Golf Cart Advice

[MPhoto]

My wife and I came for a Lifestyle Visit in early May and knew The Villages was where we want to be. We hope to be full time residents in Fenney/Desoto no later that November. While we were there we stopped in The Villages Golf Car store, looked around and experienced sticker shock.

My questions are:
1.) Are golf cars used much in Fenney as much as other areas?
2.) I'd like to buy a used, quiet, late model Yamaha gas cart. Are there issues I should be looking for in buying a used cart?

Thanks in advance!

[Chatbrat]

seat & lap belts and a fuel injected engine-

[graciegirl]

My wife and I came for a Lifestyle Visit in early May and knew The Villages was where we want to be. We hope to be full time residents in Fenney/Desoto no later that November. While we were there we stopped in The Villages Golf Car store, looked around and experienced sticker shock.

My questions are:
1.) Are golf cars used much in Fenney as much as other areas?
2.) I'd like to buy a used, quiet, late model Yamaha gas cart. Are there issues I should be looking for in buying a used cart?

Thanks in advance!

At this time you cannot get to other areas from Fenney and Desoto in a golf cart. It may be three years before that changes.

When we first moved here ten years ago we bought a used gas Yamaha four seater. It was four or five years old. This year we had it worked over for a little over a thousand dollars and it is chugging right along.

We bought it from a couple whose mom had lived with them and then she passed. Hubs is good with accessing things like that and it was a good buy. I think we paid threeK for it back then. Here's a picture of old Nellie.

We have a new gas cart too.

[SIRE1]

Regarding Golf Cart use in Fenney, just wait till they get the Brownwood golf cart trail and then you can take it anywhere you want. And with all the new building to the south and east of Fenney, you will be able to run it all you want.

[redwitch]

With the caveat that I don’t live that far south, I’d guess that golf carts are not used as much in Fenney but they are used to go to your rec centers, golfing down your way, visiting neighbors, just tooling around. So, I’d recommend buying the cheapest golf cart you can bear to be seen in for now. Sell it, keep it as a second cart, donate it when Fenney opens up and then buy what you want.

Golf carts in general are work horses. I’ve seen some being driven that were well over 20 years old. They seem to outrun the Energizer Bunny. You can easily add things you need or want such as seatbelts post purchase. Have a good mechanic check it out before you purchase it and enjoy the ride.

[VillageIdiots]

Several things to consider. First what are your must haves on a cart? You mentioned quiet - that is a relative thing. If you want total quiet, electric is the way to go. However, that limits how far you can go and for how long and, in my opinion, with the villages only getting larger, it's really not a practical option, at least not for a primary cart. They make a quiet(er) gas cart now but it has only been out a couple of years so they are not as easy to find used and will cost more than others that still may suit you. I bought a used fuel injected gas Yamaha and it is quiet enough for my needs. Not all carts are equal so you can't just go by model year and cost. As with automobiles, accessories and upgrades cost more but will only be worth more to you if they are upgrades you want and will use. Some have much nicer seats which can run close to $2000 new, especially the ones that are adjustable back and forth. In the Fenney area, if you play a lot of golf, it's almost a must have right away. Otherwise, right now it's just a fun luxury as you can't get to the rest of the villages yet. However, on that note, Gracie's comment about 3 years is incorrect - the bridges and tunnels to connect everything together are already planned and announced and some are even already under construction. The announced date for full connectivity is January 2020, so hardly 3 years away even if the date slides by a couple of months (rare in The Villages).

Used vs. New:

A new cart will get you full warranty and peace of mind. You can also choose exactly the upgrades, accessories, and colors you want. But you will pay for all of that. I did just hear, last night, though, that if you buy a new cart from TV Carts and you live in Fenney/DeSoto, etc., you can go to any of TV cart locations and they will provide you a loaner to use in the other parts of the villages. That's a nice perk I wasn't aware of until someone told me last night.

A used cart can be a good deal. And, if you wait and look around long enough, you can often find something very close to what you'd want at a much better price. They key is to make sure it has been taken care of. Often you can tell a lot about that by just looking it over and taking it on a test ride. The owner may even be willing to let you have someone that knows carts look it over. I'd be careful about buying from anyone that wouldn't let you do that if you ask them about it. One option may be to just find a solid used cart to use around the area until it's more opened up and then upgrade to a newer or brand new cart. It's still nice to have a cart to run to the mailbox, the pool, the dog park, or just take a ride around.

