Carts, Maintance of gas vs electric

[Shimpy]

Planning on moving there in a while and can't determine which is the least expensive to maintain.
I thought I liked electric but was told the batteries needed to be replaced after several years at a cost of maybe $600. Heard you can't really replace only one without the others going bad.
Don't really like the maintance of gas having to do oil changes, air filter changes and tune-ups. Not to mention buying gas.

I'm sure this subject has been visited many times but I'm new to this forum and would like input from folks that have experienced both types of carts.
I like the idea of just simply plugging in the cart at night but would appreciate opinions form experienced board members.

[JohnN]

gonna be 50-50, les
everyone has their preference
you can count on that
I vote electric

[Ooper]

I have an electric and I have had my batteries for four years now and they don't show any sign of deterioration at all. I did replace one of the batteries after the first year because it went bad. The new battery worked fine with the older ones and it is still in there. I think you can get lead acid batteries in the $50 range and the newer gel filled about $15-$20 more. I think your estimate of $600 for a battery change out is a bit high. I've thought about getting a gas cart because of the size of TV but I can still get to any course, play 18 holes and have enough juice to get back home. As far as maintenance, I have mine lubed about once a year, do it myself in about 5 minutes... get in and drive it... period. In my opinion, and likeJohnN said, everybody will have one, gas carts stink if you follow them, and they are noisy. On the other hand, they tend to be faster and it is no big deal if you do run out of gas. If I do anything, I may get an old used gas cart for a spare along with my electric. But I will always have an electric. There are other threads on this subject if you search "golf carts".

[golfnut]

I have electric and love them, would never buy gas, too stinky and noisy, but as others have said to each his own....GN

[Barefoot]

I have electric and love them, would never buy gas, too stinky and noisy, but as others have said to each his own....GN


Another vote for electric! I agree with Golfnut, gas carts are too stinky and noisy.

[barb1191]

We have an electric golf cart and was purchased, reconditioned, in 2002. This is the first year the batteries went dead and was brought in for replacements and overhaul. It also needed a computer replacement plus a few other minor things for a total of $1200 which I felt was a pretty good price for all of the free seven years of use. It's working fine now and has lots of mileage left in it. Electric is the way to go. CART WORLD GOLF CARTS IN LADY LAKE FL is the best to deal with.They do not nickle and dime you nor push for service. When hub first called them, they worked with him in an attempt to bring back some life to the batteries for which we were so very pleased as he could have pushed the need to replace the batteries without trying to rejuvinate them. He said sometimes it works and sometimes not.

When we first got the cart, the charger dropped on the cement garage floor and looked pretty beat up, so we took it to Cart World; they opened it up and checked it all out and said nothing was damaged inside and it's fine; and they didn't charge us a cent for that service. Good business practice and we left very impressed with this place as he could have told us the charger was too damaged and we would need to buy a new one, but the man was honorable and ethical. I like that and he's got our business, for sure.

[Fourpar]

Electric gets my vote! I have electric Club Car and love it. Gas stinks (big time) and makes a lot of noise. Gas may be a bit faster up hill, but I wouldn't want one for love nor money.
I get to any course I want...and back without a problem. Just have to make sure you take care of the batteries, and they'll take care of you. Check water level periodically and add as necessary.:laugh:

[Bryan]

So far, most seem to favor electric (as I do) but here's a thought. When you get here, rent one of each type for a week or so and make your own decision. The rental will cost you a few bucks but you get a relatively cheap way to try out both types for awhile and then decide which you like best.

[l2ridehd]

I own one of each and each has it's pros and cons. Gas does not stink if you run premium fuel only. I know 3 others besides myself who do this and there is a significant difference in the smell. Noise is less if you add a tail pipe extender. (cost is $45) But still makes more noise than electric. They are faster, especially up any hill. (slight incline impacts electric) And they will travel any distance you need, even at night running the lights. Electric is quiet, easy to use, less maintenance and environmental friendly. Until you replace the batteries. Cost of a new set of batteries is $639 (call every cart service place and ask, I have) and needs to be done about every 4 to 5 years. And yes, someone will always say "I got 7 years out of mine", but ask any dealer and they will tell you 5 years and they are selling carts. Sam's Club has them for about $550 but you need to do the work yourself. With electric you need to manage your distance and consider day vs night driving.

