Rented a Segway (i180) for a week...

[SEGsby]

A couple years ago, an unknown individual who commuted between LA and Valencia had parked their Segway next to Johnny Rockets at the Mall. At first I didn't recognize what it was, until a friend of mine pointed it out. The owner's wife said her husband would soon be back and loved to show the machine to people. When he came back with food, he offered to show me how to ride one. I was ecstatic someone would be that trusting, to let a first timer try it. [:O]

Even though I was only on it for a couple minutes, it left a lingering, almost nagging memory in my mind-- I knew had to do it again someday.

So, remembering that first experience with the machine, I took a vacation this mid August and decided to rent an i180 for an entire week from the LA Segway shop near the Pier. I wanted to evaluate the technology and see how it would fit into my lifestyle.

The store was very busy (on a weekend) and I was only able to reserve a machine on the following day. The dealer trained myself and one other person at the same time and we were soon allowed to ride up north on the bike path past the Pier on our own.

It soon became obvious why Segway riders use the word "Gliding" when they're on their machines. The experience was so close to flying / hovering over the ground, there is nothing else one can compare it to. I loved it and was very glad I was able to interact with one for an extended period of time.

I found that it was relatively easy to fit the Segway into the back of my VW Bug. The handle dropped very low and it wasn't too hard for me to lift it in and out by myself. It also sat nicely in my apartment, where I couldn't keep a larger traditional bike or scooter-- I would never leave anything outside next to the building unless I wanted to get rid of it. ;)

The rental machine didn't have any lights, so riding it at night was a bit scary on some of the Venice sidewalks. There is a section of concrete that's lifted up a foot or so by roots, and hitting something like that would not be pleasant. I started planning my routes based on how good the sidewalks and ramps at the intersections were. I found I didn't like curb jumping at all, and crossing an intersection with no ramps was awkward, since I had to get off and back on after power assisting up the curb on the other side. I now have a much better appreciation for what people in wheel chairs have to endure.

Other things about the i180 I found I didn't like. I never knew empirically what speed I was going. I could feel the machine telling me I was at the top end, but below that, I didn't have a solid idea what my speed was. I don't know the area very well, so I was always wondering how far I had gone, etc. And being on a battery powered machine MAKES you think about range constantly. No one wants to push their Segway home.

I noticed on open road, that the red i180 I had, would slightly track off twards the right on straight-aways. I called the dealer and they said it was probably just a low tire. So I glided to the store to get the tires aired up and they had one of the new i2's there... :eek:

The blond guy on duty offered to let me ride the i2 while he checked the tires on the older PT I was renting. Its a very different feel. "Organic" is probably the closest word that fits the differences between the machines. When the tires were done, he showed me how the new machine could take and balance diagonally between the curb and the road-- and the operator not find themselves in a dangerous situation. It seems like the newer generation Segways are even safer with LeanSteer.

So, now I'm planning on ordering an i2 Commuter package. The new machine seems to address nearly all the issues I didn't like about the i180:

Battery Charge Indicators where I can easily see them
Speed and Odometer Display
Anti-Thief Mode: Locks it's own wheels and "screams" when someone moves it.
Centering LED's that help you level the machine and zero out the gyros.

The commuter package should help address other issues I had while riding the older generation, like the THICK looking mats to prevent fatigue and reduce shocks to my lower body from bad sidewalks in my neighborhood.

I don't own a machine yet, but I wanted to share my experiences with the rental and would HIGHLY recommend trying this as a way to see what the Segway is all about.

You can call me,

SEGsby

[polo_pro]

Can I ask if you paid less than $200 for the week long rental? I'm not sure what the going rate is (though I'm sure the fact it's their busy season or next month during Segfest may up their rates).

[Desert_Seg]

Now that is a well written "how I got the bug" story. Good luck with your purchase, hope you have tons of fun!

