Time spent traveling in your cart

[GrumpyOldMan]

I thought a gas vs electric post was way past due! :a040:

With about 2 months before we move into TV I am still debating and flip-flopping on the issue of which type to buy.

Something I would be interested in hearing is how much time you all spend in your carts?

To me it seems anything that is more than 30 minutes (or so) away is a car trip. At 20 MPH that means 10 miles is about as far as I THINK I would want to drive it - since that would end up being 30 minutes each way, or an hour out of my day.

If that is the case, then I don't see the 40 mile range of batteries being an issue. And the 50 mile for the lithium, or 70 for the "new"lithiums would seem to be more than a good safety margin.

So, how many hours of your life is spent enjoying a golf cart ride each day/week or month?

[skip0358]

I have 2 golf carts a 4 seater and a 2 seater. We don't golf. If I can get there by Golf Cart that's what we take period. The Car is for off Campus use only. I live on Bonita and have been from one end to the other by golf cart. I'm in no hurry when I get there I get there. Both of our carts are gas.

[retiredguy123]

When I moved here, I realized that golf carts were too slow, uncomfortable, and dangerous for me, so I didn't buy one at all. But, it seems strange to me that gas carts seem to be more popular than electric, even though the trend in regular cars is starting to move to electric.

[Velvet]

On the week of our Lifestyle visit, hubby tried out the cart that came with the villa. He liked it. As a professional driver he’ll drive anything with any number of wheels. He took me once from the Atwood villa to the closest Publix. I got a stomach ache and never got into the cart again. It could have been his driving.

[GrumpyOldMan]

When I moved here, I realized that golf carts were too slow, uncomfortable, and dangerous for me, so I didn't buy one at all. But, it seems strange to me that gas carts seem to be more popular than electric, even though the trend in regular cars is starting to move to electric.

I think the cost justification is still a close call for electric carts. Also the lack of charging locations around TV. With the advent of lithium batteries I expect we will see more and more places to plug in and "top off" your charge, something that is ill advised with lead acid batteries.

So the 250 mile range of gas is still a easy choice for most.

[GrumpyOldMan]

On the week of our Lifestyle visit, hubby tried out the cart that came with the villa. He liked it. As a professional driver he’ll drive anything with any number of wheels. He took me once from the Atwood villa to the closest Publix. I got a stomach ache and never got into the cart again. It could have been his driving.

My wife often makes similar comments about my driving in our car :1rotfl:

[rjm1cc]

It depends on how well you like to use a cart. A 15 minute one way trip is fine. Going to 30 minutes for time to time is probably ok. The other question is how far would you drive before going home? If most of your trips are too and from home then you can recharge during the day.
I would go toward electric as they are quitter and I do not think I would be going any where close to 40 miles between charges.
If you want remote charging be sure to get a cart with the charger on board.

[alwann]

Charging locations? Where are there charging locations other than homes? Seriously. Maybe I'm missing something.

Back on topic, I switched from gas to electric and never regretted it. Quieter, just as fast or faster, and I've driven from Gilchrist to Lopez, played 18, and drove home without a problem. Just have to remember to recharge after every ride and replace batteries every three-four years. Walking back that opinion, the new Yamahas are quiet enough to make me interested in them for my replacement cart in a few years.

[Navy (SSBN 633)]

we never take our car out of garage for traveling in the villages. The time past viewing the ever changing beautiful scenery, flora and fauna is a soothing time. All at a much slower pace than car and on the multimodel paths majority of time. 2 Gas carts here...very longggg range.

[birdiebill]

We have two carts, both gas, and one automobile. We take the golf carts, weather permitting, for most outings within The Villages. We live in Osceola Hills and drive the cart to Brownwood or to Lake Sumter Landing. Those are within 20 to 30 minutes. Occasionally, for the fun of it, we will take the cart to Spanish Springs or even to the Walmart on 466, both of which are a little longer than 40 minutes by cart. We enjoy leisurely riding in the cart.

If we are going ballroom dancing or to church or to anything where the wife's hair can not be blown by the wind, we go by auto. I golf, and I drive the golf cart from Osceola Hills to all the championship golf courses except for Nancy Lopez; I go by auto there. I can get to the other 11 championship courses from between 10 and 43 minutes. Forty three to Orange Blossom and to Glenview. And I have my cart set at the legal 20 mph; I just plan our trips accordingly.

[Henryk]

I drive my cart all the time. I have calculated that I drive 100 miles a month almost each month. Batteries to charge, no thanks. Batteries to replace for mucho bucks, no thanks. But I am interested in the new quieter gas Yamahas.

[golf2140]

we never take our car out of garage for traveling in the villages. The time past viewing the ever changing beautiful scenery, flora and fauna is a soothing time. All at a much slower pace than car and on the multimodel paths majority of time. 2 Gas carts here...very longggg range.

:bigbow::bigbow::bigbow::bigbow:

[Fredster]

I spend way more time traveling in my cart in TV.
Even though I spend far less on gas, the main reason
for me, is that it is a much better way to
experience the beautifully landscaped areas of TV.
Only motorcyclists and cart drivers understand why
dogs love to stick their heads out of car windows!

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

We have a gas cart. I think the OP is missing one variable in the equation. How many trips do you take per day? That 20-minute ride will be fine. But what happens when you go home, and need to go out again? You haven't had time for your car to recharge, and you're about to take another possible 20-minute ride.

So you do that, come home, your cart is pretty thirsty and you plug it in.

20 minutes later, you realize you're out of milk.

You can get in the car, run the AC and waste 20MPG for a 2-mile drive to Publix, or you can wait a couple hours til your cart is fully charged again because you KNOW as soon as you get home, you'll get a phone call from the pharmacy telling you that your prescription is ready to pick up. And then an hour later it's time for your weekly dinner date at the other Town Square.