Cost to operate is about the same. The free use statement above is just not true. Electricity does cost money when you plug it in. Any analysis I have seen between cost to operate per mile when you consider gas, batteries, electricity, maintenance, and ALL expenses, they are the same.

There are two recommendations I would give you. If you buy electric, get a Club Car, if you buy gas get a Yamaha. They each seem to make the best cart in those modes. But renting and trying them for yourself is a great suggestion.

[Barefoot]

There are two recommendations I would give you. If you buy electric, get a Club Car, if you buy gas get a Yamaha. They each seem to make the best cart in those modes.

Each to his own. My vote would be for a Columbia Par Car .. electric.

[Safe Home Watch Mary Edwards]

Hi got a question where can you get the tail pipe extension put on in TV???Thanks Mary

[l2ridehd]

Most of the golf cart service people will do it. The Villages golf cart service is where I got mine as I had it in for something else being fixed under warrenty so had them do that at the same time. I have not searched, but my guess is you could find it online at TNTgolf or some place like that and install it yourself.

[kyblue]

We have only seen where you can rent gas carts. Where can we rent an electric?

We have been asking ourselves this question - and would like to rent an electric.

Thanks,

[SteveFromNY]

We have only seen where you can rent gas carts. Where can we rent an electric?

We have been asking ourselves this question - and would like to rent an electric.

Thanks,

Try Jim Followell (259-7525). He rents electric.

[barb1191]

I own one of each and each has it's pros and cons. Gas does not stink if you run premium fuel only. I know 3 others besides myself who do this and there is a significant difference in the smell. Noise is less if you add a tail pipe extender. (cost is $45) But still makes more noise than electric. They are faster, especially up any hill. (slight incline impacts electric) And they will travel any distance you need, even at night running the lights. Electric is quiet, easy to use, less maintenance and environmental friendly. Until you replace the batteries. Cost of a new set of batteries is $639 (call every cart service place and ask, I have) and needs to be done about every 4 to 5 years. And yes, someone will always say "I got 7 years out of mine", but ask any dealer and they will tell you 5 years and they are selling carts. Sam's Club has them for about $550 but you need to do the work yourself. With electric you need to manage your distance and consider day vs night driving.

Cost to operate is about the same. The free use statement above is just not true. Electricity does cost money when you plug it in. Any analysis I have seen between cost to operate per mile when you consider gas, batteries, electricity, maintenance, and ALL expenses, they are the same.

There are two recommendations I would give you. If you buy electric, get a Club Car, if you buy gas get a Yamaha. They each seem to make the best cart in those modes. But renting and trying them for yourself is a great suggestion.


With all due respect, I guess that we will agree to disagree.

Bottom line; IMO, I would prefer to plug the cart into a charger rather than to buy gas for it, as needed. The television and refrigerator (to name a few electrical appliances) use a lot of electricity, yet hardly as much as gas costs these days to run anything, as well as the maintenance on a gas cart.

My "free use" statement IS true to me as I feel if I'm not filling a gas tank periodically, and the maintenance for seven years on the cart was nil, I'm not shelling out $$$$; I have never seen any significant increase in my electric bill when here as a snowbird and using the cart, compared to when not here and the cart unplugged. At the price of premium gas today, I much prefer to plug in my cart to an electrical outlet; big difference!!

A dealer may tell you four or five years, of course.....because they want to sell to you again in that time span. My cart is SEVEN years with me and I purchased it reconditioned, and it's got a lot of life left in it, for sure!! Do you believe everything the dealers tell you? Hmmmm, ask the users what their lifespan is on a cart, not the dealers!!

It's all a matter of choice, yes? I do resent being accused of saying something is not true, however.

[l2ridehd]

Well it is not true that electricity is free. And that is all I said. Sorry you resent that, but somehow I get an electric bill every month and it goes up and down based on the kw's used. When the charger is plugged in, it is using electricity and shows up in the bill. And unless you have some new way of getting it, it shows up in yours as well. As to the batteries, I am sure it must be based on how much you use the cart. It would be a good poll question to see what the average life is by a large sample of people. I hope your correct on that one.