Steven

[SEGsby]

Oh my no... The week rental cost me $495.00, plus tax of 8.25%. :eek:

For me, the cost of exploration was totally worth it. Again, there is nothing to compare with the experience of gliding on a Segway. However, most of my friends and co-workers though it was a crazy thing to do.

Then they asked to ride it... :D

It's my understanding that the rental cost can be applied to a purchase. Their rental page is located here:

http://www.segway.la/rental.php

SEGsby

Can I ask if you paid less than $200 for the week long rental? I'm not sure what the going rate is (though I'm sure the fact it's their busy season or next month during Segfest may up their rates).

[byped]

Oh my no... The week rental cost me $495.00, plus tax of 8.25%. :eek:

For me, the cost of exploration was totally worth it. Again, there is nothing to compare with the experience of gliding on a Segway. However, most of my friends and co-workers though it was a crazy thing to do.

Then they asked to ride it... :D

It's my understanding that the rental cost can be applied to a purchase. Their rental page is located here:

http://www.segway.la/rental.php

SEGsby

I was really on the fence about buyng a segway - and I thought, why not rent one for a week to really get to know the machine, try using it for everything once and really get comfortable with the hardware.

I had a real issue with paying 10% of the purchase price to rent it for 1/X00th of it's lifespan. That would be like renting a car for $2,500 dollars.

Is it an insurance thing that is driving the long term rental cost through the roof?

[SEGsby]

I have no idea why the rental of Seg's seem so disproportional to renting other forms of transport in the same area. That would be a dealer question.

A lot of bikes, scooters and cars are rented to tourists along the beach here... I've don't doubt that the SEgs are easily the most expensive rental you can get near the pier.

But then, everything Seg seems to carry an unusually high cost, be it rental or purchase. Check the cost of adding a 5W LED headlight. You need to also by an additional bar to attach it to-- and the light alone is $300! The "cheap" 3W version that dosen't come with batteries is $130. And it's frankly the excessive price point that's kept interested people away from either renting or purchasing a machine, IMHO. [xx(]

The upside is one can supposedly apply the rental to a purchase. I'll test that soon enough...

SEGsby






I was really on the fence about buyng a segway - and I thought, why not rent one for a week to really get to know the machine, try using it for everything once and really get comfortable with the hardware.

I had a real issue with paying 10% of the purchase price to rent it for 1/X00th of it's lifespan. That would be like renting a car for $2,500 dollars.

Is it an insurance thing that is driving the long term rental cost through the roof?

[byped]

I like the "boat" reference - I think from Karl? Was in one of the past threads.

I have no idea why the rental of Seg's seem so disproportional to renting other forms of transport in the same area. That would be a dealer question.

A lot of bikes, scooters and cars are rented to tourists along the beach here... I've don't doubt that the SEgs are easily the most expensive rental you can get near the pier.

But then, everything Seg seems to carry an unusually high cost, be it rental or purchase. Check the cost of adding a 5W LED headlight. You need to also by an additional bar to attach it to-- and the light alone is $300! The "cheap" 3W version that dosen't come with batteries is $130. And it's frankly the excessive price point that's kept interested people away from either renting or purchasing a machine, IMHO. [xx(]

The upside is one can supposedly apply the rental to a purchase. I'll test that soon enough...

SEGsby

[polo_pro]

I had a real issue with paying 10% of the purchase price to rent it for 1/X00th of it's lifespan. That would be like renting a car for $2,500 dollars.

Is it an insurance thing that is driving the long term rental cost through the roof?
Any mode of transportation require some lessons at the start, but because 99% of the population hasn't learned to ride a segway this cost must be factored into every single rental. And as much as the training video may help defray the cost, we all know that it takes personalized training for every new rider including between 5 and 10 minutes of focussed attention.

This differs alot from rental car where licenses, credit cards and previous arrangements allow a person to drive off with a car with only a 10 second check at the gate to the parking lot!

