Golf Carts - Cost of Ownership

[turkii]

Can someone that owns and uses an electric give me some info regarding the ongoing an initial costs? Many people are using them at our camp ground and we're spending a lot more time on our seasonal site than I anticipated.

Scanning Craigslist it looks like I could potentially buy a used cart for around $2000-2500 but what about kind of expenses am I looking at in terms of maintenance? How often do batteries, tires, and other replaceable parts last? Any other surprise costs that I'd need to consider??

Thanks!

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by turkii

Can someone that owns and uses an electric give me some info regarding the ongoing an initial costs? Many people are using them at our camp ground and we're spending a lot more time on our seasonal site than I anticipated.

Scanning Craigslist it looks like I could potentially buy a used cart for around $2000-2500 but what about kind of expenses am I looking at in terms of maintenance? How often do batteries, tires, and other replaceable parts last? Any other surprise costs that I'd need to consider??

Thanks!

I bought ours 3 years ago and it came with new batteries and the the only additional costs I've had was the cost for the rain enclosure and the distilled water to keep the batteries filled.

[Dirtfan]

Are you only allowed to have a battery cart? Gas carts are more $$$ up front but they use about $5 worth of gas during the summer

[turkii]

Thanks Grumpy. From your experience sounds like as long as the batteries are new I shouldn't have any immediate expenses in the short term.

Dirtfan, only electric are allowed where I am otherwise id seriously look at the differences between paying for electricity to charge it up and the gas.

[lx22f/c]

We have one that we keep at the deer lease. Keep a close eye on corrosion on batt cables. Keep them clean and the batteries checked every month and they are pretty much just Fun. Good luck.

[Dirtfan]

My neighbor has one at the campground and I think she ended up paying about an extra $50 for the season to charge her cart, she just replaced the batteries this spring so the old ones were junk

[exjay1]

We have a '04 Clubcar DS we bought used about 6-7yrs ago off CL which came w/ '07 Trojan batteries. Our only problem (which can be expected over time) is the batteries need to be replaced after 2yrs of owing it due to not holding a charge anymore. Cost was about $70 a battery on our 48v cart (6- 8v batteries total) but have had no other issues since and use it daily around the neighborhod and for beach runs. Keep an eye on the water levels and terminal corosion. Tires are pretty cheap but we have yet to have any issues. ALSO, if your anywhere near the beach get a Clubcar as the aluminum frame will not rust and rot away like several EZ-GOs I've seen around here. Me personally would not get a gas cart just due to the addl maint needed. good luck!

[edatlanta]

I have a gas cart that I bought new in 2005. It is a Yamaha G22A and the only issues I have had with it are oil changes every 50 hours (1 quart) and I replaced both belts two years ago. The belt replacement was easy and more of a preventive thing vs really needing the replacement. Where I am hosting this summer I have filled my fuel tank once (5 gallons) a couple of days ago. I also replace the air filter every year or two and the fuel filter once a year.

Increased maintenance vs electric? I don't see it. If you have one of those battery terminal connectors come loose you can blow a terminal off of a battery and ruin the cable end and there are a lot of cable ends to check. Plus all of the batteries to keep full of distilled water. Now we can talk about a big bill every time you need new batteries.

I will stick with my gas cart and if I can't use it in some parks I just won't go to those parks.

[WVDusty]

? What is the average life of the batteries.
We have also been looking at electric and the dealers we have talked to all say that they install new batteries in every cart sold.

[norty1]

Originally Posted by edatlanta

I have a gas cart that I bought new in 2005. It is a Yamaha G22A and the only issues I have had with it are oil changes every 50 hours (1 quart) and I replaced both belts two years ago. The belt replacement was easy and more of a preventive thing vs really needing the replacement. Where I am hosting this summer I have filled my fuel tank once (5 gallons) a couple of days ago. I also replace the air filter every year or two and the fuel filter once a year.

Increased maintenance vs electric? I don't see it. If you have one of those battery terminal connectors come loose you can blow a terminal off of a battery and ruin the cable end and there are a lot of cable ends to check. Plus all of the batteries to keep full of distilled water. Now we can talk about a big bill every time you need new batteries.

I will stick with my gas cart and if I can't use it in some parks I just won't go to those parks.

How do you transport it?

[edatlanta]

I know you were hoping I had a magic way to transport it norty1, but just the old fashioned way via a friend with another tow vehicle. Actually she said she would deliver it and pick it up if I would put a hitch on her car. No problem there. Cheaper than an extra trip by me. I bought this trailer a year ago and it is 6.5' wide inside the rails x 12' long. I wanted the extra width so I could get both the cart and scooter side by side with a shorter trailer. Works great.

[Paulx213]

Just curious. How big are the campgrounds that you would need a golf cart to get around? Our seasonal site park is 65 acres.

[WVDusty]

Originally Posted by Paulx213

Just curious. How big are the campgrounds that you would need a golf cart to get around? Our seasonal site park is 65 acres.

Ever been to Disneys fort wilderness?

[Paulx213]

No but it's definitely in my list of places to go. Bit of a drive though.