Do You Like Your Gas Powered Club Car Brand Golf Cart?
 

Do you have a late model Club Car brand golf cart? Have you also owned Yamaha? What is your opinion of each?

If you have an older Club Car, is your longevity and repair experience acceptable?

Thank you.

:gc:

We have one of each. I don't recall how old they are, we got them used. I think the Club Car is a 2016. It's a Precedent. The Yamaha is however many years ago it was, the year before they came up with the QuietTouch. Both of them work fine. The Club Car had to get a new volt regulator this past year, and got a new battery last year. We installed a USB charge port and speedometer to the Yamaha when we bought it in late 2019.

Other than that there's really nothing more to say about them. They do what they're supposed to do, exactly how they're supposed to do them.

The club car seems much louder than the 2017 + Yamaha quiet tech.

We have a Club Precedent electric lead acid battery.

I would not recommend relying SOLELY on an electric cart. If you run out of electricity for any reason, a tow is required. There aint no electron fill cap . . . Also the batteries do require monthly maintenance and have a life, . . $1500 to replace all the batteries at the current prices.

Likewise the max distance between the two is 10's of miles on a tankful/batteryful. A gas cart is good for long distance golf course travel, and simple cost to repair.

I personally will not buy a lithium ion battery due to the risk of fire. No matter how you spin it, if it catches fire, you can't put it out yourself as its a chemical fire, and very hot and very long burning

I bought a CC Precedent new in 2008. I’ve replaced voltage regulator twice. I also had to replace front steering suspension bushings. Both repairs inexpensive DIY and not complicated. The 2008 CC has excellent Kawasaki engine with pressurized oil system with oil filter, which I think is better than Yamaha set up.
Bought new Yamaha 2018 Quiet Tech. No problems so far, but need to grease drive clutch frequently. I know multiple Villagers who have had issues with drive clutch. Front tire wear is also problematic due to toe-in. Suspension on Yamaha is more robust and better in my opinion than CC. Driving position and seat room much better than CC.

That might be why the OP specifically asked about the difference between "GAS powered" Club Cars and Yamahas...

I have a 2016 gas Club Car cart. I’ve replaced the battery twice and tires once. Mechanically nothing major. My only complaint is the noise. I think Club Car is “missing the boat” by not having a quieter engine. We also have an electric cart. I much prefer to take this cart when doing non-golf activities.

I have a gas 2016 Club Car Precedent and a gas 2014 Yamaha EFI. The main negative with the Club Car is the loud Subaru engine. You have to watch the bushings on the Club Car as they will affect tire wear. Top speed on the Club Car is 22 with 205/50-10 tires. I have bigger tires on the Yamaha and it has no problem getting up to 25. I have way more torque in the Club Car. I can easily chirp the tires (even when I do not want too).

Both vehicles have been reliable. Bushings and a motor mount for the Club Car. Multiple solenoids for the Yamaha. Just today my new 2023 Yamaha showed up at Country Village Power. Once it is all put together, the Club Car will become the daughters.

Have owned various makes over our life time, think our first one was used Harley Davidson, had a couple Yamaha's through the years, no negatives. But presently have Club Car, 18 years old, still looks like new, love the wide bench seat (did get custom marine vinyl for comfort of temperature). Maintenance has been very minimal, clean oil and filter, a quick 10-15 min. job on our model, occasional new filter on gas line (5 min. job, easy to see and reach), and new tires a couple times, and only one new battery in 18 years of use ! Only twice in 18 years had a fuse go bad ! This year was the only expensive repair by a technician, everything else has been simple things both I or hubby could easily do. Had the bushings, etc. all redone as steering was getting "loose". $480 to redo all, but after 18 years of use with no break downs or mechanical difficulty, Club car gas has definitely been the best we've ever had going back to the 70's.

The best advertisement for Yamaha is drive a club car. You wouldn't last 5 minutes in a club car after driving a Yamaha

I personally will not buy a lithium ion battery due to the risk of fire. No matter how you spin it, if it catches fire, you can't put it out yourself as its a chemical fire, and very hot and very long burning[/QUOTE]

When was the last time a lithium powered cart burned up in TV? Never? I have seen a few gasoline powered carts burn.

I’ve been here 13 years. I have owned one Club cart and two Yamaha carts. I would not consider any other cart than Yamaha.
Before Covid happened the Villages cart sales told me about 90% sales was Yamaha gas carts. The like everything else Yamaha got behind on production and newbies started buying what ever the Villages could get in stock.

Almost all of my golf buddies have Yamahas. Recently one of my golf crew bought an Onward, a few years old. I found it considerably cramped, compared to the Yamahas. I think it would be fine for a couple of people to cruise around, but for two decent size golfers, with water bottles, and rangefinders and towels, there just wasn't enough space, IMO, Especially compared to the Yamaha.

Agree

The Yamaha QuieTech carts (2017 and up) are much quieter, and have a much better ride. Most likely due to the Yamaha having independent suspension.

I bought a new Club Car Onward when moving here in December 2020. Saved $2k over the Yamaha. Big mistake. My golf friends all have Yamahas. Much quieter, smoother ride, handle better. I have had no issues with the Onward, it is just inferior to the Yamaha.

Club car
 

We back up to to golf cart traffic. I can tell when a Club Car is coming since it has the loudest engine noise of any cart in TV. I’m sure they are as reliable as any other brand.