When we look at utilization, I think segways end up being rented at most 3 hours a day on the average. My segway came from a rental fleet, and I saw its usage history. It was more like 1 hour per day! And you have to factor in that batteries only last two or three hours before they have to be charged for eight to twelve hours. Unless spare batteries are bought at substantial cost, this affects utilization. Low utilization means higher rental rates since the same fixed costs and larger operating costs have to be amortized across the life of the segway.

ps - Flight training resembles segway training but taken to extreme...99.9% of people cannot land a plane, training involves hundreds of hours of personal attention over many years and the utilization of planes is low requiring high rental rates. Also both machines are very reliable. Well there is one difference between segways and planes...one requires $40 of gas to go 120 miles and the other only requires $0.10 to go 12 miles! Oh yeah, and maintanence costs for a plane are also about 40 times higher too.

[SEGsby]

I have to respectfully disagree.

Any good salesman **must** invest time with their customers especially since many of these rentals can end up as high ticket sales. Each rental is really an advertisment for another potential purchase... This is not unusual for retail stores where items cost over 5 k.

The fractional amount of time that was spent quickly training someone still seems out of line for other competing rentals in the area. And, if the local dealer plays nice, he will sell another machine...

SEGsby

Any mode of transportation require some lessons at the start, but because 99% of the population hasn't learned to ride a segway this cost must be factored into every single rental. And as much as the training video may help defray the cost, we all know that it takes personalized training for every new rider including between 5 and 10 minutes of focussed attention.

This differs alot from rental car where licenses, credit cards and previous arrangements allow a person to drive off with a car with only a 10 second check at the gate to the parking lot!

When we look at utilization, I think segways end up being rented at most 3 hours a day on the average. My segway came from a rental fleet, and I saw its usage history. It was more like 1 hour per day! And you have to factor in that batteries only last two or three hours before they have to be charged for eight to twelve hours. Unless spare batteries are bought at substantial cost, this affects utilization. Low utilization means higher rental rates since the same fixed costs and larger operating costs have to be amortized across the life of the segway.

ps - Flight training resembles segway training but taken to extreme...99.9% of people cannot land a plane, training involves hundreds of hours of personal attention over many years and the utilization of planes is low requiring high rental rates. Also both machines are very reliable. Well there is one difference between segways and planes...one requires $40 of gas to go 120 miles and the other only requires $0.10 to go 12 miles! Oh yeah, and maintanence costs for a plane are also about 40 times higher too.

[byped]

Why a two hour tour is $35 - $100 dollars - yes, makes sense; however, I believe that the learning curve for a segway is about 5 1/2 miles of open riding.

I do not understand $500 for a week. No people on the clock, just a person with a unit on the open road with a liability waiver and a credit card pre-auth for $2K. Damage risk is built in, however, the card covers the loss up front. Even jet ski's rent for less and has +++ uptime when you consider that your just a tank of gas away from the next go around!


I can rant, I can rave - but ultimately - I just bought an i2 outright to avoid the whole issue. Maye that was the best.

Any mode of transportation require some lessons at the start, but because 99% of the population hasn't learned to ride a segway this cost must be factored into every single rental. And as much as the training video may help defray the cost, we all know that it takes personalized training for every new rider including between 5 and 10 minutes of focussed attention.

This differs alot from rental car where licenses, credit cards and previous arrangements allow a person to drive off with a car with only a 10 second check at the gate to the parking lot!

When we look at utilization, I think segways end up being rented at most 3 hours a day on the average. My segway came from a rental fleet, and I saw its usage history. It was more like 1 hour per day! And you have to factor in that batteries only last two or three hours before they have to be charged for eight to twelve hours. Unless spare batteries are bought at substantial cost, this affects utilization. Low utilization means higher rental rates since the same fixed costs and larger operating costs have to be amortized across the life of the segway.

ps - Flight training resembles segway training but taken to extreme...99.9% of people cannot land a plane, training involves hundreds of hours of personal attention over many years and the utilization of planes is low requiring high rental rates. Also both machines are very reliable. Well there is one difference between segways and planes...one requires $40 of gas to go 120 miles and the other only requires $0.10 to go 12 miles! Oh yeah, and maintanence costs for a plane are also about 40 times higher too.