For what it's worth, I kept my eyes open for a used cart. I know enough about them that I felt comfortable buying used without getting stuck with a lemon. I found one that we liked the colors, had most of the upgrades we wanted (we added a few others on our own), and still had a little of the warranty left on it. It was a few years old but was obviously kept well as it looked brand new. Best I can tell it had never been used on a golf course because it had no sand bottle and the straps that hold the golf bags didn't appear that they had ever even been taken loose from the clasps. It had less than 200 hours on it and I asked someone at the cart store if that was a good number and they told me the average is 250 to 300 hours per year. Finding a cart that was originally bought from the villages could be a plus because they can look up service records by the serial number on the cart. Most people have routine service (oil change, etc.) on them once a year, so if you can verify that it has been serviced as it should, that's a good sign as well. If you buy used from the dealer (I did not), they also generally check them out and get them up to snuff before selling them. And they may even provide at least a short term warranty. But you can expect to pay a little more even for used at a dealer as opposed to an individual - again, you are paying for peace of mind.

[MPhoto]

Thank you all! That's a bunch of good advice!

[Fredman]

Several things to consider. First what are your must haves on a cart? You mentioned quiet - that is a relative thing. If you want total quiet, electric is the way to go. However, that limits how far you can go and for how long and, in my opinion, with the villages only getting larger, it's really not a practical option, at least not for a primary cart. They make a quiet(er) gas cart now but it has only been out a couple of years so they are not as easy to find used and will cost more than others that still may suit you. I bought a used fuel injected gas Yamaha and it is quiet enough for my needs. Not all carts are equal so you can't just go by model year and cost. As with automobiles, accessories and upgrades cost more but will only be worth more to you if they are upgrades you want and will use. Some have much nicer seats which can run close to $2000 new, especially the ones that are adjustable back and forth. In the Fenney area, if you play a lot of golf, it's almost a must have right away. Otherwise, right now it's just a fun luxury as you can't get to the rest of the villages yet. However, on that note, Gracie's comment about 3 years is incorrect - the bridges and tunnels to connect everything together are already planned and announced and some are even already under construction. The announced date for full connectivity is January 2020, so hardly 3 years away even if the date slides by a couple of months (rare in The Villages).

Used vs. New:

A new cart will get you full warranty and peace of mind. You can also choose exactly the upgrades, accessories, and colors you want. But you will pay for all of that. I did just hear, last night, though, that if you buy a new cart from TV Carts and you live in Fenney/DeSoto, etc., you can go to any of TV cart locations and they will provide you a loaner to use in the other parts of the villages. That's a nice perk I wasn't aware of until someone told me last night.

A used cart can be a good deal. And, if you wait and look around long enough, you can often find something very close to what you'd want at a much better price. They key is to make sure it has been taken care of. Often you can tell a lot about that by just looking it over and taking it on a test ride. The owner may even be willing to let you have someone that knows carts look it over. I'd be careful about buying from anyone that wouldn't let you do that if you ask them about it. One option may be to just find a solid used cart to use around the area until it's more opened up and then upgrade to a newer or brand new cart. It's still nice to have a cart to run to the mailbox, the pool, the dog park, or just take a ride around.

For what it's worth, I kept my eyes open for a used cart. I know enough about them that I felt comfortable buying used without getting stuck with a lemon. I found one that we liked the colors, had most of the upgrades we wanted (we added a few others on our own), and still had a little of the warranty left on it. It was a few years old but was obviously kept well as it looked brand new. Best I can tell it had never been used on a golf course because it had no sand bottle and the straps that hold the golf bags didn't appear that they had ever even been taken loose from the clasps. It had less than 200 hours on it and I asked someone at the cart store if that was a good number and they told me the average is 250 to 300 hours per year. Finding a cart that was originally bought from the villages could be a plus because they can look up service records by the serial number on the cart. Most people have routine service (oil change, etc.) on them once a year, so if you can verify that it has been serviced as it should, that's a good sign as well. If you buy used from the dealer (I did not), they also generally check them out and get them up to snuff before selling them. And they may even provide at least a short term warranty. But you can expect to pay a little more even for used at a dealer as opposed to an individual - again, you are paying for peace of mind.