Spending most of your day being concerned about whether or not you have enough juice to get you through the entire day's worth of trips - is not the idea of paradise to me.

On the other hand!

If everything I needed was within a 1 or 2-mile range, I could easily use the cart all day on a single charge and then recharge overnight.

On the other hand!

Power outages = no recharge = no golf cart.

[Arctic Fox]

20 minutes later, you realize you're out of milk. Power outages = no recharge = no golf cart.

That's why I'd never buy a gas cart.

I'd be worried that the tanker drivers would be on strike, leaving the gas stations dry just when my tank was nearly empty and I'd run out of cornflakes.

[Nucky]

When I Golfed in N.J. it was strictly Electric. I considered One when we got here. The only way I would have Electric is if we ever get an Atomic Cart.

We hear about the great things about Electric Carts but Nobody mentions those same People having a Tear in Their Eye when Its Battery Replacement Time! I can't take buying AA or AAA Batteries for the remotes, for a Golf Cart it would be Whambulance Time. Get a Gas Cart and cut out all the Monkey Business!

[l2ridehd]

I have owned both and either is fine. You can make either one work well for you. Current cart is a gas Yamaha quiet tech. We have two carts and use them a lot. If you play golf there will be a championship course that is far enough away that you may wonder, can i get there, play 18 and get back? For me it's Belle Glade and the soon to be built one South of the turnpike. Electric maybe, gas no problem.

Cost per mile to drive is supposed to be slightly higher with electric when you factor in battery replacement. Not really sure, but again I would not let that sway my decision.

Probable your best option is to find a decent used cart and use it for a year and then you will know how much you use it and can make a better decision. You can always sell the used one no matter which you buy.

One observation. I have towed 6 carts home for folks who's cart died on the road. 5 electric and one gas. Small sample and probably user error for not plugging them in, but there seem to be more electrics that die than gas.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Charging locations? Where are there charging locations other than homes? Seriously. Maybe I'm missing something.


Well, at the moment I would suggest a resident group could be formed around TV to allow carts to plug into each others front porch outlets for 15 minutes...

With the advent of the new generation of Lithium batteries I expect someone will see the profit opportunity soon in providing charging locations at all rec centers. Slip in your CC and fill'er up. It will be a few years but with prices falling on batteries and charging stations becoming available (maybe?) I expect a larger and larger percentage of those 75,000 carts roaming TV will be converting to electric. Not this year or the next, but soon.

[GrumpyOldMan]

I drive my cart all the time. I have calculated that I drive 100 miles a month almost each month. Batteries to charge, no thanks. Batteries to replace for mucho bucks, no thanks. But I am interested in the new quieter gas Yamahas.

So if you drive it every other day, that comes out to about 6 miles round trip or about 20 minutes every two days - unless you are driving slowly?

[GrumpyOldMan]

I spend way more time traveling in my cart in TV.
Even though I spend far less on gas, the main reason
for me, is that it is a much better way to
experience the beautifully landscaped areas of TV.
Only motorcyclists and cart drivers understand why
dogs love to stick their heads out of car windows!

I understand completely, and was saying just that to my wife th other day - I almost have her convinced to approve the $11K purchase (She is our CFO)

[GrumpyOldMan]

We have a gas cart. I think the OP is missing one variable in the equation. How many trips do you take per day? That 20-minute ride will be fine. But what happens when you go home, and need to go out again? You haven't had time for your car to recharge, and you're about to take another possible 20-minute ride.

So you do that, come home, your cart is pretty thirsty and you plug it in.

20 minutes later, you realize you're out of milk.

You can get in the car, run the AC and waste 20MPG for a 2-mile drive to Publix, or you can wait a couple hours til your cart is fully charged again because you KNOW as soon as you get home, you'll get a phone call from the pharmacy telling you that your prescription is ready to pick up. And then an hour later it's time for your weekly dinner date at the other Town Square.

Spending most of your day being concerned about whether or not you have enough juice to get you through the entire day's worth of trips - is not the idea of paradise to me.

On the other hand!

If everything I needed was within a 1 or 2-mile range, I could easily use the cart all day on a single charge and then recharge overnight.

On the other hand!

Power outages = no recharge = no golf cart.

You make a very valid point, and that and the maintenance "hassles" with lead acid batteries are why I was (am?) considering gas.

BUT, and there is always a but, the new Lithium batteries have a very fast charge rate, and you can "top them off" unlike lead acid. So, you can come home with say 50% charge left, plug in and 30 minutes later go out with maybe 80% charge (30 to 40 miles0, come back and plug in and 2 hours later and you definitely have a full charge again (50 to 70 miles).

So, far less anxiety - maybe.

[GrumpyOldMan]

When I Golfed in N.J. it was strictly Electric. I considered One when we got here. The only way I would have Electric is if we ever get an Atomic Cart.

We hear about the great things about Electric Carts but Nobody mentions those same People having a Tear in Their Eye when Its Battery Replacement Time! I can't take buying AA or AAA Batteries for the remotes, for a Golf Cart it would be Whambulance Time. Get a Gas Cart and cut out all the Monkey Business!

I certainly can't intelligently discuss price trade offs - yet - but the little reading I have done suggests the difference in total cost of ownership between gas and electric is narrowing, at least if you keep it for more than a couple years.

The new Lithium batteries have an expected life of 8 years instead of 4 like the lead acid, and I expect in 8 years there will be something much better to replace them. So, basically, no replacement costs for the batteries at this point (unless one blows up and/or catches fire)

At the moment I am more concerned with things like noise. I am hard of hearing and hate my hearing aides, so talking with my wife is a challenge in a noisy car, I can imagine what it will be like in an open air ICE golf.

Being a "techie" I do also like the idea of supporting the advancement of electric. We plan eventually to put solar arrays on the roof and replacing Ms. kitty (our Jaguar) with a Tesla. So, an electric cart would fit right in there and e could charge both.

