[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by burky

Having tried both gas and electric, we have found the electric to be vastly better for the following reasons...
1. It is wonderfully quiet.
2. It leaves no smell/stink behind as every gas cart I have driven does.
3. Much smoother in its operation. Even though the cas engines do a reasonably good job of starting, they still have a "kick in" moment that adds a little jerk to the motion.
4. You never have to make an inconvenient trip to a gas station, or store gasoline in your garage.
5. You never have to horse around with oil changes, or carburetor issues.

Originally Posted by twiceis

We recommend a Star electric cart. Quiet, no smell of gas, self filling batteries and it goes for miles (we live in Gilchrist & go to the far north sections, Walmart etc with plenty of battery left. The Villages promote gas but electric is far more pleasant to drive.

I think there are a lot of misunderstandings about the range of electric carts, so thanks for your input.
As you mentioned, electric carts are quiet with no smell.

[ajbrown]

How long will my batteries last? I budget for 3-4 years.

My last battery pack lasted 5.5 years. That statement means nothing unless you know about:

1. my battery configuration,
2. how I used my cart
3. how I maintained my pack

I can answer those questions:

1. 8-6 volt Trojan T105s
2. I cannot quantify this, so no facts here to help, but I never (except once) discharge the pack to less than 50% SOC
3. I do the best I can. Keep them charged, watered, clean...

Some experiences that may help…

I did some testing when the batteries in my cart were two years old:

driving 22 - 26 miles left the cart at 75% SOC
driving 45 - 50 miles left the cart at 50% SOC

• your mileage likely will vary based on your three answers above
• mileage will decrease with age to some degree which I have not measured (this test was with two year old batteries).

On that same trip, I took the cart 63 miles with an ending voltage of 47.6 (A bit less than 40% SOC) Do not do this routinely (see pretty picture below for my test runs).

Looking at a couple of cycles versus discharge charts (One cycle means, taking the cart out for a ride to discharge, then fully charging)

Looking at some charts on the Internet (google “cycles vs depth of discharge images”):

If you discharge the cart:

20% SOC EVERY time you use it, you should expect 2000 to 3000 cycles
50% SOC EVERY time you use it you should expect 1000 to 1300 cycles

As you can see there is quite a difference in the charts <lol>. My gut feel is that even the lower numbers are optimistic but I have no way to prove that. I have never attempted to track the discharge SOC versus cycles of my carts and have no intention on starting.

We have two ELECTRIC golf carts, which makes over usage a non-issue. Living in Mallory also has its advantages as far as distance to things. No matter where I lived in TV MY CHOICE would be electric and I would not have an issue with range.

If none of what I am trying to convey makes any sense, I suggest taking the good advice already provided by some electric owners or get a gas cart

[ltcinf]

Originally Posted by Kahuna32162

If you don't want gas, Lithium Ion power cells are now available. They have increased the range on my electric cart by over 100 miles per charge!

I started out with a Club Car gas. After a few weeks, I hated the noise and the fumes. I traded it in for a 2015 Par Car electric which is made in America (Ohio). I have no problem getting to and from everywhere I want to go on a single charge. It gets up to 80 miles to a charge and I don't worry about gassing up all the time. Besides it's much more environmentally friendly, quiet, and I can now talk to my wife without shouting. Easily plugs in in the garage every night. With a 19 horsepower electric motor, the car excellerates much faster than my previous gas model. Replacing the batteries every five years or so is still cheaper than all the gas usage and oil changes. Check it out.

[daveac83]

Get an EZ-Go electric with large tires and six battery pack. Forget gas. They are noisy, smelly, and they pollute the environment. Wouldn't want one of those in "Florida's Healthiest Home Town"! David

[toeser]

Electric carts are quiet and don't smell. Their batteries will degrade over time, and depending on your type of use, you may have to change them with a lot of life left. Older carts have very inefficient lighting that draws too much power at night. Electric carts allow you to sneak up on bike riders and pedestrians.

Gas carts are noisy and smell. They have a lot of range. You can't sneak up on people. I bought a gas cart (Yamaha).

If you have any sense of adventure, checkout CraigsList (Ocala site). They always have a ton available.

[RickeyD]

If a gas cart stinks up a tunnel with no one there to smell it, does it really smell at all ? Dunno, but the competition rages on.

[THUNDERCHIEF]

Originally Posted by bernaldio

moving in this spring...what kind of a cart should i buy and where. Thanks for your suggestions.

village golf carts in colony plaza is great, and also brownwood. Buy gas , if you go on long rides to play golf etc. Electric may die on the trail a gas cart will run for a long time before it needs fuel

i would buy yamaha, or ez-go carts are cheaper outside the villages, but service may be an issue, if you need it.
Village carts has many used carts that could save you hundreds of bucks, its your call

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

If a gas cart stinks up a tunnel with no one there to smell it, does it really smell at all ? Dunno, but the competition rages on.

The smell from a gas cart lingers in the tunnel and waits for the next electric cart owner to go pheeeeeeeeew.

[dadspet]

Let me add my 2 cents. As you can tell I'm partial to electric since my wife and I can't stand the jerking, noise and smell of gas cart fumes, especially in tunnels. I think the Government should require pollution testing on gas carts and perhaps the Surgeon General make a statement on the safety of sucking in the awful fumes from those carts. Oh I almost forgot how about a statement on what the constant jerking when starting does to your body and perhaps the effect of the exhaust noise on your hearing while their at it. If you drive a Model A Ford then none of this should bother you and a gas cart is probably a reasonable decision.

A few more hopefully constructive thoughts:

My Club Cart Precedent cart has 4 x 12V batteries and I can travel longer then I want to go in a golf cart. Going from Brownwood to the Polo Fields and playing 8 holes of golf and coming back at night isn't a issue. Do I want to go all the way to the Northern Territories golf courses from Brownwood - no but I wouldn't want to do it even If I had a gas cart - its just too far and long at 20 mph.

Last I checked my 4x12V batteries were under $700 not $1000 but then again they probably won't last 5 yrs either? I've just started to use a battery saver that de sulfites the batteries and hoping it will get me to 5 yrs. I've used one on our Jet Ski battery that I had to replace every year or 2 and its been very effective in extending the life of that battery.
I have heard that 6 x 8V configuration gives better millage but the Electrical Engineer in me likes less cables and connectors that could give problems. I think the 6x8v config has more lead so more amp hrs.

As far as top speed, a standard electric cart will only go about 19.6 mph but without the AC motor, in EZ Go carts, going up hills wasn't fun and I had ours upgraded for about $550 and now get a few mph more when I need it. Now I don't have to get out and push the cart up hills (that's a joke but close to true) and can use the little extra power to keep up with traffic and help me in some situations.

Wish Lithium batteries weren't as expensive if anyone knows of a cheap source let us know - hopefully I won't need them for a few more years.

The biggest issue with our cart is the head lights are very dim at light and driving at night into upcoming carts that have replaced their headlights with something brighter, but not aligned to the road, blinds us and make seeing even worst. You don't think it has anything to do with our "not so young eyes" do you?

Oh if you happen to see me stopped along side the road some day in the future - out of battery, please don't drive by and yell >> We told you so - get a Gas cart. Offer to help us out at our age we can't walk too far any more. I'll buy you a beer, soda, wine. BTW we have seen gas carts stopped out of gas.

[Gerald]

It really is simple. You need to buy a gas model. The village is still growing and many have already had problems on Electric carts due to the driving distances.

There are many models to choose from. Lots of places to buy then from new and old, in and out, of the villages. You will need to go to several places to decide what you want.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Gerald

It really is simple. You need to buy a gas model. The village is still growing and many have already had problems on Electric carts due to the driving distances.

There are many models to choose from. Lots of places to buy then from new and old, in and out, of the villages. You will need to go to several places to decide what you want.