[SEGsby]

I have not seen the "boat" post, so I apologize for not understanding the reference. Sorry Byped. :(

However, I did want to update everyone on the i2 computer package I want to purchase from the Santa Monica Dealer just a couple miles from me...

Called them after lunch and a woman said they would be happy to sell a BASIC unit now with an expected delivery some time next week. But if I wanted all the stuff that comes in the Commuter package-- I would have to BUY IT ALL SEPARATELY AT FULL MSRP! All they needed was a $500 deposit to place the order...

"No., I said, "Considering the retail cost of all the separate components, that just doesn't make sense to me."

I again made it clear I was willing to wait for all the stuff in the Commuter package, plus add a headlight, accessory mounting bar and lower cargo frame. I'll probably go to a bike shop to look for an audio warning bell or buzzer, as required by California's SB 1918 for MOVs. I doubt the dealer would carry one, let alone sell it for a reasonable markup.

The sales lady kept asking if I wanted a "machine" now. I kept saying "No, I want the Commuter package along with it. The basic machine isn't as useful to me otherwise."

She eventually admitted she had no idea when those accessories / packages were going to be available and therefore couldn't order them now, but would call corporate to find out a firm date. I told her I had heard on the net, possibly mid-Novermber. *shrugs* She's supposed to call back and let me know tomorrow what she finds out... I would think by now, the sales people should know what's going on? :confused:

Then I asked if it was possible to apply my $500 rental from August 19th, 2006, to a new machine purchase as stated on their web site. She first said, "No. Usually people buy the machine they're renting right afterwards."

I replied, "But the i180 I rented isn't being made anymore and the i2's came out during the period I was renting..." She quizzed me again if I had rented from them, even though she mentioned earlier what machine I has used (i180). Then she said she would check further into it, but when she called back later in the day to confirm the details of exactly what I wanted; she never mentioned applying my week long rental to the purchase price of the package...

Hmmm. Disappointing.

I can just as easily give my money to a different dealer in Burbank (15 miles away) or Long Beach (22 miles away) if the local people don't play by their own "rules". Their web page clearly states that any rental can be applied to a future purchase. There were no exclusions or limitations concerning the tort published on their site. In fact, I'm going to print it out now, before they change it, then bring it with me when I eventually talk to the owner of the store in person...

http://www.segway.la/rental.php

What do you guys think I should do?

SEGsby

I like the "boat" reference - I think from Karl? Was in one of the past threads.

[SEGsby]

I can rant, I can rave - but ultimately - I just bought an i2 outright to avoid the whole issue. Maye that was the best.

I'm coming to the same conclusion... I definately get the sense of "run around" for applying my rental as a purchase credit. :(

SEGsby

[KSagal]

I have not seen the "boat" post, so I apologize for not understanding the reference. Sorry Byped. :(

However, I did want to update everyone on the i2 computer package I want to purchase from the Santa Monica Dealer just a couple miles from me...

Called them after lunch and a woman said they would be happy to sell a BASIC unit now with an expected delivery some time next week. But if I wanted all the stuff that comes in the Commuter package-- I would have to BUY IT ALL SEPARATELY AT FULL MSRP! All they needed was a $500 deposit to place the order...

"No., I said, "Considering the retail cost of all the separate components, that just doesn't make sense to me."

I again made it clear I was willing to wait for all the stuff in the Commuter package, plus add a headlight, accessory mounting bar and lower cargo frame. I'll probably go to a bike shop to look for an audio warning bell or buzzer, as required by California's SB 1918 for MOVs. I doubt the dealer would carry one, let alone sell it for a reasonable markup.