No matter what someone suggested we rent each a week or two when we move in and see what we like and don't like.

This thread is more about the issue (advantage?) of going 20 miles per hour and spending hours a day enjoying the ride vs using those hours to do activities we are interested in and where is the right balance of hurry up and wait vs. sitting back and enjoying the ride :coolsmiley:

[Aces4]

I certainly can't intelligently discuss price trade offs - yet - but the little reading I have done suggests the difference in total cost of ownership between gas and electric is narrowing, at least if you keep it for more than a couple years.

The new Lithium batteries have an expected life of 8 years instead of 4 like the lead acid, and I expect in 8 years there will be something much better to replace them. So, basically, no replacement costs for the batteries at this point (unless one blows up and/or catches fire)

At the moment I am more concerned with things like noise. I am hard of hearing and hate my hearing aides, so talking with my wife is a challenge in a noisy car, I can imagine what it will be like in an open air ICE golf.

Being a "techie" I do also like the idea of supporting the advancement of electric. We plan eventually to put solar arrays on the roof and replacing Ms. kitty (our Jaguar) with a Tesla. So, an electric cart would fit right in there and e could charge both.

No matter what someone suggested we rent each a week or two when we move in and see what we like and don't like.

This thread is more about the issue (advantage?) of going 20 miles per hour and spending hours a day enjoying the ride vs using those hours to do activities we are interested in and where is the right balance of hurry up and wait vs. sitting back and enjoying the ride :coolsmiley:

Don’t be grumpy, I think you’re overthinking the cart purchase. You will make either one work as most people do. We have two gas carts which you couldn’t pry from our fingers and our friends have electric and feel the same way. I think more important to us is the enclosure, that’s so important. Otherwise, go with your gut.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I understand completely, and was saying just that to my wife th other day - I almost have her convinced to approve the $11K purchase (She is our CFO)

You could buy a tricked-out used golf cart for less than that. USB ports, tilt-out lower half windshield, sand bottle, cooler, premium seats, seatbelts, overhead storage bin or fan, premium color striping and light package, arm rests, etc. If you're lucky you might even find one that's still got a couple months left on the original warranty.

[GrumpyOldMan]

You could buy a tricked-out used golf cart for less than that. USB ports, tilt-out lower half windshield, sand bottle, cooler, premium seats, seatbelts, overhead storage bin or fan, premium color striping and light package, arm rests, etc. If you're lucky you might even find one that's still got a couple months left on the original warranty.

That is certainly something I am looking into! Sadly, most cart stores seem to want to get you to come in and let them give your the sales pitch and don't show many (any?) prices online. I would really appreciate a "ball park" price on their website so I could decide whether it is worth my time to go listen to their spiel.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Don’t be grumpy, I think you’re overthinking the cart purchase. You will make either one work as most people do. We have two gas carts which you couldn’t pry from our fingers and our friends have electric and feel the same way. I think more important to us is the enclosure, that’s so important. Otherwise, go with your gut.


Well, yes, I am over thinking it, that happens when I have months to think about a purchase - :coolsmiley:

[Shimpy]

. I have towed 6 carts home for folks who's cart died on the road. 5 electric and one gas. Small sample and probably user error for not plugging them in, but there seem to be more electrics that die than gas.

If you run out of battery your dead in the water. With gas some body can bring you a gallon to get you home. Can't do that with electric.

[jojo]

Our electric cart is 10 years old and we have only had regular maintenance and battery replacement. We have one car and one cart. I mostly drive the cart and average 240 miles a month. I have never even come close to running out of a charge in 10 years and that may include an 8 mile trip for tennis and a round of golf and going to the square in the evening. I dislike riding with folks who have gas carts, although the newer ones are improved but still not nearly as pleasant as electric.

[Altavia]

Has anyone seen/driven one of these?

https://www.clubcar.com/us/en/golf-operations/fleet-golf/tempo-lithium-ion.html

[tophcfa]

That's why I'd never buy a gas cart.

I'd be worried that the tanker drivers would be on strike, leaving the gas stations dry just when my tank was nearly empty and I'd run out of cornflakes.

Thats what gas cans are for, we have two gas carts that I never let get below a half of a tank and I always have a couple of full gas cans in the garage for a back up just in case.

[tophcfa]

I drive my cart all the time. I have calculated that I drive 100 miles a month almost each month. Batteries to charge, no thanks. Batteries to replace for mucho bucks, no thanks. But I am interested in the new quieter gas Yamahas.

Agree with above post.

[Blessed2BNTV]

We have two gas carts, one two seater and one 4 seater. We downsized to one car.

We prefer the golf cart, weather permitting. As others have said....just a slower and a more scenic pace.

Whichever you choose....you are in for a ride of your life.....no pun intended!

Went to Fenney this past weekend to check out the progress....WOW...can't wait to be able to cart there from our Village of Hadley. Think it will be a beautiful scenic ride to visit our southern friends!

[Fraugoofy]

I only travel by cart in TV in every kind of weather. I have doors on my cart. I have a Yamaha gas. I put 100 miles on a week... easily...

Sent from my SM-N920R4 using Tapatalk

[Nonni252]

...

[Garywt]

We have 2 gas Yamaha cart one of which is newer and quieter. I have been known to drive 100+ miles in one day. I have done that at least 2 times and possible more. I have gone through over a tank of gas within a week a couple times. At least with gas you can pull into a station and fill up.

It takes us about 55 minutes to get to Brownwood from the house and we go there often. Since getting our first cart we have not driven the car within the Villages.

[MorTech]

Yamaha PTV AC and EZGO RXV have 6x8V=48V,170ah lead-acid batteries capable of about 60 miles at 85F. If you regularly drive 30 miles or more between full charges then get a gas cart.

Hillsborough Trl -> Morse Blvd -> El Camino Real -> Buena Vista -> Hillsborough Trl = 26 Miles.

