gas or electric golf cart

[mike9801]

hi, i closed on home in The Villages in January and will be moving down
when i sell my current home in Nashville, Tn…i want input on whether i should
buy a gas or electric golf cart, thanks

[mherzberg]

Mike - Welcome, neighbor! There are numerous threads of discussions on this issue and I doubt if you will ever find a definitive answer! I purchased a gas cart primarily for the range (about 45mpg x 5 Gal) and minimal maintenance (about $130 per year). At some point in time we'd like to get a second cart, possibly electric for shorter trips and convenience

Mike.

[DougB]

hi, i closed on home in The Villages in January and will be moving down
when i sell my current home in Nashville, Tn…i want input on whether i should
buy a gas or electric golf cart, thanks

Welcome to TOTV. Yes, I think you should buy a gas or electric golf cart.

[LI SNOWBIRD]

I've had an electric cart for 3 years, just bought a gas cart for range but the noise and odor are a drawback.
:beer3:

[gmracket]

We had electric carts for the last 9 years. Last year I bought a 2013 gas cart and I wouldn't go back to electric. The newer gas carts are fuel injected and are less noisy. Just bought my wife a 2014 gas cart because her electric was in need of repairs and figured we use our carts for everything and with TV getting bigger it just made sense. It's nice not having to remember to plug in every day and check the water. Depends also on your situation but in five years I don't think electric carts are going to be as abundant in TV as they have been because gas carts are the wave of the future.

[DeanFL]

Moved to Gilchrist, new home, 2 weeks ago. For what it's worth...

We tested both a new new gas and electric Yahama at Villages Carts after our closing. Liked the elec over gas - our Opinion = the gas was loud and "jerky" after a stop (motor stops/restarts). AND we would definitely have gone new/newer to get the fuel injected model. Range is NOT an issue for us - our use for the single cart would be pleasure rides, occasional golf, and trips to/from Brownwood & LSL. Don't see us ever needing the cart more than 25 miles in one day. We have a 2010 Prius that is perfect for trips to Home Depot, shopping up near there, Spanish Springs etc etc.

IF range WAS an issue = we would have gone gas. We also DID NOT go NEW. IF we put on a lot of miles = yes, but NOT - so NO. We monitored the ToTV Sales board and came across a 2010 Yamaha Elec in great shape and upgrades incl nice bucket seats, and the color we desired. 1/2 the price of a new cart. Happy.

Bottom line for us = TEST DRIVE both types. Determine your needs for the cart. Do research on ToTV - search the forum. Take the Gas or Elec folks input with a grain of salt. We ALL have our biases.

Good luck and go with your head and gut.

[golf2140]

We own two gas carts, would not change.

[CraigC]

I have one gas and one electric. If I was buyiing again I would get two gas.

[kellyjam]

Gas for me too. No chargers and wires in my garage.

[Bay Kid]

2 gas, 1 electric for Mom. Dad says if anything ever happens to Mom we will be a 3 gas cart family! No worries.

[Hacker1]

hi, i closed on home in The Villages in January and will be moving down
when i sell my current home in Nashville, Tn…i want input on whether i should
buy a gas or electric golf cart, thanks

Get a 48v Electric cart with 8 6-volt batteries. Then get a battery minder, which is a trickle-charger with de-sulfator. The 8 6-volt battery configuration will give you as much range as you will likely need to get all over The Villages, and the battery minder will help you get many years of service from your batteries. Don't believe all the hype about electric carts being dangerous, unreliable, expensive to maintain, or whatever. Our 3-year-old Star electric cart is giving us great, safe service with no problems. Besides its quiet, and does not leave nasty gas fumes in the tunnels and the trail behind us. We have many friends with both, and those with gas have had at least as many problems as those with electric.

[obxgal]

Yahama gas, 7 years now and have NEVER had a problem.

[rdhdleo]

We had electric our first 9 years here. It did fine but after the sticker shock of replacing our well cared for batteries for $800, no thanks last year we switched to the Yamaha EFI Gas from Carts and Clubs. Not near as noisy as others they insulate the engine well. and yes there is "some" oder not much. Low maintenance no problems and do not have to look forward to another huge battery bill. But like others have said test drive different carts and make up your own mind and then enjoy yourself!

[Fourpar]

I'm guessing you have to buy gas for your Yamaha EFI, no?
I figure you burn gas, I burn batteries, that get recycled.
Each has advantages, and disadvantages and both provide good transport for us here in TV. Glad to have variety to choose from.:coolsmiley:

[TNLAKEPANDA]

We moved here from Knoxville. Bought a like new used gas cart advertised on here. If you are going to golf or want to travel a lot in your cart go gas. Both gas and elec have to be maintained so your decision should be based on how far you will travel in it and how much you will use it.

[travelguy]

Afger 5 years here we have finally decided to purchase a golf cart.
We have test driven gas and electric and have decided on a ParCar, electric.
Tried out the gas carts at the Villages Golf Cart store (Yamaha). Gas is jerky, hesitant, smelly, and vibratory. Definitely not for us. Funny thing is almost all of our friends own electric, and yet alleged statistics from some cart salesmen indicate a huge preponderance of gas cart sales......cannot figure that one out.

[DeanFL]

Afger 5 years here we have finally decided to purchase a golf cart.
We have test driven gas and electric and have decided on a ParCar, electric.
Tried out the gas carts at the Villages Golf Cart store (Yamaha). Gas is jerky, hesitant, smelly, and vibratory. Definitely not for us. Funny thing is almost all of our friends own electric, and yet alleged statistics from some cart salesmen indicate a huge preponderance of gas cart sales......cannot figure that one out.


Yes, same here. We went to test gas & Elec carts at TV Golf Carts after our Closing in Brownwood 3 weeks ago. During our discussions with the Sales Rep (will go un-named, but he mentioned he was with TV Carts for 4+ years...). He stated "95% of the carts sold are gas". When we were asking questions about the electrics and charging - he said, and yes this IS a quote... "you have to drive an elec cart till the batteries are almost drained - then charge. They have a memory and if you don't let them drain they won't last long". C'mon - even I, a novice at this was ready to question that - but knew it was malarky. When we came back after the test drives and told him we decided on electric - he was surprised, and I think dissapointed. We did not buy there - did not want new. Bought a nice 2010 Yamaha elec for $6K on the ToTV site from a couple here. Very happy...

[bogeyqueen]

No worries about being stranded....GEAUX GAS!!! I live in a very hilly mts area in Hot Springs Village AR with 10 golf courses, 7 of which I like to ride my cart to, and I love the no worry go of the gas cart!! I would think will be the same in FL too! :) shopping, dining and GOLF and more GOLF all from the cart...Electric might be a diffy story,LOL

[jgbama]

hi, i closed on home in The Villages in January and will be moving down
when i sell my current home in Nashville, Tn…i want input on whether i should
buy a gas or electric golf cart, thanks

If you've read all the replies, most suggest gas. We went through what y'all are going through and we decided on a Par Car electric. They advertise 80 miles range. I can tell you I'd go anywhere in TV in either of our two Par Cars and not worry about getting stranded. Example: I went from Rio Grande to Havana and played 18 holes, came back to Rio Grande and got my wife, then went to Brownwood, then to Spanish Springs (using lights and occasionally ran the heater), then back to Rio Grande. No loss of speed or brightness of lights. Our carts have on-board chargers, so all I have in the garage is the power cord to the wall. No gas cans in garage and no trips to a gas station. Have friends with the newer EFI Yamaha, but still is too loud for me. It is a pain driving behind gas carts. SO, go with the 8 6-volt Par Car, and you won't regret it. :thumbup: