Golf cart must haves
 

I own two 2018 gas Yamaha carts. One must have is adjustable seats. They don't cost that much more than other "custom" seats. Don't mess with any "blower" as the best think is open front window on hot days. I would also get a windshield that the top half folds down as opposed to just small open vents -again for the hot days.
SELF CANCELING TURN SIGNALS are a must. Just remember to never rely on the folk's turn signals as many carts do not have self canceling and the turn signal may be blinking but they are really not turning. Otherwise, add a beeper that lets you know your turn signal is on.
I believe that visibility low the gold cart is important for safety. I have add LED lights to both carts that are always on white and then blink yellow when turning. It's like having daytime running lights on cars.
Seat belts are another great safety item. Many injuries occur in a golf cart accident when a person gets thrown out.

Don’t have to pay overprices Villages Price for the Same
 

I would never buy inside The Villages. There are plenty of places outside The Villages that are 20% cheaper on carts.

Ca r ts
 

Totally agree with this poster. I bought lithium-ion electric cart when I moved here two years ago. It is called evolution golf carts. In 2 years I have had no problems with it and have over 5,000 miles on it. You'll notice going into tunnels the smell lingering from gas carts or if you get behind one of the older ones spewing smoke and smelling bad you will appreciate your electric cart. Also, you will be able to have a conversation with someone next to you without yelling in their ear. Quiet, dependable and totally where the future is going. If you decide on electric, make sure your Lithium-ion batteries are at least 180 amp hours or more. I can get 80 miles on my golf cart in a day but where am I going to drive a golf cart 80 miles in one day? LOL best of luck to you

Batteries Aren’t Cheap
 

Yes, because the replacement batteries aren’t cheap…and electricity is free, just look at my AC bill…LOL

Bull!!!!!

Some under carriage lights are illegal

Best option you can get
 

This is without a doubt is the best option you can get - Both me and wife really like out sleekline but the Curtis cab is also well worth it . As indicated in the quoted response > being able to quickly close a door instead of pulling off to the side to unroll curtains is a real advantage when there is that unexpected rain or you get a chill (Yes even in Fl this happens to some of us). NOT TO MENTION > if you wife doesn't want the wind to blow her hair around. Not a cheap option but we use it a lot. You also should get the windshield with sliders at the bottom for air when you need it.

If your after opinions > I'd really consider lithium electric carts. Long range, quite, no smell, smooth. Pay attention to the current golf cart ads and you will see a clear trend advertising Lithium carts. Auto sales of electrics / hybrids are growing each year and they are the near future. I think they make even more sense in Golf carts since the millage is way more then you will ever need and as safe or safer than gas.

Doubt gas carts are a thing of the past in TV. A lot of people in TV like the high range of the gas carts.

Had the same thought. I am a golfer and this set up is a pain in the you know what if you are on the taller side.

The extra cost is like the cost of buying an extended warranty from the dealer. Have had Yamaha 3 years. Had one oil change done and nothing else needed.

Again (and again and again and...), replacement batteries are not an issue for the next eight years or so at least. By that time they might be cheaper, there might be a longer-range replacement, or the new style cart will be the thing get.

Electricity is approximately $0.01/mile. Over the 5,000 miles the poster mentioned he likely spent about $50 on electricity for the cart.

Sunbrella (a must)
Cell phone holder that fits in cupholder
Cell phone charging port
Shopping/utility bag that connects where the golf bags normally go. You can put all of your grocery store bags inside of it.

I'll agree that The Villages Cars are overpriced, but buying a new cart in Webster or Carts and Clubs is a much better deal than used high hour carts. Now that the season is here used prices have gone up by two grand.

Why even go there ? The OP stated gas. Yet you decided to fire a shot when none was called for. Also one of the other zealots was preaching that electric carts were more stable due to the weight of the batteries.

The sad thing is, neither of them bothered to get facts before posting.

My Yamaha gas cart is about 70lbs heavier than my EZ-Go lithium cart which.
Lithium carts are not 1/2 the weight.
Lithium carts are not much heavier than gas.
Lithium carts do not have a lower center of gravity than gas.