Charge lead-acid batteries fully after each use. Its not important to keep Lithium batteries fully charged.

Its nice to know you always have 60 miles of electric range every time you leave the house.

[GrumpyOldMan]

I only travel by cart in TV in every kind of weather. I have doors on my cart. I have a Yamaha gas. I put 100 miles on a week... easily...

Sent from my SM-N920R4 using Tapatalk

Thank you.

[GrumpyOldMan]

We have 2 gas Yamaha cart one of which is newer and quieter. I have been known to drive 100+ miles in one day. I have done that at least 2 times and possible more. I have gone through over a tank of gas within a week a couple times. At least with gas you can pull into a station and fill up.

It takes us about 55 minutes to get to Brownwood from the house and we go there often. Since getting our first cart we have not driven the car within the Villages.

Thanks. Thats a lot of miles! Gas would seem to be the only option at this time for someone driving that many miles every day.

[Bay Kid]

No cart, just golf carts. I am only in TVs 4-5 months a year. Gas carts for me. Depending on what is going on I could put over 50 miles a day. Comfortable seats a must. Easy to enjoy the beauty and peace in a cart.

[Challenger]

You make a very valid point, and that and the maintenance "hassles" with lead acid batteries are why I was (am?) considering gas.

BUT, and there is always a but, the new Lithium batteries have a very fast charge rate, and you can "top them off" unlike lead acid. So, you can come home with say 50% charge left, plug in and 30 minutes later go out with maybe 80% charge (30 to 40 miles0, come back and plug in and 2 hours later and you definitely have a full charge again (50 to 70 miles).

So, far less anxiety - maybe.

Has anyone seen a lithium battery on fire. As I understand there is no way to extinguish it. Nice to store in your garage. Love to hear from anyone with "facts"

[biker1]

There are YouTube videos of lithium-ion battery fires. However, it is a rare event. There were some problems with some Samsung phones and a few Teslas made the news but I haven't heard of anything recently. I have a number of lithium-ion battery powered devices in my home and don't worry about it. You are most likely carrying a lithium-ion battery in your back pocket if you have a cellphone.

Has anyone seen a lithium battery on fire. As I understand there is no way to extinguish it. Nice to store in your garage. Love to hear from anyone with "facts"

[GrumpyOldMan]

Has anyone seen a lithium battery on fire. As I understand there is no way to extinguish it. Nice to store in your garage. Love to hear from anyone with "facts"

Considering there are billions of lithium batteries all around every where and there are only a couple fires that make the news every year. (I will agree a fire on an airplane is potentially more serious, than a garage fire.)

On the other hand ask any fire department and you will can hear stories of houses burned down by gasoline fires some where in the country almost every day - yet, it is not unusual for people to store cans of gas in their garage.

We tend to be more aware of what is in the news.

[Bay Kid]

The sky is falling.

[MangiaMangia]

We own a battery golf cart.
Used a friend's gas cart for the weekend.
Here's my pros and cons of each.

Gas - More reliable - if I run out of gas, call a friend bring a jug.
Electric - loss of charge - now what?

Gas - Goes faster by a few MPH.
Battery - Stays right around 20/21. Yes, I know, 20 is the limit in the Villages.

AFTER THOSE 2 OBSERVATIONS ELECTRIC WINS THE REST OF THE DEBATE

Electric - Doesn't smell! We hate driving behind gas carts.
Electric - What? Can't hear you. Couldn't hear our phone music or talk to each other in the gas cart.
If the quiet gas carts are truly quiet then this won't be an issue.

Electric - buy batteries ($900+) every 3 to 4 years.
Gas - buy gas every week or so (that adds up too over the years)
Gas - oil changes and other engine maintenance.

As others have already said too : we go EVERYWHERE in our electric golf cart. Never an issue about loss of power.
When we get home we always plug it in ready for the next adventure out.

[GrumpyOldMan]

We own a battery golf cart.
Used a friend's gas cart for the weekend.
Here's my pros and cons of each.

Gas - More reliable - if I run out of gas, call a friend bring a jug.
Electric - loss of charge - now what?

Gas - Goes faster by a few MPH.
Battery - Stays right around 20/21. Yes, I know, 20 is the limit in the Villages.

AFTER THOSE 2 OBSERVATIONS ELECTRIC WINS THE REST OF THE DEBATE

Electric - Doesn't smell! We hate driving behind gas carts.
Electric - What? Can't hear you. Couldn't hear our phone music or talk to each other in the gas cart.
If the quiet gas carts are truly quiet then this won't be an issue.

Electric - buy batteries ($900+) every 3 to 4 years.
Gas - buy gas every week or so (that adds up too over the years)
Gas - oil changes and other engine maintenance.

As others have already said too : we go EVERYWHERE in our electric golf cart. Never an issue about loss of power.
When we get home we always plug it in ready for the next adventure out.

Thank you, good info and seems to sum it up. The high cost of batteries you mentioned, seems to put off many in the gas camp, but when you look at total cost of ownership over say 10 years, the two are very close - as you mentioned gas, oil and maintenance on the gas add up over time. So, the choice is pay a little constantly or pay a bunch every few years.

The new Lithium batteries have longer range and last longer - up to 8 years, which is "forever" for me, since I expect technology to move on and by then I will want a newer model.

One issue with lead acid batteries that you didn't mention which is a show stopper for me is constant maintenance requirements. All the little things, like water getting low kills the battery, self discharge (if we go on a cruise and don't have something to maintain the battery we can come back to dead batteries that need to be replaced, etc.)

We do not want anything that is going to require maintenance when we are not home, so the choice to us is between lithium and gas.

And I have another 2 months to continue my/our flip-flopping between those two or just keeping our Yaris (second car) which gets about 35 mpg, and an oil change annually. Almost as cheap to drive as a golf cart, and it's air-conditioned.

[Altavia]

:agree:

Good synthesis!