The sales lady kept asking if I wanted a "machine" now. I kept saying "No, I want the Commuter package along with it. The basic machine isn't as useful to me otherwise."

She eventually admitted she had no idea when those accessories / packages were going to be available and therefore couldn't order them now, but would call corporate to find out a firm date. I told her I had heard on the net, possibly mid-Novermber. *shrugs* She's supposed to call back and let me know tomorrow what she finds out... I would think by now, the sales people should know what's going on? :confused:

Then I asked if it was possible to apply my $500 rental from August 19th, 2006, to a new machine purchase as stated on their web site. She first said, "No. Usually people buy the machine they're renting right afterwards."

I replied, "But the i180 I rented isn't being made anymore and the i2's came out during the period I was renting..." She quizzed me again if I had rented from them, even though she mentioned earlier what machine I has used (i180). Then she said she would check further into it, but when she called back later in the day to confirm the details of exactly what I wanted; she never mentioned applying my week long rental to the purchase price of the package...

Hmmm. Disappointing.

I can just as easily give my money to a different dealer in Burbank (15 miles away) or Long Beach (22 miles away) if the local people don't play by their own "rules". Their web page clearly states that any rental can be applied to a future purchase. There were no exclusions or limitations concerning the tort published on their site. In fact, I'm going to print it out now, before they change it, then bring it with me when I eventually talk to the owner of the store in person...

http://www.segway.la/rental.php

What do you guys think I should do?

SEGsby


I talk too much and don't remember well, so I do not know of the boat reference either. I always considered boats to be holes in the water, into which, people pour money...

I believe that Jonathan (Macgeek) made a reference to renting jet skis recently, and as Jon and I are friends and often similar in many regards, perhaps it was a quote of his that I was credited with. Or maybe it was some wize and inciteful thing that I did say, but that brain cell is now dead...


Anyway, I have segged for years, and own an early E-167. (The E machine is similar to the I machines, but it has an electronic parking feature, so that it stays balancing itself when no one is on it)

I recently bought an i2. I bought it with the commutter package as well, but because the options are not yet available, I took the machine as is, and when the rest of the package comes in, I will get it and bolt it to the machine. I believe all the options in the commuter package are bolt on, so I will receive them in box and install myself.

I am not saying that all dealers would do this, and of course, I have paid for that which I do not have, but neither do I have to wait. I have miles and miles on my new seg...

You may want to consider a similar path. That way you do not need to wait, you get the options you want at the package price, and your purchase will be much closer to your rental date, so that it will be easier to get the dealer to go along for the rental toward sale deal....

Good luck! Welcome to the world of gliding. Check out SEG America, and consider comming to our Festival in LA this October...

[byped]

... I always considered boats to be holes in the water, into which, people pour money...



+2 points for consistency!

[bystander]

...a different dealer in Burbank (15 miles away)I think you'll find that the listing for Burbank is the same dealer as the one in Santa Monica.

http://www.segway.la/about.php

Also, the information on that page is accurate in 2005. The Burbank location may no longer be open, even though the segway.com dealers page (http://find.segway.com/cgi-bin/dealers.cgi?show=ca) still lists it.

I have heard about this (closure at Burbank) but not verified it myself.

I visited the Burbank location in the summer of 2005, but haven't been over there lately.

I guess the quickest way of seeing if the Burbank location is still open is to call the number listed on the "about" page of Segway of Los Angeles.

[SEGsby]

Anyway, I have segged for years, and own an early E-167. (The E machine is similar to the I machines, but it has an electronic parking feature, so that it stays balancing itself when no one is on it)


Wow. Cool feature! Too bad that's been taken away along with PA on the i2. :(


I recently bought an i2. I bought it with the commutter package as well, but because the options are not yet available, I took the machine as is, and when the rest of the package comes in, I will get it and bolt it to the machine. I believe all the options in the commuter package are bolt on, so I will receive them in box and install myself.

