Two minutes with a hire buggy before you drive it will save you money and prevent most of what goes wrong on a hire day. That is not a dramatic claim; it is simply that the two commonest sources of grief, being charged for damage you did not cause and discovering something is wrong when you are already carrying passengers, are both eliminated by a short walkaround. Neither requires any mechanical knowledge. This guide sets out what to look at, what to photograph, which controls to find before you move, and what to ask at handover, whether you are the person receiving a fleet for an event or a guest about to drive one for the first time.
- Photograph every vehicle from all four corners before anyone drives it; timestamped photos settle disputes.
- Check the charge state at handover and note it, because that is where the hire period starts for battery purposes.
- Find the forward and reverse selector, the parking brake and the key or isolator before you move.
- Brakes and tyres are the two things worth a proper look; everything else is cosmetic or comfort.
- Ask who to call and what to do if the vehicle stops, before you need to know.
Photographs first, before anything else
Do this before you touch anything, and do it on your own phone rather than relying on the supplier's record. Walk around the vehicle and take a photograph from each corner, plus close-ups of any existing scuffs, scratches, cracked panels, torn seat material or damaged wheels. Photograph the roof and canopy, which get missed and are easily caught on branches. If you are receiving a fleet, do it for every vehicle and note which is which. The photographs carry a timestamp, which is what makes them useful: they prove the state of the vehicle at the moment responsibility passed to you. Almost every damage dispute in hire comes down to whether a mark was there beforehand, and the party with dated photographs wins that conversation, as our guide to what happens if you damage a hire buggy explains.
The pre-drive check: what actually matters on a hire buggy
Most of a buggy is either fine or obviously not, so concentrate on the things that affect safety. Tyres first: look for adequate tread, obvious damage, and tyres that look visibly soft, since underinflated tyres change how a laden buggy handles on grass more than people expect. Brakes second: with the vehicle stationary, press the pedal and feel whether it is firm rather than spongy or travelling to the floor, and find the parking brake and confirm it holds. Then the quick sweep: lights working if you will run after dark, seat belts if fitted, mirrors present and adjusted, nothing hanging off, no fluid on the ground beneath it, canopy secure. That is the whole check, and it takes ninety seconds. Our daily inspection checklist is the fuller version for anyone running a fleet across several days.
- What to look for
- All four corners, plus existing marks and the canopy
- Why
- Your evidence if damage is queried at collection
- What to look for
- What the gauge reads at handover
- Why
- Sets the baseline for range and for the agreement
- What to look for
- Tread, damage, anything visibly soft
- Why
- Grip on grass and stability under load
- What to look for
- Firm pedal, parking brake holds on a slope
- Why
- The one system you cannot work around
- What to look for
- Key or isolator, forward and reverse selector, parking brake
- Why
- Find them before you move, not while moving
- What to look for
- Working lights if running after dark, belts if fitted
- Why
- Visibility and occupant safety
| What to look for | Why | |
|---|---|---|
| Condition photos | All four corners, plus existing marks and the canopy | Your evidence if damage is queried at collection |
| Charge state | What the gauge reads at handover | Sets the baseline for range and for the agreement |
| Tyres | Tread, damage, anything visibly soft | Grip on grass and stability under load |
| Brakes | Firm pedal, parking brake holds on a slope | The one system you cannot work around |
| Controls | Key or isolator, forward and reverse selector, parking brake | Find them before you move, not while moving |
| Lights and belts | Working lights if running after dark, belts if fitted | Visibility and occupant safety |
Find the controls before you move
Electric buggies are simple to drive, which is precisely why people get caught out: there is no clutch, no gears and very little noise, so it is easy to move before you meant to. Before you set off, locate four things. The key or isolator switch, and know how to turn the vehicle off in a hurry. The forward and reverse selector, which is usually a lever or switch rather than a gearstick, and which must be selected with the vehicle stationary. The parking brake, and how to release it. And the accelerator and brake pedals, which is worth a conscious look if you are used to a car, because they are close together and a buggy responds instantly to the accelerator from standstill. Then move off gently in an open space rather than immediately setting off into a crowd. Our guide to driving an electric golf buggy covers the technique.
Questions to ask at handover
- What does the charge gauge read now, and how long does a full charge take?
- How far should this vehicle go on a full charge on ground like ours?
- Where and how do I charge it, and are the chargers here?
- How do I release the parking brake, and is there a tow or freewheel switch I should never touch?
- What do I do if it stops, and who exactly do I ring?
- Is there anything about this specific vehicle I should know?
- What condition do you expect it back in, and how is cleaning treated?
During the hire: the things that catch people out
Three, mostly. Charge discipline is the first: an electric buggy gives its best in the first part of its charge and gets noticeably weaker at the end, so plan the heavy work early rather than assuming the last quarter is the same as the first. The tow or freewheel switch is the second: it disconnects the motor for towing and, critically, removes the motor braking that holds the vehicle back on a slope, so nobody should touch it during normal use. And overloading is the third, in both senses: too many passengers, and people sitting on load beds or standing, which are the behaviours that appear late in a long day and cause most incidents. Brief anyone else who will drive on all three, and it will be a quiet hire.
Two minutes, every time
Make the walkaround a habit rather than a one-off at delivery, particularly on a multi-day hire where vehicles are driven by different people and sit outside overnight. A thirty-second look each morning, tyres, brakes, charge, anything new, catches problems while they are still small and gives you a running record of condition. Then repeat the photographs at collection, so both ends of the hire are documented. It is the cheapest insurance in the whole arrangement. If you want the hire itself to be equally straightforward, tell us what the vehicles are doing and we will specify them for it and hand them over properly, which is what a hire quote from us includes as standard.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before driving a hire golf buggy?+
Photograph the vehicle from all four corners first, then check tyres for tread and obvious softness, confirm the brake pedal is firm and the parking brake holds, note the charge state, and locate the key, the forward and reverse selector and the parking brake before you move.
Should I take photos of a hire buggy before using it?+
Yes, always, on your own phone. Timestamped photographs of every corner plus any existing marks prove the vehicle's condition at the moment responsibility passed to you, and almost every damage dispute is settled by whoever has dated evidence.
What is the tow or freewheel switch on a golf buggy?+
A switch that disconnects the motor so the vehicle can be pushed or towed. It also removes the motor braking that holds the buggy back on a descent, so it should never be used in normal driving. Ask at handover where it is and confirm nobody touches it.
How do I know how far a hire buggy will go?+
Ask at handover for a realistic figure on ground like yours rather than a headline number, and note the charge reading when you take the vehicle. Plan the heaviest work for the first part of the charge, since performance falls off noticeably towards the end.
What should I do if a hire buggy stops working?+
Stop somewhere safe, apply the parking brake, get passengers off, and ring the number you were given at handover. Establish that number before you need it, and do not attempt to move the vehicle with the tow switch unless the supplier has told you to.
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Tell us what the vehicles need to do and we will specify them for it, hand them over properly and stay contactable for the whole hire.
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Our guides are written and reviewed by the Hawke Electric Vehicles team, the people who specify, build, deliver and support the vehicles. We focus on honest, practical advice and flag where a figure depends on the build rather than guessing.
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