Golf Cart Buyer's Guide: How To Buy The Right Golf Cart

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Should I Buy a New or Used Golf Cart?

Buying a brand new or used (new to you) golf cart is so exciting! But which is better? Well, just like a regular car, both brand new and used golf carts are great in their own way and have their own set of advantages/disadvantages. A few things to remember first and foremost when shopping for a new or used golf cart are: take your time, study up and ask plenty of questions! This will help you determine what best fits your needs, whether it be a brand new golf cart or a used/refurbished golf cart. Both can be great, it really just depends on your personal preference and what you&#;re looking for in a golf cart.

Why & How to Buy a Used Golf Cart:

1. Lower Price: Purchasing a used golf cart is almost ALWAYS cheaper. This is a major advantage for so many people shopping for a golf cart. You can save a lot of money buying used, with prices starting as low as $1,500. Used golf carts are better on your pocket all around. There are so many great used golf carts out there that have been really well taken care of over the years or have been refurbished to practically brand new. Some used and refurbished carts look and run like they&#;re new for half the cost! You can significantly save if you go the used route.

2. History/Inspection: Golf carts can last a very long time (&#;70&#;s, 80&#;s, and 90&#;s carts are still pluggin along), so just because it&#;s older, doesn&#;t mean it&#;s on it&#;s last leg. But, just like shopping for a full sized car, you&#;ll want to investigate the maintenance history to make sure that the cart was well taken care of. If you&#;re buying an electric golf cart, you&#;ll want to know how old the batteries are and whether they were cared for. Also, whether the golf cart was stored well. Looking into the previous ownership is highly recommended as well. Inspect a used cart thoroughly or take someone with you that knows about golf carts to take a look for you. Take it for a test drive, listen for any noises, look out for any leaks, etc. Generally, warranties are not offered on used golf carts so you&#;re buying them &#;as is&#;. Ask as many questions as you can and take a good look to make sure you&#;re getting a good deal.

3. Used Accessories: Generally, a used cart will come with most of the quality, trusted parts and accessories that you&#;ll want, but at a much better price! Most of these parts have not changed over the years and are the same parts you would find on a brand new cart, but at a better overall cost.

Why & How to Buy a New Golf Cart:

1. Warranty: When buying a brand new golf cart, oftentimes they will come with a warranty, whether it be a manufacturer&#;s warranty or a warranty from the dealer who you&#;re purchasing it from. This protects you as the buyer should anything go wrong with your golf cart. This is a major perk of buying a brand new, unused golf cart.

2. Customization: When you buy a new golf cart  you can select all the accessories, options and special features you like, with the confidence that all the parts are new and installed by professionals.

3. Shop For The Best Price: In general, brand new golf carts will be be more expensive than used carts. We highly recommend comparing prices and shopping around to get the best possible price. In other words: Don&#;t get ripped off. If you&#;re buying new, you want to get the best deal for your money. Ask questions, investigate the dealer you&#;re planning on purchasing from, take a look at reviews online, etc. Be super informed.

4. No Accidents/History: Buying brand new, you can sleep at night knowing that no one has owned the cart before you. No one has even breathed on your precious new golf cart. This means there shouldn&#;t be any issues with the cart (mechanical or otherwise).

What Is the Best Golf Cart To Buy?

When it comes to finding the best golf carts, the 3 main brands that have withstood the test of time are Club Car, EZ-GO and Yamaha. All 3 manufacturers make long lasting, quality golf carts (and in some cases have been making them since the &#;s and &#;s). Parts and accessories for these brands are easy to find and are generally affordable (Check out Club Car Accessories, EZGO Accessories & Yamaha Accessories). There are also some assorted &#;off-brands&#; to be considered as well, like Taylor Dunn, Par Car, Cushman, Harley-Davidson and many others, however, Club Car, EZGO and Yamaha are highly recommended. Another thing to mention is that golf cart uses are really endless. From the golf enthusiast that only drives on a flat, smooth surface for a round of golf; to the hunter who has big thick treaded tires and a lift kit, riding on rough terrain to his hunting stand; to the realtor, driving prospective buyers around the community to look for the perfect home; Club Car, EZGO and Yamaha have something for everyone!

Electric Golf Carts OR Gas Golf Carts: Which Is Better?

Gas and electric golf carts are both great options, it really just depends on a few factors and personal preference. A common misconception about electric vs. gas golf carts is that the electric cart will cost you more to maintain because batteries are expensive. This is incorrect, in fact, the operating cost of the gas and electric carts are essentially the same, the only real difference is the gas cart will cost you in oil changes, belts, fuel and filters, while the electric golf cart will require that the batteries get replaced every couple of years (5-7 years on average). If you crunch the numbers, it&#;s basically a wash on costs. Here are a few additional factors to think about:

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Electric Golf Cart Pros:

1. Convenience & Maintenance: Electric golf carts are the most convenient and for most uses. Maintenance is minimal and a bit more carefree (so long as you&#;re taking care of your batteries and your battery charger!).

2. Less Noisy: Electric golf carts are super quiet.

3. Eco-Friendly: Electric golf carts are more environmentally friendly with no carbon emissions (no pollution).

Electric Golf Cart Cons:

1. Charging Time: It can be tricky to estimate when your cart will run out of power, and they do take a while to recharge. When an electric cart runs out of power and you&#;re not close to a golf cart charger or outlet, you&#;ll likely need to be towed or push the cart back  to the charger (unless you have an Onboard Battery Charger).

2. Less Power/Speed: Electric golf carts do not generally perform well on rough or hilly terrain. &#;Slow climb&#; is a phrase you&#;ll hear often from electric golf cart owners when they&#;re attempting to go up a steep hill.

Gas Golf Cart Pros:

1. More Power/Speed: Gas golf carts run at higher speeds and have significantly better pulling power. They are also easy to refill and require no &#;charging time&#; I.e., if you run out of power, you don&#;t have to push your cart back to a battery charger or outlet. Just add more gas. No waiting required (so long as you have a gas can with you or are near a gas station).

2. Street Ready: Because gas golf carts oftentimes have faster speeds, more often they are allowed to drive on roads, whereas slower moving electric golf carts are not always able to maintain the minimum speed.

Gas Golf Cart Cons:

1. Noisy & More Maintenance: Gas golf carts are noisy and require significantly more maintenance such as oil changes, filters, tune up&#;s, etc.

2. Pollution/Dangerous: While throwing some gas into your cart&#;s tank is super convenient to get you going quickly, the fuel does produce more pollution. Also, like an automobile, it can be dangerous to operated the golf cart in a small space, such as a garage.

Need new parts or accessories for your golf cart? Check out our Golf Cart Accessories

EZ-GO is one of the more common and less expensive brands out there, ClubCar is the higher dollar line, but worth it as the frame is all aluminium and less prone to corrosion. There are tons of aftermarket lift kits and accessories for Club Car as well. If you are going electric, pay close attention to the batteries and the battery box area. EZGO's are usually steel frame, and tend to rust away after a few years. Check the age on the batteries, as a complete battery change is rather expensive, look for cracks in the rear springs, this seems to be a common problem as well.
One problem I had with mine was the coupling between the electric motor and the trans-axle, a small internally splined piece which stripped out, but wasn't that expensive to replace, just a bit of a pain the rear.
My neighbors son has an EZGO that is lifted with ATV tires on it, and he and my son go bogging on it all the time. My son said it goes just about anywhere his 250 Honda 4wheeler will, and my son thinks his 4 wheeler is a submarine/tank, so it should serve you well in the woods. Just remember to keep the batteries charged before you trek off to far.
Good luck.

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