Would be cool if Tesla made a golf car :coolsmiley:

[biker1]

Here are the operating costs from my Yamaha EFI gas cart after 5 years and 18K miles:

Cost of fuel: 5 cents per mile
Cost of maintenance: 1.5 cents per mile
Total: 6.5 cents per mile

Based on estimated battery life from a ParCar representative, the cost for an electric would have been:

Cost of fuel (electricity): 2 cents per mile
Cost of batteries: 10 cents per mile
Total: 12 cents per mile

Of course, these numbers are far less than the depreciation costs per mile if you bought a new cart. YMMV.





We own a battery golf cart.
Used a friend's gas cart for the weekend.
Here's my pros and cons of each.

Gas - More reliable - if I run out of gas, call a friend bring a jug.
Electric - loss of charge - now what?

Gas - Goes faster by a few MPH.
Battery - Stays right around 20/21. Yes, I know, 20 is the limit in the Villages.

AFTER THOSE 2 OBSERVATIONS ELECTRIC WINS THE REST OF THE DEBATE

Electric - Doesn't smell! We hate driving behind gas carts.
Electric - What? Can't hear you. Couldn't hear our phone music or talk to each other in the gas cart.
If the quiet gas carts are truly quiet then this won't be an issue.

Electric - buy batteries ($900+) every 3 to 4 years.
Gas - buy gas every week or so (that adds up too over the years)
Gas - oil changes and other engine maintenance.

As others have already said too : we go EVERYWHERE in our electric golf cart. Never an issue about loss of power.
When we get home we always plug it in ready for the next adventure out.

[eweissenbach]

The Villages is a "golf cart community" meaning there is a large supply of used golf carts for sale at all times as well as a large demand for used golf carts at all times. This means that you can likely find a good used cart that meets your expectations and probably even in your favorite color, within a very short period of time and at a price that fits your budget. Well cared for used carts will last for many years with just regular maintenance. I have bought two used carts within the past two years - the first an electric four seater. That cart had many upgrades, new batteries, and cost $3200. I used it for several months and though I liked it, I thought that in the near future I may want more range, though I had never exhausted the charge. After putting new tires on it I advertised it for sale on TOTV and sold it in three days for $3,750. I purchased a Yamaha Gas four seater for $5,500 and absolutely love it. Being a part timer I found that the electric cart necessitated a great deal more maintenance for my house watcher and the automatic watering system caused some spillage of battery acid which etched my painted garage floor in one spot. I liked the electric a lot for operation but on balance I am happy I switched to gas.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Here are the operating costs from my Yamaha EFI gas cart after 5 years and 18K miles:

Cost of fuel: 5 cents per mile
Cost of maintenance: 1.5 cents per mile
Total: 6.5 cents per mile

Based on estimated battery life from a ParCar representative, the cost for an electric would have been:

Cost of fuel (electricity): 2 cents per mile
Cost of batteries: 10 cents per mile
Total: 12 cents per mile

Of course, these numbers are far less than the depreciation costs per mile if you bought a new cart. YMMV.

Thank you very much for the great information. So basically $25/mth for gas and estimated $50/mth for electric not counting depreciation. Do you know if that battery cost was lead acid or lithium?

[GrumpyOldMan]

The Villages is a "golf cart community" meaning there is a large supply of used golf carts for sale at all times as well as a large demand for used golf carts at all times. This means that you can likely find a good used cart that meets your expectations and probably even in your favorite color, within a very short period of time and at a price that fits your budget. Well cared for used carts will last for many years with just regular maintenance. I have bought two used carts within the past two years - the first an electric four seater. That cart had many upgrades, new batteries, and cost $3200. I used it for several months and though I liked it, I thought that in the near future I may want more range, though I had never exhausted the charge. After putting new tires on it I advertised it for sale on TOTV and sold it in three days for $3,750. I purchased a Yamaha Gas four seater for $5,500 and absolutely love it. Being a part timer I found that the electric cart necessitated a great deal more maintenance for my house watcher and the automatic watering system caused some spillage of battery acid which etched my painted garage floor in one spot. I liked the electric a lot for operation but on balance I am happy I switched to gas.

Thank you for the excellent information. That is certainly a tempting approach and makes a lot of sense.

I assume the battery maintenance you mention (and the acid spill) means it was a lead acid battery cart, and your comment is exactly why I am fairly certain I would only consider lithium batteries!

[biker1]

It was lead acid and reflected a best guess by a ParCar representative as to how many miles I could expect from a battery pack. I really don't know whether his estimate was reasonable. Lithium-ion batteries will probably change the equation. I believe our next cart will be a lithium-ion electric - probably in a couple of years as our gas cart is in great shape.

Thank you very much for the great information. So basically $25/mth for gas and estimated $50/mth for electric not counting depreciation. Do you know if that battery cost was lead acid or lithium?

[JoMar]

We own a battery golf cart.
Used a friend's gas cart for the weekend.
Here's my pros and cons of each.

Gas - More reliable - if I run out of gas, call a friend bring a jug.
Electric - loss of charge - now what?

Gas - Goes faster by a few MPH.
Battery - Stays right around 20/21. Yes, I know, 20 is the limit in the Villages.

AFTER THOSE 2 OBSERVATIONS ELECTRIC WINS THE REST OF THE DEBATE

Electric - Doesn't smell! We hate driving behind gas carts.
Electric - What? Can't hear you. Couldn't hear our phone music or talk to each other in the gas cart.
If the quiet gas carts are truly quiet then this won't be an issue.

Electric - buy batteries ($900+) every 3 to 4 years.
Gas - buy gas every week or so (that adds up too over the years)
Gas - oil changes and other engine maintenance.

As others have already said too : we go EVERYWHERE in our electric golf cart. Never an issue about loss of power.
When we get home we always plug it in ready for the next adventure out.

Neighbor has an electric....has it set for 25 MPH. More that fast enough for a cart.

