart was great and I was seriously considering another, but the longer I looked, the more advice I received on what to get, the more I adjusted myself to paying more. In the end I wen with the Kawasaki Mule. I financed it for about $80 a month over five years and paid it off in two years. Easily one of the best things I've ever bought.

Eddie

 

[ovrszd]

No one asked me or I would have ventured my opinion...

When I needed a little buggy around the ranch I bought a Samurai for $1,000. I needed a clutch and a transmission bearing... $125 in parts and I have not spend a nickel on it in 10 years...

Yep, Sami's are the cheapest and most durable UTVs on the market!!!! People think that's a crazy statement but they aren't much bigger than a UTV and ten times more durable/capable.

 

[ultrarunner]

Not a single bad thing to say about my Samurai... it hauls fuel, firewood, brings the trailer up from the lower pasture and I can drive it to the filling station... friends thought I was crazy when I brought it home.

My neighbor has a gas Gator... the base model... it is used several times during the week and his grand-kids have a ball with it... it's drawbacks are 2 wd and no 4 wheel brakes... going down my trail in the summer is like Mr. Toads wild ride... just kind of a controlled slide until the trail levels off just before the creek.

When ever the grand kids visit they line up to drive my Craftsman mower that I keep at my brother's place... never seen 10 year olds have so much fun.

What is the consensus on the x series Kubota with independent suspension?

 

[alchemysa]

Not a single bad thing to say about my Samurai... .. friends thought I was crazy when I brought it home.

No one in Australia would think you are crazy. They are highly prized and hold their value. When they are no longer roadworthy many will go on to serve another couple of decades on a farm or at the beach shack. I have 2. (Early F100 rims bolt straight on and make them completely unboggable in sand). Parts are cheap, repairs are easy and they can take a beating.

 

[alchemysa]

deleted repeat post

 

[ultrarunner]

I really like the size... perfect for the trials on my property... also light enough for me to winch be hand a few times... don't ask.

Had one of the combo tops for awhile... it covered the front and left the back open which was great since I use it as a make shift truck.

 

[strum456]

When I was growing up, a friend of my dad's gave him a 3 wheeled mechanic's special go cart for me. It was definitely a 2 hours of work = 15 minutes of fun type of deal. My dad always helped me when he could, but with the farm and work, that wasn't nearly fast enough for a boy that wanted to ride. Needless to say, I learned a lot about mechanics at a very young age. Looking back, it was a death trap on three wheels, but I lived to tell about it and I learned a lot. One of my fondest memories is when I adjusted the governor too far, started the engine and it took off up the driveway. I was still chasing it up and it had already turned and was headed back down through the yard. The 3 wheeler was so light in the front that it literally climbed a rhododendron tree. The back tires were off the ground and still spinning when I finally caught up to it.

 

[ultrarunner]

^^^ It could be a learning experience for sure... just not sure my brother is thinking this way...

He hauled to a mechanic last time...

 

[strum456]

I am with you. If your brother wanted to buy a learning experience he would have bought a beat up used go cart, or just built his own. The standard of quality on home owner grade equipment these days is sickening.

 

[ovrszd]

When I was growing up, a friend of my dad's gave him a 3 wheeled mechanic's special go cart for me. It was definitely a 2 hours of work = 15 minutes of fun type of deal. My dad always helped me when he could, but with the farm and work, that wasn't nearly fast enough for a boy that wanted to ride. Needless to say, I learned a lot about mechanics at a very young age. Looking back, it was a death trap on three wheels, but I lived to tell about it and I learned a lot. One of my fondest memories is when I adjusted the governor too far, started the engine and it took off up the driveway. I was still chasing it up and it had already turned and was headed back down through the yard. The 3 wheeler was so light in the front that it literally climbed a rhododendron tree. The back tires were off the ground and still spinning when I finally caught up to it.

Great story. My Brother and I learned mechanics the same way. Took a foot pedal start engine off a Maytag Washer and put it on a go-cart. You had to push start it cause it didn't have a clutch. Man we had a lot of fun on that thing!!!! Dad had an elevated gas barrel for tractor gas. It gave us an endless supply of gasoline so life was good.

 

[EddieWalker]

No one asked me or I would have ventured my opinion...

When I needed a little buggy around the ranch I bought a Samurai for $1,000. I needed a clutch and a transmission bearing... $125 in parts and I have not spend a nickel on it in 10 years...

My only experience with them was when I was in the Marines and living in Indonesia. I went to Bali for a long weekend with some friends and one of them rented a Suzuki Samaria without any doors or roof on it. I think there where five of us in it and we where driving around on the beach when he turned too sharp, too fast, and it flipped over. I don't remember where I was sitting when it happened, I just remember feeling it happen and then flying through the air and landing on the sand. Nobody was hurt, and we where able to get it back on it's wheels pretty easily. I think some people came and helped who where on the beach. My memory is kind of vague on the details. After that, he returned it to the rental place, paid whatever they said he owed and we road around in taxis after that. It was fun, but not a good idea to take it out on the beach

Eddie

 

[ultrarunner]

Here's a picture of my $1000 Suzuki earning it's keep with my 1938 Bantam 60 Roadster in tow...