I am not saying that all dealers would do this, and of course, I have paid for that which I do not have, but neither do I have to wait. I have miles and miles on my new seg...

You may want to consider a similar path. That way you do not need to wait, you get the options you want at the package price, and your purchase will be much closer to your rental date, so that it will be easier to get the dealer to go along for the rental toward sale deal....


I was not offered the option of buying the commuter package, then getting all the add-ons later for the same package price. I asked. :(

Should know more tomorrow when they call back...

Thanks.

SEGsby

[SEGsby]

Ah, the info is much appreciated.

Thanks,
SEGsby

I think you'll find that the listing for Burbank is the same dealer as the one in Santa Monica.

http://www.segway.la/about.php

Also, the information on that page is accurate in 2005. The Burbank location may no longer be open, even though the segway.com dealers page (http://find.segway.com/cgi-bin/dealers.cgi?show=ca) still lists it.

I have heard about this (closure at Burbank) but not verified it myself.

I visited the Burbank location in the summer of 2005, but haven't been over there lately.

I guess the quickest way of seeing if the Burbank location is still open is to call the number listed on the "about" page of Segway of Los Angeles.

[SEGsby]

Oh, I forgot to mention, I had used the Segway Configuation page to send my local dealer what I wanted, early last week, but never heard anything back.

Has anyone actually gotten call backs from Dealers after filling out the contact info?

SEGsby

[pam]

I have received comments back from my not-so-local dealer through the contact a dealer page. I think a lot depends on how computer literate the dealer is.
Pam

[Florida Ever-Glides]

Where I live jet ski rentals go for $65 per 'half' hour. More than our 2.5 hour Segway tour at $61. $500 per week for a Segway rental does on the face of it seem high, but consider this:

The freedom to ride without supervision brings a much higher liability potential for the business, therefore the cost-to-rent needs to reflect the higher cost of coverage. In a rental situation the Segway seems to age more quickly and parts come back more frequently broken.

On the other hand $500 is a fair rental cost for seven days. A tour operation that charges $65 per tour, two times per day, seven days per week will earn much more than $500.

If the application of a rental towards a purchase did not come with a time limit, they should honor it.

This is a classic reason why I chose not to become a Segway dealer. The ONLY customers I have are 100% happy ones. There is NEVER a conflict of interest from a tour customer feeling pressured to purchase on impulse 'after the tour'. Our enthusiasm for the tour is genuine, with no motive to sell. How many bus or trolley tours sell the buses or trolleys, NONE. And, there is never any customer service issues. Our biggest problem occurs at the end of each tour, nobody wants to get off the machines!!

[SEGsby]

Good to know, thanks. Was wondering why there seemed to be no reaction from the inquiry via the company page.

Thanks,
SEGsby

I have received comments back from my not-so-local dealer through the contact a dealer page. I think a lot depends on how computer literate the dealer is.
Pam

[SEGsby]

*nods* Points well spoken.

The one thing I found odd was, after the rental which ended on the 26th of August, no one at the store said, "So, would you like to buy one?" All they said was, "Have you seen the new i2?" Which I had earlier that week...

I told them I had a great time with the machine, learned a lot about it, and that was that.

Thanks,
SEGsby

Where I live jet ski rentals go for $65 per 'half' hour. More than our 2.5 hour Segway tour at $61. $500 per week for a Segway rental does on the face of it seem high, but consider this:

The freedom to ride without supervision brings a much higher liability potential for the business, therefore the cost-to-rent needs to reflect the higher cost of coverage. In a rental situation the Segway seems to age more quickly and parts come back more frequently broken.

On the other hand $500 is a fair rental cost for seven days. A tour operation that charges $65 per tour, two times per day, seven days per week will earn much more than $500.

If the application of a rental towards a purchase did not come with a time limit, they should honor it.