I agree that distance might be limited if you buy an older electric cart....but if you buy new distance isn't an issue. The statement that many have had problems without data can be ignored. 55 to 60 miles is easy. Rohan to Spanish Springs is about 15 miles so round trip is 30 with at least 1 couple 18 hole courses to spare. We have a Star and ParCar and have never had an issue. People tend to exaggerate the perceptions on here but Orlando is 57 miles from The Villages (Google Maps). How many people do you really believe drive that distance daily on here. Gas is so yesterday and more and more Villagers are learning that...which is why you can now buy an electric cart from The Villages Golf Carts.....even they can see the trend.

Learn and understand the facts, talk to actual owners of both, rent both and then choose what works for your personal situation. Only you know what that is.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Gerald

You need to buy a gas model. The village is still growing and many have already had problems on Electric carts due to the driving distances.

Originally Posted by JoMar

I agree that distance might be limited if you buy an older electric cart....but if you buy new distance isn't an issue. The statement that many have had problems without data can be ignored. 55 to 60 miles is easy........ Gas is so yesterday and more and more Villagers are learning that...which is why you can now buy an electric cart from The Villages Golf Carts.....even they can see the trend.

I agree with JoMar, "gas is so yesterday". Our experience with electric has been similar.

[HoosierPa]

Originally Posted by ajbrown

How long will my batteries last? I budget for 3-4 years.

My last battery pack lasted 5.5 years. That statement means nothing unless you know about:

1. my battery configuration,
2. how I used my cart
3. how I maintained my pack

I can answer those questions:

1. 8-6 volt Trojan T105s
2. I cannot quantify this, so no facts here to help, but I never (except once) discharge the pack to less than 50% SOC
3. I do the best I can. Keep them charged, watered, clean...

Some experiences that may help…

I did some testing when the batteries in my cart were two years old:

driving 22 - 26 miles left the cart at 75% SOC
driving 45 - 50 miles left the cart at 50% SOC

• your mileage likely will vary based on your three answers above
• mileage will decrease with age to some degree which I have not measured (this test was with two year old batteries).

On that same trip, I took the cart 63 miles with an ending voltage of 47.6 (A bit less than 40% SOC) Do not do this routinely (see pretty picture below for my test runs).

Looking at a couple of cycles versus discharge charts (One cycle means, taking the cart out for a ride to discharge, then fully charging)

Looking at some charts on the Internet (google “cycles vs depth of discharge images”):

If you discharge the cart:

20% SOC EVERY time you use it, you should expect 2000 to 3000 cycles
50% SOC EVERY time you use it you should expect 1000 to 1300 cycles

As you can see there is quite a difference in the charts <lol>. My gut feel is that even the lower numbers are optimistic but I have no way to prove that. I have never attempted to track the discharge SOC versus cycles of my carts and have no intention on starting.

We have two ELECTRIC golf carts, which makes over usage a non-issue. Living in Mallory also has its advantages as far as distance to things. No matter where I lived in TV MY CHOICE would be electric and I would not have an issue with range.

If none of what I am trying to convey makes any sense, I suggest taking the good advice already provided by some electric owners or get a gas cart

this information was VERY helpful. Thanks !

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye

Yamaha gas, but there's Pro's & Con's to both. I bought a new gas Yamaha when I moved here permanently in 2012. Yamaha is the most popular cart but they're also the most expensive. Mine isn't nothing fancy but I paid well over $10,000. for mine & it's not fancy. Shop around a little but definitely buy a gas cart. Electric Cart batteries will cost you close to $1,000. every 5 yr's or so!

Closer to $500 - $600 every five years or so. I have 2 electrics and did research those costs before buying. I suspect as quantity increases costs may come down.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Sable99

Good information. I haven't bought my cart yet but I've always leaned toward the Yamaha Gas. I didn't want to mess with all the batteries on an electric cart. Okay I admit it, the only thing I know about my Flex is where the gas goes!

With a gas cart you will learn more.