Good advice

[Goldwingnut]

Several things to consider. First what are your must haves on a cart? You mentioned quiet - that is a relative thing. If you want total quiet, electric is the way to go. However, that limits how far you can go and for how long and, in my opinion, with the villages only getting larger, it's really not a practical option, at least not for a primary cart. They make a quiet(er) gas cart now but it has only been out a couple of years so they are not as easy to find used and will cost more than others that still may suit you. I bought a used fuel injected gas Yamaha and it is quiet enough for my needs. Not all carts are equal so you can't just go by model year and cost. As with automobiles, accessories and upgrades cost more but will only be worth more to you if they are upgrades you want and will use. Some have much nicer seats which can run close to $2000 new, especially the ones that are adjustable back and forth. In the Fenney area, if you play a lot of golf, it's almost a must have right away. Otherwise, right now it's just a fun luxury as you can't get to the rest of the villages yet. However, on that note, Gracie's comment about 3 years is incorrect - the bridges and tunnels to connect everything together are already planned and announced and some are even already under construction. The announced date for full connectivity is January 2020, so hardly 3 years away even if the date slides by a couple of months (rare in The Villages).

Used vs. New:

A new cart will get you full warranty and peace of mind. You can also choose exactly the upgrades, accessories, and colors you want. But you will pay for all of that. I did just hear, last night, though, that if you buy a new cart from TV Carts and you live in Fenney/DeSoto, etc., you can go to any of TV cart locations and they will provide you a loaner to use in the other parts of the villages. That's a nice perk I wasn't aware of until someone told me last night.

A used cart can be a good deal. And, if you wait and look around long enough, you can often find something very close to what you'd want at a much better price. They key is to make sure it has been taken care of. Often you can tell a lot about that by just looking it over and taking it on a test ride. The owner may even be willing to let you have someone that knows carts look it over. I'd be careful about buying from anyone that wouldn't let you do that if you ask them about it. One option may be to just find a solid used cart to use around the area until it's more opened up and then upgrade to a newer or brand new cart. It's still nice to have a cart to run to the mailbox, the pool, the dog park, or just take a ride around.

For what it's worth, I kept my eyes open for a used cart. I know enough about them that I felt comfortable buying used without getting stuck with a lemon. I found one that we liked the colors, had most of the upgrades we wanted (we added a few others on our own), and still had a little of the warranty left on it. It was a few years old but was obviously kept well as it looked brand new. Best I can tell it had never been used on a golf course because it had no sand bottle and the straps that hold the golf bags didn't appear that they had ever even been taken loose from the clasps. It had less than 200 hours on it and I asked someone at the cart store if that was a good number and they told me the average is 250 to 300 hours per year. Finding a cart that was originally bought from the villages could be a plus because they can look up service records by the serial number on the cart. Most people have routine service (oil change, etc.) on them once a year, so if you can verify that it has been serviced as it should, that's a good sign as well. If you buy used from the dealer (I did not), they also generally check them out and get them up to snuff before selling them. And they may even provide at least a short term warranty. But you can expect to pay a little more even for used at a dealer as opposed to an individual - again, you are paying for peace of mind.

Quite the opposite of your name, good post and good advice.

[jnieman]

We have over 25,000 miles on our 2010 cart and it runs great. The best thing we did was to buy the upgraded seats. We have never regretted it.

[Topspinmo]

My wife and I came for a Lifestyle Visit in early May and knew The Villages was where we want to be. We hope to be full time residents in Fenney/Desoto no later that November. While we were there we stopped in The Villages Golf Car store, looked around and experienced sticker shock.

My questions are:
1.) Are golf cars used much in Fenney as much as other areas?
2.) I'd like to buy a used, quiet, late model Yamaha gas cart. Are there issues I should be looking for in buying a used cart?

Thanks in advance!