[biker1]

Here are a couple of my observations about your post.

Gas carts aren't necessarily faster than electrics. I know of some electrics that will do 27 mph.

The fuel injected carts (EFI) really don't smell. I believe it is the older carburetor carts that are more of an issue. Pretty much all new carts are EFI.

The newer Yamaha QuietTec carts are pretty quiet. The previous generation Yamaha carts from Carts and Clubs in Ocala are also pretty quiet since they install sound deadening material. My Yamaha is significantly quieter than carts of the same generation from the The Villages Cart Store.

We don't buy gas every week and we put 3600 miles per year on the cart. I would say every 2-3 weeks is more typical. Since the Yamahas get 50+ mpg, they are pretty thrifty. It costs us about 5 cents per mile for fuel. The cost of electricity for an electric cart should be about 2 cents per mile but you do have to replace the batteries.

Oil changes and other maintenance on a gas cart is probably not much different than watering the batteries on an electric. I do my own maintenance and probably average about 1-2 hours per year but I am pretty picky. If you are having someone else do your maintenance it is not an issue with a gas cart. If you have an electric you are most likely having to water the batteries yourself. Regardless, I don't see maintenance as an issue.




We own a battery golf cart.
Used a friend's gas cart for the weekend.
Here's my pros and cons of each.

Gas - More reliable - if I run out of gas, call a friend bring a jug.
Electric - loss of charge - now what?

Gas - Goes faster by a few MPH.
Battery - Stays right around 20/21. Yes, I know, 20 is the limit in the Villages.

AFTER THOSE 2 OBSERVATIONS ELECTRIC WINS THE REST OF THE DEBATE

Electric - Doesn't smell! We hate driving behind gas carts.
Electric - What? Can't hear you. Couldn't hear our phone music or talk to each other in the gas cart.
If the quiet gas carts are truly quiet then this won't be an issue.

Electric - buy batteries ($900+) every 3 to 4 years.
Gas - buy gas every week or so (that adds up too over the years)
Gas - oil changes and other engine maintenance.

As others have already said too : we go EVERYWHERE in our electric golf cart. Never an issue about loss of power.
When we get home we always plug it in ready for the next adventure out.

[coffeebean]

Charging locations? Where are there charging locations other than homes? Seriously. Maybe I'm missing something.

Back on topic, I switched from gas to electric and never regretted it. Quieter, just as fast or faster, and I've driven from Gilchrist to Lopez, played 18, and drove home without a problem. Just have to remember to recharge after every ride and replace batteries every three-four years. Walking back that opinion, the new Yamahas are quiet enough to make me interested in them for my replacement cart in a few years.

The Yamaha Quiet-techs are not quiet enough or smooth enough to entice me to trade in my electric Yamaha.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Here are a couple of my observations about your post.

Gas carts aren't necessarily faster than electrics. I know of some electrics that will do 27 mph.

The fuel injected carts (EFI) really don't smell. I believe it is the older carburetor carts that are more of an issue. Pretty much all new carts are EFI.

The newer Yamaha QuietTec carts are pretty quiet. The previous generation Yamaha carts from Carts and Clubs in Ocala are also pretty quiet since they install sound deadening material. My Yamaha is significantly quieter than carts of the same generation from the The Villages Cart Store.

We don't buy gas every week and we put 3600 miles per year on the cart. I would say every 2-3 weeks is more typical. Since the Yamahas get 50+ mpg, they are pretty thrifty. It costs us about 5 cents per mile for fuel. The cost of electricity for an electric cart should be about 2 cents per mile but you do have to replace the batteries.

Oil changes and other maintenance on a gas cart is probably not much different than watering the batteries on an electric. I do my own maintenance and probably average about 1-2 hours per year but I am pretty picky. If you are having someone else do your maintenance it is not an issue with a gas cart. If you have an electric you are most likely having to water the batteries yourself. Regardless, I don't see maintenance as an issue.

Thank you for the excellent in information.

To me, I would NOT buy a cart with lead acid batteries, I do not want a car that requires me to "fiddle" with it (water, not over charging, not under charging, cleaning terminals, etc). However, I am very interested in The new Lithium Battery Carts.

[GrumpyOldMan]

The Yamaha Quiet-techs are not quiet enough or smooth enough to entice me to trade in my electric Yamaha.

Thank you, It is not an easy decision for me.

I am leaning toward the QuieTech Drive2 Yamaha at the moment because I do not want lead acid batteries and the required "fiddling" with them.

I am trying to convince myself to spend the extra to get an E-Z-Go Elite with the 4.0 Lithium battery pack. Zero maintenance, 8 to 10 year battery life and 70+ (hopefully) mile range - maybe... but I can't quite handle that price point yet.

So, I am also looking into a E-Z-Go with the Elite 3.0 Lithium battery pack and a solar panel on the cart roof. But I have not been convinced I would see enough added range from the solar panel... so still researching it.

[coffeebean]

We'll be visiting TV for the first time next month in the heat and high humidity of the summer. One thing I've wondered about is whether or not it's comfortable temperature-wise riding in a cart during the Summer. I always have the A/C on in my car in the Summer - I don't want to feel like I'm melting. What is it like driving for 20 minutes or more in a cart with no A/C? I'll find out first hand next month but I'd like to know what residents who have been in TV for a while think.

In the hot months, I only drive the cart in the early morning. It can actually be kind of cool in an open cart with the temperature in low to mid 70s and high humidity. It doesn't take long to lose that window of opportunity for me however. I'll go to the fitness center or the pool and when I come out, it is already very warm. I don't play golf. Hope that helps.

[coffeebean]

We have 2 gas Yamaha cart one of which is newer and quieter. I have been known to drive 100+ miles in one day. I have done that at least 2 times and possible more. I have gone through over a tank of gas within a week a couple times. At least with gas you can pull into a station and fill up.