I have a 2007 club car gas, very reliable as with all older units piece meal repairs are required ,no major problems other than wear items .

I have owned both
 

I had Voltage Regulator issues with the Club Car along with the starter/generator eating up brushes. The Yamaha was a no problem machine for years, and a MUCH SMOOTHER ride.

Yamaha for my money all the way.

We evaluated both the Yamaha quite tech and the Club Car electric. You can actually drive and talk to one another in the Electric Club Car. Decided not to go with the ion batteries because of the fire danger. Our range is 50+ miles. Noise and comfort were our major concerns and the Club Car electric delivered both.

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No one asked about Lithium batteries in this thread...

Club Car
 

I have a 2021 gas club car. The motor is rather loud. They do not put the casing around the motor like Yamaha does, keeping the motor color. I’m sure they can explain it better than I can but the casing makes the motor run hotter.

I am a tall person and It is much easier for me to get into a Yamaha and they are a lot quieter if you get a Quietech model.

Club Car probably did not miss the boat on quieter cart for their entire market. Bet 90% of the market on carts is electrical, not gas.

Club car is much louder than Yamaha. We also noticed a lot less leg room in the club car as well as the angle of the “firewall”
Where your feet would press on is much steeper and less comfortable. Club car uses a Kohler motor now.

Moved here (from Orlando) with a 2020 Club Car. At 14 horsepower it had lots of power and we could drive it all day. Test drove a Yamaha quiet tech and man was it nice. We can actually talk to each other instead of yelling plus we can enjoy music. Purchased the Yamaha, sold the Club Car.

Huh? Not here in The Villages, it isn't.

Have used both and definitely Yamaha over Club Car in all aspects. From quality of construction, sound (Club car is louder) and driving feel. Yamaha is superior in my opinion.

On the Quietec, with the
TWO SEATS THAT FACE FORWARD, do you know if 3 regular sized adults can fit in the rear seat?

We had a refurbished 2012 Yamaha (non-QuieTech) gas cart & just bought a new Club Car Onward last year. The Club Car is fairly noisy, but so was the Yamaha until I installed some sound-deadening around the engine compartment. I haven't gotten around to doing the same thing to the CC yet.

I've noticed a couple of differences between the two: the CC is apparently geared lower, so it has more power available, like when climbing the bridge over 441. However, the Yamaha would easily go 25mph while the CC Kohler motor is turning pretty high rpm at the top speed of 19-20mph. You might be able to coax 1 or 2 more mph out of it, but I'm pretty sure that would be the max unless you overrode the rev limiter. It would also very likely void the warranty. Another thing I've noticed is that the CC has a tighter turning radius, which is kind of nice if I need to make a u-turn in the street or driveway.

I'm not crazy about the standard dash storage space or cup holders in the Club Car, but everything else is fine in my opinion. If noise or top speed is the main issue, the Yamaha QT wins. YMMV, but we paid less for the brand new CC than many local dealers were asking for refurbished/upgraded 2017 & 2018 Yamahas.

I have a 2007 Club Cart, I put an after market body and low profile wheels, otherwise it runs great, goes 29 if necessary

Was this a lifted version of the Onward?

AGREE TOTALLY! As least with the newer models. Not sure if it was always that way as I only had Yamaha's prior to moving here. I bought a new Yamaha in 2021!

We have a 2021 Club Car Lithium-Ion powered, 4 Seater, Lifted, Onward and a 2023 Club Car, 2 seater, Gas powered Onward. The Gas Powered Cart is louder than your new Yamahas without doubt. We have had no maintenance issues with either cart.

My country club is leasing a fleet of gas Club Cars this year. Louder than last year's EZ Go's. You can hear one approaching from 500 yards out. If you want quiet, go electric.

If you live in The Villages, then the no brainer is to have the newer (2017 and up) Yamaha gas.
The same Yamaha engine that has been used for years can last over 20 years without much in the way of maintenance. Anything else out there you are taking a chance and could be deemed experimental. Just ask all the golf cart repair guys what one cart they would buy. You will hear exactly what I am talking about.

Gigi3000, i have a 4 forward Yamaha and you would not get 3 adults in the rear seat. The seat is not much bigger (if at all) than the front seat. You can add a rear facing seat to these to get 6 people.

Anyone buying a gas cart is foolish. I have a 23 year old electric Club Car with 4 12v LiFePO batteries and can go all day and then some without a charge. Almost zero maintenance and very few parts to ever replace. A gas cart has tons of things to go wrong or need maintenance such as air filters, oil filters, belts, fuel injectors or carbs, timing, etc. Plus it requires trips to the gas station or storing flammable gas in a hot garage. My neighbor's cart leaked gas and oil in their garage and it stained the floor & still smells. I have passed many many broken down gas carts on the paths but never an electric cart. Most people are afraid of electric carts running out of juice but I can go from one end of TV to the other and back with battery power left over. Gas powered "everything" is going the way of the dinosaur. Go electric!

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...c-club-car.jpg

So the residents that own Yamaha gas carts are fools? Have you looked around and seen what the vast majority of carts are ? This was not a gas versus electric thread, but there you go. You must have missed a few of those threads about electric owners stealing electricity at rec centers like Everglades.