This is a classic reason why I chose not to become a Segway dealer. The ONLY customers I have are 100% happy ones. There is NEVER a conflict of interest from a tour customer feeling pressured to purchase on impulse 'after the tour'. Our enthusiasm for the tour is genuine, with no motive to sell. How many bus or trolley tours sell the buses or trolleys, NONE. And, there is never any customer service issues. Our biggest problem occurs at the end of each tour, nobody wants to get off the machines!!

[SEGsby]

Today went well...

I got a call back from the saleswoman from Segway in LA, and she said they could apply $300 of my week rental to the purchase. Though not the full amount, it was many times better then nothing.

I was informed that I could also pay for the Commuter Package, get the base machine now, then wait for the parts; as others have done.

This seemed much better than yesterday's discussions, so I was pretty happy. I put down $500 on my debit card for the deposit to order the new i2 machine.

Was told the rental credit would be added in later, after the machine comes in and the deal is finalized. My new white i2 Segway should supposedly arrive later in the month.

Thanks to all for their suggestions and support,

SEGsby

[TheRonster]

Then I asked if it was possible to apply my $500 rental from August 19th, 2006, to a new machine purchase as stated on their web site. She first said, "No. Usually people buy the machine they're renting right afterwards." I replied, "But the i180 I rented isn't being made anymore and the i2's came out during the period I was renting..."

http://www.segway.la/rental.php

There is nothing ambiguous about their terms: "Rental costs can be credited toward a future Segway HT purchase." It doesn't say "... toward the purchase of the very same Segway you rode" or "... must be used within 12 days of your rental" or "... 50% of rental costs can be credited ...."

I would've held them to their offer. The wording may have been clumsy or not what they meant to say, but I bet their lawyer would shrug and say "Sorry."

They're lucky you settled for $300 of the $500 you should have gotten.

If I were in your shoes, I'd be wary of what other commitments and offers they will try to weasel out of next.

[Red Seg]

I have paperwork from renting a machine from Segway Los Angeles (located in Santa Monica) in July, 2005. It clearly states,

"Should you decide to buy, we will gladly credit up to $300 of your rental toward the purchase."

I don't know if they have reprinted anything since then but the rates on the web match those I have in print...

Their web page states "If you would like to rent a Segway before making the decision to purchase, we will gladly deduct up to $300 of your rental from the purchase price if you decide to buy within 30 days." I have no idea how long that has been there but it is shown on the XT/i180/GT page with a 2005 copyright. (A web page is not a binding contract.)

It doesn't state that you have to purchase the machine that was rented or make a commitment immediately after the rental but it does state that the limit is $300. This protects them from someone renting for two months and then expecting $1800 off a brand new machine (Or using their machine for six months and then gliding out with a new machine for $200!).

[SEGsby]

I never browsed their entire site-- just the rental page to check rates. Its where I got the info they could apply a rental twards purchase (sans any exclusions or limitations, etc.).

Your info is much appreciated and is in line with what was offered as a purchase credit yesterday vs the prior day on the phone. This makes me feel better about the transaction.

thanks,
SEGsby


I have paperwork from renting a machine from Segway Los Angeles (located in Santa Monica) in July, 2005. It clearly states,

"Should you decide to buy, we will gladly credit up to $300 of your rental toward the purchase."

I don't know if they have reprinted anything since then but the rates on the web match those I have in print...

Their web page states "If you would like to rent a Segway before making the decision to purchase, we will gladly deduct up to $300 of your rental from the purchase price if you decide to buy within 30 days." I have no idea how long that has been there but it is shown on the XT/i180/GT page with a 2005 copyright. (A web page is not a binding contract.)

It doesn't state that you have to purchase the machine that was rented or make a commitment immediately after the rental but it does state that the limit is $300. This protects them from someone renting for two months and then expecting $1800 off a brand new machine (Or using their machine for six months and then gliding out with a new machine for $200!).