It takes us about 55 minutes to get to Brownwood from the house and we go there often. Since getting our first cart we have not driven the car within the Villages.

I have a very quiet and smooth Yamaha electric golf cart with upgraded adjustable seats with wonderful lumbar support and comfortable arm rests. Our steering wheel has self canceling directionals which work 100% of the time when I make a turn. My cart also has high beams which light up the road/paths at night so it is very easy to see the road ahead. Having said that......shoot me now if I ever had to travel that far in my golf cart! I go that far in my quiet and smooth air conditioned/ heated car.

[Garywt]

I have a very quiet and smooth Yamaha electric golf cart. Shoot me now if I ever had to travel that far in my golf cart! I go that far in my quiet and smooth air conditioned/ heated car.

Missing the fun... my main reason for buying a house in The Villages is to be able to drive the golf cart all day. All my life I have been driving a car so the fun of it all for me is to drive the cart everywhere I can and to try to find as many places as I can by golf cart.

[coffeebean]

The Villages is a "golf cart community" meaning there is a large supply of used golf carts for sale at all times as well as a large demand for used golf carts at all times. This means that you can likely find a good used cart that meets your expectations and probably even in your favorite color, within a very short period of time and at a price that fits your budget. Well cared for used carts will last for many years with just regular maintenance. I have bought two used carts within the past two years - the first an electric four seater. That cart had many upgrades, new batteries, and cost $3200. I used it for several months and though I liked it, I thought that in the near future I may want more range, though I had never exhausted the charge. After putting new tires on it I advertised it for sale on TOTV and sold it in three days for $3,750. I purchased a Yamaha Gas four seater for $5,500 and absolutely love it. Being a part timer I found that the electric cart necessitated a great deal more maintenance for my house watcher and the automatic watering system caused some spillage of battery acid which etched my painted garage floor in one spot. I liked the electric a lot for operation but on balance I am happy I switched to gas.
There are protective pads for garage floors specifically for electric carts. Our cart pad was placed on the floor before the cart was parked in the garage for the first time and has remained in place.

[coffeebean]

Neighbor has an electric....has it set for 25 MPH. More that fast enough for a cart.

How is it possible to "set" and electric cart to go faster than the preset from the factory? Is your neighbor's cart a street legal cart?

[GrumpyOldMan]

How is it possible to "set" and electric cart to go faster than the preset from the factory? Is your neighbor's cart a street legal cart?

There is software that is used by the factory or authorized technicians to set the limits. That software is available and many people can adjust it for you if you want to go faster.

However, remember the golf cart is a glorified lawn mower and not a dumbed down racing car. The suspension was not designed to go much faster and it can become unstable.

[Bay Kid]

There is software that is used by the factory or authorized technicians to set the limits. That software is available and many people can adjust it for you if you want to go faster.

However, remember the golf cart is a glorified lawn mower and not a dumbed down racing car. The suspension was not designed to go much faster and it can become unstable.

Wait until there is a need to avoid something on a cart doing 25 mph. Not much hope for a quick stop either.

[Carla B]

My wife often makes similar comments about my driving in our car :1rotfl:

My husband's stepmother wore a hole through the floor of the passenger side of the car with her high heels. She had never learned to drive.

[GrumpyOldMan]

My husband's stepmother wore a hole through the floor of the passenger side of the car with her high heels. She had never learned to drive.

My wife constantly complains that I need to get the brakes fixed on the passenger side of our car.

:a040:

[gary lovell]

I take my dog on two golf cart rides a day, ending at a rec center for his walk or to the dog park . 5 year old cart had 52,000 miles on it . They are also much easier to find a parking space for . Gas is the only choice. There is NO warning when an electric runs out of charge ; the gauges are not linear .

[Nucky]

I wonder if any Yamaha Gas Cart has ever broken the 75,000 or 100,000-mile mark without an Engine Block Replacement? That would be some selling point, wouldn't it? GrumyOldMan, why not call J & J Golf Cart Rental and esplain to them what you're trying to accomplish Phone: 352 259-9701.

Sharon Star at The Villages Golf Cart 352-750-3410 and esplain to her the thing you are trying to decide. I believe your decision will be a whole lot easier than you think it is. You could flip a coin.

Nobody told you our new friend, once you decide which kind of cart now you have to decide from where? Oh Boy! Everybody, Mostly Everybody had the best place to buy a cart. You are doing great. Most people have the same indecision as you.

I just can't get the vision of a friend of ours who needed batteries in both of his Pristine E-Z Golf Carts and got the news about both inside of one week. The Tears In His Eyes were Gigantic. It was sad to see him have to face the music! $$$ He fixed one and bought a beautiful brand new Yamaha Gas from The Villages Golf Carts. Imagine Pull in, report the problem drive out in a loaner inside of 15 minutes. No waiting for a repairman to show at your house. Good Luck Grump. You are going to do fine.

[JoMar]

I take my dog on two golf cart rides a day, ending at a rec center for his walk or to the dog park . 5 year old cart had 52,000 miles on it . They are also much easier to find a parking space for . Gas is the only choice. There is NO warning when an electric runs out of charge ; the gauges are not linear .

Another fear post.....you like gas, some of us like electric....oh yeah, there is warning when you get low but you should never get low...plug it into the socket very night and you will get 40-60 miles in the morning. And, why do carts run out of gas even with gauges?

[JoMar]

I wonder if any Yamaha Gas Cart has ever broken the 75,000 or 100,000-mile mark without an Engine Block Replacement? That would be some selling point, wouldn't it? GrumyOldMan, why not call J & J Golf Cart Rental and esplain to them what you're trying to accomplish Phone: 352 259-9701.

Sharon Star at The Villages Golf Cart 352-750-3410 and esplain to her the thing you are trying to decide. I believe your decision will be a whole lot easier than you think it is. You could flip a coin.