Lithium carts work well but some prefer gas. Isn't it nice to have choices?

Love my Curtis cab on my cart

Original post did not ask to open gas vs electric discussions. But since you wanted to spout the electric advantage please be honest. Yes the dry weight of an electric cart is less than a gas cart, but once you add the batteries electric carts weigh far more than a gas cart. The only person who can drive a dry weight cart is Fred Flintstone.

In case you were referring to my post.....

The weight I used for the lithium cart, 664lbs, was *with* batteries. (Nothing "wet" for lithium, not even the batteries)
The "dry weight" number is for the gas cart and is 714lbs. Adding 30lbs each for the fuel and battery brings it to 774lbs.
I have these numbers from my owner's manual but it is easy to check this online too!

No spouting advantages, just trying to provide real numbers from legitimate sources rather than making claims based on numbers pulled from somewhere else.

Special ignition switch and key that won’t allow anyone else’s key to start it. I’ve heard that there are only 3 types of keys needed to start the standard locks on most golf carts. Just another deterrent against theft.

Cart alarm
 

Gold shield cart alarm. Nice discount for veterans. Love mine and great peace of mind.

I visited Villages Discount Golf Carts yesterday and was very impressed with their stock - but I am confused about the difference in the price of different carts. We saw a 2017 Yamaha gas that was loaded for about $14,000 and then another 2022 for abut $19,000. The 2017 was quiet as the newest carts and comes with a lifetime drivetrain warranty.

They say everything on the cart is brand new except for the frame and the drivetrain. They put in new battery, belts, windshield, etc.

If everything on the cart is brand new except for the drivetrain and they give a lifetime warranty on the drivetrain, what are the negatives of getting the older cart?

Take a nice drive to Webster and buy a Yamaha from Country Power. You'll get the best price in the area and great service. CP has an employee in The Villages most every day to service carts and you'll get faster service than from The Villages Golf Cars. The savings on the initial price are substantial. Before you buy anything but a Yamaha, consider that you never see EZGO's, Club Cars, or another brand that are "refreshed" or "rebuilt" and resold. Only Yamaha carts will "go the distance".

You'll want:

self-cancelling turn signals
seat belts (and be certain to use them)
light strips on the sides and front (have them wired into the ignition so they are on when the cart is running-a great safety feature.
upgraded seats (avoid the bucket seats and buy the upgraded bench. Things you place on the buckets fall in the gap between the buckets)
mirrors that have turn signal arrows. Be certain to have the mirrors mounted at a height that allows all expected drivers to see over them (or even under them).
nice aluminum wheels (the factory wheels make it the golf cart version of a police car)
ice chest
sand bottle (one on each side of the cart is a convenience)
floor mat
gas gauge
speedometer
dash cover (the lockable glove boxes provide some security for your phone, sunglasses, or a laser rangefinder)

Unique ignition key or a second switch as a lock-out (many stock keys are the same)

If you will be taking your cart to Walmart, Publix, Lowes, BJ's, or leaving it in any large parking lot for any period of time, have the dealer install a "brake lock" so that your cart cannot be towed away and stolen. If you want to DIY, drill a hole through the floor and brake pedal, install an eye-bolt in the floor and use a padlock to connect the two.

If you are a golfer and will be in and out of the cart a lot, don't buy sliding doors (Curtis Cab), as they restrict the opening and are a pain.

Clear windshields are nice. Tinted windshields don't help a lot in the daytime and, at night, they limit what you can see.

Buy a spray can of PLEXIS and use it to clean the windshield from the first day. When plastic windshields are not carefully cleaned, lots of scratches and swirls will develop, making it very hard to see through at night when facing oncoming headlights.

Be kind to other drivers and DO NOT install an auxiliary light bar that blinds oncoming drivers. If there is one thing that should be outlawed, it is unfocused LED lightbars.

Welcome to The Villages and enjoy driving your cart to most everywhere you will go. I still get a smile on my face every time I see a line of 100+ carts at the town squares.

I'm impressed you have a working crystal ball.