You need to shop around at other dealers if you have to have a new one? you went to Cadillac store expecting Rambler American. Plenty of used carts for sale. IMO anything under 5 years old under 4K good deal if you can determine the condition of the cart. Some carts 5 years old can have 20k miles or more on them. My cart listed for 12,995.00. I paid 7500.00 2years old and 800 miles on the cheap speedometer. So far 8.5k mikes and no problems, but I regularly maintain it.

[rjn5656]

Do your yearly tuneup and it will last forever.

[baustgen]

Three levels of service and cost on a new cart. Highest price and easiest to deal with is Village Carts. Second highest price and a moderate hassle for service is Carts and Clubs in Ocala. Cheapest is Village Power in Webster. A lot of hass!e but you do save money.

Just my opinion.

[graciegirl]

Several things to consider. First what are your must haves on a cart? You mentioned quiet - that is a relative thing. If you want total quiet, electric is the way to go. However, that limits how far you can go and for how long and, in my opinion, with the villages only getting larger, it's really not a practical option, at least not for a primary cart. They make a quiet(er) gas cart now but it has only been out a couple of years so they are not as easy to find used and will cost more than others that still may suit you. I bought a used fuel injected gas Yamaha and it is quiet enough for my needs. Not all carts are equal so you can't just go by model year and cost. As with automobiles, accessories and upgrades cost more but will only be worth more to you if they are upgrades you want and will use. Some have much nicer seats which can run close to $2000 new, especially the ones that are adjustable back and forth. In the Fenney area, if you play a lot of golf, it's almost a must have right away. Otherwise, right now it's just a fun luxury as you can't get to the rest of the villages yet. However, on that note, Gracie's comment about 3 years is incorrect - the bridges and tunnels to connect everything together are already planned and announced and some are even already under construction. The announced date for full connectivity is January 2020, so hardly 3 years away even if the date slides by a couple of months (rare in The Villages).

Used vs. New:

A new cart will get you full warranty and peace of mind. You can also choose exactly the upgrades, accessories, and colors you want. But you will pay for all of that. I did just hear, last night, though, that if you buy a new cart from TV Carts and you live in Fenney/DeSoto, etc., you can go to any of TV cart locations and they will provide you a loaner to use in the other parts of the villages. That's a nice perk I wasn't aware of until someone told me last night.

A used cart can be a good deal. And, if you wait and look around long enough, you can often find something very close to what you'd want at a much better price. They key is to make sure it has been taken care of. Often you can tell a lot about that by just looking it over and taking it on a test ride. The owner may even be willing to let you have someone that knows carts look it over. I'd be careful about buying from anyone that wouldn't let you do that if you ask them about it. One option may be to just find a solid used cart to use around the area until it's more opened up and then upgrade to a newer or brand new cart. It's still nice to have a cart to run to the mailbox, the pool, the dog park, or just take a ride around.

For what it's worth, I kept my eyes open for a used cart. I know enough about them that I felt comfortable buying used without getting stuck with a lemon. I found one that we liked the colors, had most of the upgrades we wanted (we added a few others on our own), and still had a little of the warranty left on it. It was a few years old but was obviously kept well as it looked brand new. Best I can tell it had never been used on a golf course because it had no sand bottle and the straps that hold the golf bags didn't appear that they had ever even been taken loose from the clasps. It had less than 200 hours on it and I asked someone at the cart store if that was a good number and they told me the average is 250 to 300 hours per year. Finding a cart that was originally bought from the villages could be a plus because they can look up service records by the serial number on the cart. Most people have routine service (oil change, etc.) on them once a year, so if you can verify that it has been serviced as it should, that's a good sign as well. If you buy used from the dealer (I did not), they also generally check them out and get them up to snuff before selling them. And they may even provide at least a short term warranty. But you can expect to pay a little more even for used at a dealer as opposed to an individual - again, you are paying for peace of mind.

EXCELLENT Advice.

[HoosierPa]

My wife and I came for a Lifestyle Visit in early May and knew The Villages was where we want to be. We hope to be full time residents in Fenney/Desoto no later that November. While we were there we stopped in The Villages Golf Car store, looked around and experienced sticker shock.

My questions are:
1.) Are golf cars used much in Fenney as much as other areas?
2.) I'd like to buy a used, quiet, late model Yamaha gas cart. Are there issues I should be looking for in buying a used cart?