And I like both carts. Take the gas cart if going for a long ride, golf, and might be out at night. But if just going to the store, town square, executive course, take the electric. Both have there place in the Villages.

[Bogie Shooter]

Give the new EZgo some consideration.

[tonycirocco]

Gas,,,,.

[duffertom]

I agree with an electric cart. Gas carts are to noisy and stink. We have an electric and would not trade it fo a gas. Besides we need to get away from gas.

[SteveFromNY]

This is always a fun topic every time it comes back up.
For me the decision was easy. I am concerned about range. I don't really care how many times I hear "I drove to the store, played a round of golf, got coffee and went home." My concern is for the day I did all of that, and then decide I want to drive to Wal-mart or Target or someplace else after that and I can't because the cart may not make it. I have often seen electric carts with dead batteries on the side of the path. It happens and no one can argue that it can't. You can get a meter, you can keep it charged, you can drive less. But it does happen. And yes, you can run out of gas, but all you need to do is raise the seat and see if there's gas. And generally I keep it pretty full as I'll stop for gas once a week and fill, sometimes for as much as $5 worth of gas.
I worry about wearing out flashlight batteries. It's my nature. I can't help it.
So for me, gas was the only answer. I like to light a cigar (talk about stinking the place up) and drive around. Sometimes for hours in a day. I find driving the cart a very relaxing activity. I tour the neighborhoods, drive along the paths next to the 466 & 466A, all over the place. Electric wouldn't cut it for me.

As to the maintenance, TV Golf Carts told me to bring the cart in once a year for $50 maintenance. I'll tell you next year if that worked out.

[schotzyb]

We have one of each;electric for the wife and gas for me. Don't like worrying if I will make it back to Polo Ridge from Cane Garden after playing 18 holes there. Even with good batteries (2-3 years old) fully charged it is a load on an electric to carry two 180-200 lb men and their golf bags(another 100-150 lbs) from Polo Ridge to Cane Garden; play 18 holes and make the return trip to Polo Ridge. My previous electric(EZ-GO) and the wife's Yamaha electric have both made this journey and both were needing juice badly by the time we got home.

[chacam]

Last year we went 3062 miles in our Club Car electric and, used 650 measured KWH to charge it, averaging approx 4.6 miles per KWH. (1 KWH = about a dime or so). So, it cost about $65 to charge our cart last year. Gas carts are more expensive to fuel but if you factor in the cost of replacement batteries, it is probably a wash.

Some recent ads are saying 60 miles to a charge. I don't know how they do that as there is only so much energy available in a set of batteries. Sounds like a bunch of bull to me. Maybe some new secret technology ! ! !

[SteveFromNY]

Last year we went 3062 miles in our Club Car electric and, used 650 measured KWH to charge it, averaging approx 4.6 miles per KWH. (1 KWH = about a dime or so).

Chacam, at the risk of hijacking the thread, how did you measure the electric to only the golf cart? There are plenty of items in the house I'd like to know what they cost to keep running. Do you need some kind of special meter?
Thanks

[chacam]

I use a kill a watt available from SECO about $25

http://www.energyfederation.org/seco/default.php/cPath/388_254

[movinsoon]

So how far do you go routinely go in an electric cart? If your house is 6 or 7 miles from the square can you drive there and back at night and not worry about running out of power?

[Ooper]

moovinsoon... absolutely... you could make that trip numerous times with no problem.

[mitchbr47]

We have an electric EZ Go 4 seater. It has a range of nearly 60 miles, but we don't push that limit. As stated my many is the smell of gas. Living in Hadley we have only one station near us on 466A. For awhile it was out of business but reopened. That could happen again. Plus they are pricier that others on 466. Also, I really didn't want to store a 5 gallon can of gas in the garage.
I could never could calculate the electrical cost per charge.