Look closely at that lifetime warranty, mine was not nearly as generous. On the other hand, I paid only slightly more for a one year old 2019 cart than you are being quoted for a six year old 2017. Perhaps they are rolling the cost of a generous warranty into the price of the cart.

I am happy with the cart I purchased from them over three years ago.

If your wife is short is height get a adjustable front seat. Many carts do not have them. Sure beats a block of wood or piece of triangle plastic on the pedal that many owners use.

A well hidden kill switch is another important feature on a highly desirable newer Yamaha Quiet tech cart.

Disagree completely. Have had both. Towed home twice with the electric. Have a 2014 Yamaha gas that I maintain yearly. The only things replaced have been the battery, a muffler, and a drive belt. It is fuel injected and has the redesigned gas tank so there is no odor. The newer quiettechs are even better than mine.

In addition to what others have listed....a sound system.....a blue tooth speaker is ok, but an auto stereo radio/USB/SAT/BT/AM-FM will allow more versatile playlist without using up your phone battery and memory.

The problem with gas cars is you can smell them as they go by you on the street. This shows that they are polluting the environment, which is CAUSING Global Warming. That is why this summer was HOTTER than normal and the next 8 years are predicted to be hotter than normal. That is why we are currently being attacked by illegals at our southern US border. All this AND MORE can be stopped if about 30% of new Golf Cart and cars and trucks were ELECTRIC. ALL the bad things associated with GAS Golf Carts canNOT be justified "because they have greater range" (which most people never use). Going long distances in a golf cart will give you a headache from the exhaust pollution and the bumps and the loud noise.
.....In a few years, better batteries will be developed and the range of an E-golf cart will be equal to a gas golf cart.
........Gas golf carts have SO MANY disadvantages compared to E-golf carts, that I am just APPEALING to potential buyers to research the BIG PICTURE before making a choice of gas or electric - it is NOT some small insignificant choice - the health of the EARTH'S air and water (coral reefs) depends on your choice!

The lower center of gravity of the E-cart is very important to the decision of electric vs gas. Accessories are important for comfort and convenience, but electric vs gas is the overwhelmingly most IMPORTANT decision to be made about Golf Carts (and bikes, motorcycles and larger vehicles). It is all one BIG CONCEPT.

Buy NEW from Country Village Power Equipment in Webster Florida. BEST PLACE TO PURCHASE A GOLF CART!
Save yourself some money.

We're new here and wanted to make sure the cart was everything we'd need. And as i only intend to buy ONE new (may need others in the future) there was some splurging. I have a bad back so my wife INSISTED we get the high end bucket seats. Using it for most of our in village travel, we have already racked up 650 miles on it in just 3 months. Bottomline "I'd do it again" is spend the extra on the seats! Love them

Gas vs electric
 

Gas 250 miles. Electric 60 miles. Maybe. The villages is now 30 square miles and getting bigger. I was with my neighbor in his electric cart. On the golf course. We hit the transition between the grass and cart path. Pretty good bump. His cart died on the spot. Locked up. Could not even push it in neutral. Tow guy came and inserted a plug into an electric socket under the dash that put the cart in neutral. We pushed the electric cart to the street and onto the tow truck. The shop looked at it and said the repair is so expensive it’s not worth it to have repaired. The owner then went and bought a new GAS cart. So apparently he did not think much of the electric cart and switched to gas. Just fyi.
I like my gas cart. Don’t have to worry about charging it every day. Fast. Quiet. Etc.

I use Willie's. I can usually schedule a routing service a week or two out... About $100...

I've never seen a golf cart "spewing smoke" and the newer (2017 and later) QuieTechs are much quieter than the older carts and having a conversation is not an issue. No "yelling in anyone's ear" is necessary...

If you're a golfer, I couldn't DISAGREE more...

I rode with someone with an enclosed cab and pretty much every time I got into the cart, I hit my head, or my shoulder, or arm, or some other part of my body...

Agreed. I'm 6'1" and hated riding in an enclosed cab cart...

Buy an Apple Air Tag and hide it in your cart (same with your golf clubs...)

Absolutely agree. Not to mention snagging the shorts pocket on the door latch.

Self canceling turn signals.
JBL Bluetooth speakers.