Thanks in advance!

If I were you, I would want a cart anywhere in TV. Check out Villages Discount Carts on 466 just East of Morse

[Bay Kid]

Regarding Golf Cart use in Fenney, just wait till they get the Brownwood golf cart trail and then you can take it anywhere you want. And with all the new building to the south and east of Fenney, you will be able to run it all you want.

If you live in Fenny you should buy a gas cart for when you are connected.

[JerryLBell]

We have over 25,000 miles on our 2010 cart and it runs great. The best thing we did was to buy the upgraded seats. We have never regretted it.
When bought our golf cart, I knew I wanted a standard package (roof, roll-down sides, headlight, tail lights, turn signals and mirrors) and seat belts. I had no intention on spending anything extra for custom work, such as fancy paint or decals or rear seats or body work to make it look like a '39 Chevy or a Mustang or whatever. I sat in the basic bench seat and it seemed find, especially considering that the upgraded seats ran something like $1500 extra. Shoot, you can buy a half-way decent couch for that kind of money. Just out of curiosity, I sat in a cart with those upgraded seats and the first words out of my mouth were, "What colors do they come in?" They were SO much more comfortable, had actually usable arm rests, higher backs and the driver's side could move forward or back, allowing my wife to reach the gas and brake pedals without those stupid Velcro'd-on blocks. We have NO regrets with that particular upgrade!

We also definitely planned on getting an electric cart, which we thought would be quieter and exhaust-free. But when you look around any town square at night, you see between 80 and 90 percent of the carts are Yamaha gas models. And when you see ads for used carts hear on TOTV, you see people selling 10-year-old (or older) Yamahas and not so much of other lines. People here seem to love Yamahas and gas models. Thinking in terms of resell, I decided that maybe Yamaha was the way to go. It's not as quiet as electric, but the 2017 and later models with "Quietech" are pretty darned close.

Lastly, The Villages Insurance works with the local sheriffs department to do a safety class on golf cart usage about once a month. It's even free. It was WELL worth the time to take this class. If it was up to me, this would be required of ALL Villagers who drive golf carts. You have to take 6 hours worth of 3 classes on Pickleball before being allowed to reserve a court but you don't have to take anything to drive a golf cart on the multi-modal paths or streets here. That makes no sense to me, but that's the way it is.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do with your golf cart! We've been here a year and a half and I still can't drive my cart around without a big smile on my face. They're convenient, inexpensive (compared to a second car and car insurance) and just plain fun!

[RCM1210]

Buy used or new now! Once your area gets access to everything, everyone near you will want their first or a second one and prices less negotiable. So, buy now, enjoy it now. Three years from now you "may" find that you won't drive it as much as you thought.

Just my thoughts.

[Uberschaf]

Just do iit. Pull the trigger You won't be sorry. We are never sorry, Right GUYS.

[VillageIdiots]

Just do iit. Pull the trigger You won't be sorry. We are never sorry, Right GUYS.

We're sorry plenty. We just never apologize. :clap2:

[dotti105]

We have 2 electric carts. Both bought used. Total cost was less than a new Yamaha from TV golf cars.

That was 4 yrs ago and they are going strong.

People who don’t have electric carts do not understand that range is not an issue. We can go from Brownwood to Spanish Springs, play 18 holes and go out to dinner in the evening after going home for a shower.

There is no maintenance for electric carts. Plug them in each night and check the water level once a month.

They are quiet, you can actually have a conversation in an electric cart, and they don’t stink.

Batteries last about 5-6 yrs depending on use and remembering to plug them in each night. A new set of batteries is about $700. That’s the only expense. When shopping for a used electric cart, you can have the batteries checked by Battery Boys and they can tell you if they are in good shape or if you have that expense coming up.

No oil, no spark plugs, no tune ups, or timing issues.

Which ever way you go, gas or electric, you will find great used carts at half the price of new.

I think we all agree that a golf cart ride is one of the best things about living here!!

Welcome and happy shopping!!

[Fredman]

I wondered how long it would take for someone to bring up electric over gas..... Remember the older the batteries the less the range ,they are quieter especially when the batteries die on you