[SABRMnLgs]

Why I am always the dissenter here I don't know. Like others, I have had both and electric golf car and a gas golf car. I vote gas after a few experiences with the electric.
While driving the electric down BVB, I got passed by an elderly lady using a walker, that kind of cinched it for me. (FOTFLMAO).
Seriously, I used an electric for over a year. I thought it was great. Then when we moved, the guy threw in a gas cart for nada.
Had it for little over half a year and would not trade it ever again for an electric. Yes at first it took a bit of getting used to, but then I learned the trick about the ethyl gas and a better muffler and lo and behold, most of the "nasty" things went away.
Now all I gotta put up with is a person in front of me with an electric cart. And they won't pull over and let me pass.

[SteveFromNY]

Why I am always the dissenter here I don't know. Like others, I have had both and electric golf car and a gas golf car. I vote gas ..........
Yes at first it took a bit of getting used to, but then I learned the trick about the ethyl gas and a better muffler and lo and behold, most of the "nasty" things went away.


I have voted gas many times myself (in fact, every time I see this topic). What's the "trick with the ethyl gas"? What does it do? How do you do it? :shrug:

[Ooper]

SABRMnLgs... Electric carts aren't all slow... Yes, you can fiddle with the governor on gas carts to exceed the 20 mph... but I also pass many gas carts with my electric. I can do 23-24 mph on the level. I could go faster if I put my bigger wheels on but that's fast enough for me. A close friend of mine also has an elec and I have trouble keeping up with him. This can be debated forever but it just comes down to personal preferences.

[MMC24]

Moved here 2.5 years ago. Purchased 2 electric GC's. Have not had a problem yet. I keep the batteries topped off and have given me good service. We use them everyday - weather permitting.

[SABRMnLgs]

Hi Steve:

First the name is Jerry. SABR is just an acronym for a baseball club I belong to. But I had put something in as "Jerry" was already taken. (see below)

The premium gas just burns cleaner (less hydrocarbons) ergo less exhaust smell. And if you go to a DAP or one of the places they make carts, they have the tailpipe muffler assembly to quiet down your ride.

[SteveFromNY]

SABRMnLgs... Electric carts aren't all slow... Yes, you can fiddle with the governor on gas carts to exceed the 20 mph... but I also pass many gas carts with my electric. I can do 23-24 mph on the level. I could go faster if I put my bigger wheels on but that's fast enough for me. A close friend of mine also has an elec and I have trouble keeping up with him. This can be debated forever but it just comes down to personal preferences.
Fiddling with the governor on a gas cart does a few things besides making it faster!
It technically voids your manufacturer's warranty and your insurance coverage, and makes you a potential recipient of speeding tickets!
Seems to me that 20 mph is fast enough. If I am in that much of a hurry that it's not, I'll use the car rather than the cart.

[golfnut]

As others have said, to each his own, but I recommend if you are buying new look at the EZ GO RXV it is the latest electric technology and many here have said they like them a lot, it would be my choice for a new cart even though I currently have 3 Club Car electrics that I love. I also like the EZ GO gas carts as they are 2 cylinders and seem a little smoother and quieter than other brands. Now I'm going to throw you a curve, if you have a few extra bucks go look at the Yesteryear carts, I've test driven them and rode in one's owned by friends, they are my absolute favorite hands down......GN

[Shimpy]

When I started this thread I didn't expect the amount of response. I appreciate all the opinions and it seems that no real conclusion can be drawn.
I would be courious to know the ratio of electric to gas in TV. I would guess electric would way out number gas based on what I've seen there on several visits.
Electric seems to have the advantage of quieter and less maintaince. Gas is faster and has a further range especially if you carry an extra gal. can aboard.
I guess I'll have to as suggested try both and make a decision.

[golfnut]

Gas is not necessarily faster, depends on the set up, but remember golf carts legally can only do under 20 MPH.

[Raymonds25]

Are there any hybrid carts available?

[JnS]

EZ Go RVX carts have a few other advantages. They maintain their speed on hills, auto park brakes, and the best feature is a, "limp home mode" which limits the cart to a slower speed to allow it to make it home. When the accelerator is floored it starts out smoothly without jerking you violently, a very nice feature.