Nobody told you our new friend, once you decide which kind of cart now you have to decide from where? Oh Boy! Everybody, Mostly Everybody had the best place to buy a cart. You are doing great. Most people have the same indecision as you.

I just can't get the vision of a friend of ours who needed batteries in both of his Pristine E-Z Golf Carts and got the news about both inside of one week. The Tears In His Eyes were Gigantic. It was sad to see him have to face the music! $$$ He fixed one and bought a beautiful brand new Yamaha Gas from The Villages Golf Carts. Imagine Pull in, report the problem drive out in a loaner inside of 15 minutes. No waiting for a repairman to show at your house. Good Luck Grump. You are going to do fine.

So your friend did no due diligence when he bought his E-Z Go. How could he not know that he would need to but batteries and how much they would cost. I replace batteries every 4 years, about $700.00. I knew that before I bought it and we bought two. I have full range (but then I live in the middle now), and have a nice quiet clean ride. Next time you're out take a look at how many brand new Yamaha's are pulled over so either the driver or the passenger can make a phone call. We have had neighbors make the swith to electric. All of what I just said means NOTHING since you are the one that will be driving it, maintaining it, sharing it with your spouse. Do your due diligence and make a decsion that meets your lifestyle. The advice you get here is a result of individuals biases and preferences and if youi make a decision based on what they tell you here, if you make a bad one they will not be here to accept any responsibility. Very few here will admit they made the wrong decision.

[Dennys37Packard]

Our first was a used 4 seater electric. It was all we had here for awhile. What I found was it was adequate to go from Belle Aire to 466a and back, but not if I golfed there with a passenger, or if I had it loaded with 2 or 3 other people, which cuts your range considerably, especially coming up out of tunnels with the load. Then there was the long 5 hours or so to recharge back. We do a lot and if we went out for breakfast, golfed, then maybe out in afternoon for a store, and to a town square, it was not a good charging cycle for the lead acid batteries. We moved to Springdale and opted for a new Yamaha quiet gas cart and it is nice to not worry about carrying our charger if we visit family or friends was down south. Kept the electric for when family visits. Electric only let me down two or three times. So I think it depends on your driving.

[Ben Franklin]

Just purchased a new electric cart about a month ago. I figure by the time I need to replace the batteries, either the lithium battery will be much cheaper, or the newest, aluminum battery, which will recharge in seconds, will replace my old batteries.

New battery promises to outdo and out-green lithium batteries | Anthropocene (http://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2016/03/new-battery-promises-outdo-green-lithium-batteries/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwi7DtBRCLARIsAGCJWBoyOL1gRBKC-voW9kfGs6CWmlGEspP_5UifqWACbPuyFpnb9FOhJRgaAkXEEAL w_wcB)

[charmed59]

Between our home and our two rentals we own 4 golf carts: one older gas, one Yamaha Quiet Tech, one acid battery, and one lithium battery. We switch them around depending on whether the renters have four people. The older gas one I don’t like to drive, I find it much too noisy, but since it’s included in the rental my tenants love it. The Yamaha Quiet Tech still seems loud to me, but it is quieter than the older gas one. We prefer riding in the electric carts due to the noise. Both seem to get us from our house to Nancy Lopez and then down to Brownwood, but once they open the bridges to Southern Oaks, we will probably take the gas cart. We find the most important thing is comfy seats.

And we prefer golf cart errands to car errands, so we don’t use the car anywhere near as much as the carts.

[Two Bills]

My personal preference, and weakness, is gas, but wife is not so keen on it, that's why I am stuck in the lanai most evenings. :icon_wink:

[coffeebean]

You could buy a tricked-out used golf cart for less than that. USB ports, tilt-out lower half windshield, sand bottle, cooler, premium seats, seatbelts, overhead storage bin or fan, premium color striping and light package, arm rests, etc. If you're lucky you might even find one that's still got a couple months left on the original warranty.

Of all those options you mentioned, you didn't mention a steering wheel with self cancelling directionals which also has regular and high beam lights with the horn right on the steering wheel. Yamaha offered that option and I would not consider any cart with that.

[coffeebean]

If you run out of battery your dead in the water. With gas some body can bring you a gallon to get you home. Can't do that with electric.

That's what Kart Aide is for. Very inexpensive to have peace of mind, especially if you can't remember to plug in your cart.

[graciegirl]

Just purchased a new electric cart about a month ago. I figure by the time I need to replace the batteries, either the lithium battery will be much cheaper, or the newest, aluminum battery, which will recharge in seconds, will replace my old batteries.

New battery promises to outdo and out-green lithium batteries | Anthropocene (http://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2016/03/new-battery-promises-outdo-green-lithium-batteries/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwi7DtBRCLARIsAGCJWBoyOL1gRBKC-voW9kfGs6CWmlGEspP_5UifqWACbPuyFpnb9FOhJRgaAkXEEAL w_wcB)

You are new here.

Been here fourteen years and we have owned both gas and electric. Gas carts are noisier and smellier and electric are quieter and easier on the environment.

It has been our experience that when you see a cart broken down or abandoned by the side of the cartpath it is an electric cart.

If you are signed up with a good service or you can walk a good distance this will not matter.

Friends don't let friends buy electric golf carts in The Villages.

[Bay Kid]

Dad's constant worry that he will run out of battery life. Everyday he complains and worries, but Mom is the reason.

[coffeebean]

///

[coffeebean]

///

[JoMar]

When you run out of gas or run out of electricity it is usually operator error....it is not the carts fault How can anyone let that happen? I think I have posted before that we get 60 miles on a charge and if I drive anywhere close to that my butt hurts. How do you run out of gas, there are fuel gauge's and worse case, you can lift the seat and look. The last two carts along the side of the road were gas and I gave one guy a ride to get gas, I asked him how that happened, said he was too busy and forgot about it. The other guy was waiting for Kart Aide. It happens to both which is why you can have electric or gas and still end up sitting along the side of the road.