[jebartle]

Can not find an LSV Gas Cart....Why not?....What difference does it make whether it is gas or electric? I bet they would sell like hot cakes!

[Jane52]

Originally Posted by jebartle

Can not find an LSV Gas Cart....Why not?....What difference does it make whether it is gas or electric? I bet they would sell like hot cakes!

I hope I understand your search right (that you want to buy one).

The LSV gas carts are the ones that the Villages Golf Car Store owns and sells as rebuilt or demo cars they sell after a year or so of use by LSV visitors. Packages have about 20 new or replaced things--really good.

The biggest (most worthwhile) replacement/upgrade is the placement of a new, high-speed rear end. We got a 2008 demo car built to our specs and it is fantastic. Lots of people don't know that the LSV cars are SLOW because they don't have the high-speed rear end. Resident friends told us during our LSV that the LSV car was so slow because it is "gas and not electric" (they condemned all gas cars because of that notion) but we learned later that is not true. We are very happy with our gas car that goes just as fast as those friends' electric they bought new at the Villages G.C.Store.

Now I'll get ready for the rotten tomatoes flying my way, since there are many "experts" who "know far more" here than I do.

BTW.....TV Golf Car Store is excellent. You get what you pay for.

[ajbrown]

I am not making fun of Jane's answer in any way, no tomatoes from me, I got a kick out of the acronym collision. I suspect jebartle was asking about Low Speed Vehicles (LSV) and I have never researched the answer.

[DENNIS G]

Originally Posted by jebartle

Can not find an LSV Gas Cart....Why not?....What difference does it make whether it is gas or electric? I bet they would sell like hot cakes!

There are no gas LSV's. They are electric only, speed 20-25 mph max. but most will go a little faster. They were designed to be used as a neighborhood vehicle on streets with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. You can cross a faster street but not drive on it. They must also be registered, have plates, and insured.

If there is a gas one, it would not be an LSV but registered as a homebuilt car. Also, would need plates and insurance as a vehicle.

Most of this information can be found in the Florida DMV web site.

[jebartle]

We have a GEM but with Villages growing would like a street legal that is GAS...So, you are saying that there is not a company that makes street legal gas carts, not really interested in a home-built....Wonder why some manufacturer has not jumped on this concept?

Originally Posted by DENNIS G

There are no gas LSV's. They are electric only, speed 20-25 mph max. but most will go a little faster. They were designed to be used as a neighborhood vehicle on streets with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. You can cross a faster street but not drive on it. They must also be registered, have plates, and insured.

If there is a gas one, it would not be an LSV but registered as a homebuilt car. Also, would need plates and insurance as a vehicle.

Most of this information can be found in the Florida DMV web site.

[GatorFan]

No money in it for them. They do not sell enough LSV's to make any money. Check out the federal money they get from the government for producing the few electric cars they build now.

[jchase]

What I have read. Florida Vehicle and Traffic Law defines a LSV as a electric cart only.

[FMF Doc]

Maybe this will help.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/rulings/lsv/lsv.html

[gongoozler]

Federal law defines a LSV as an electric cart. Some state have now outlawed gas golf carts completely (you can keep an existing one but may not purchase new gas carts).

[jebartle]

If it is Gas or Electric, same stipulations apply for speed. seat belts, wipers etc.....I don't get it!

[HMLRHT1]

The reason LSV's came into being was because gas prices were going sky high, the country was trying to figure out a way to become fuel independent and everything was going toward electric vehicles ( Leaf, Volt). The government was giving subsidies for buying electric vehicles only. That is why LSV's are only electric.

[jebartle]

Why are STREET legal vehicles, electric ONLY, I understand that the electric is the "new fuel". BUT here in the Villages, electric is not the "power" of choice because of "range"....Street legal is desirable for us because routes are more direct also more accessable to some shopping areas....You know that gas in a golf cart is realllly NOT an issue...Our friend fills up her golf cart (approx. 5 gallons) and it lasts all month....How can that NOT be better than getting in a car.... Besides has anybody taken a pencil to how much it costs to use an electric cart in a month?

Originally Posted by HMLRHT1

The reason LSV's came into being was because gas prices were going sky high, the country was trying to figure out a way to become fuel independent and everything was going toward electric vehicles ( Leaf, Volt). The government was giving subsidies for buying electric vehicles only. That is why LSV's are only electric.

[rsetterlund]

Street legal vehicles have to ber insured and will cost as much as a car, if not more. I checked and most insurance companies want $800 per year.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by jebartle

Why are STREET legal vehicles, electric ONLY, I understand that the electric is the "new fuel". BUT here in the Villages, electric is not the "power" of choice because of "range"....Street legal is desirable for us because routes are more direct also more accessable to some shopping areas....You know that gas in a golf cart is realllly NOT an issue...Our friend fills up her golf cart (approx. 5 gallons) and it lasts all month....How can that NOT be better than getting in a car.... Besides has anybody taken a pencil to how much it costs to use an electric cart in a month?

I think that electric is the power of choice in The Villages, not gas. Many people prefer electric because the carts aren't noisy and don't smell. My golf cart goes 60 miles on a charge.

If there were a market for gas street-legal golf carts, you can bet that someone would be making them. gongoozler has confirmed in the post "some states have now outlawed gas golf carts completely (you can keep an existing one but may not purchase new gas carts)."

[mrdills]

Last time I check the gas carts gets 42-45 MPG and it cost about a penny a mile for Electric carts, you do the math. ( .45 vs 3.00 ) I will stick with electric cart.