Golf Cart Service
 

I just called to schedule my annual golf cart maintenance with The Villages Golf Cars and found out the price for the service has increased from $75 to $130 (plus tax). The maintenance itself is $100 and they now charge $30 for pick-up and delivery. Does anyone have any recommendations of other places that service Yamaha gas golf carts?

If your cart is still under warranty it must be serviced by an authorized Yamaha dealer or service person. That's my understanding.

You're kinda stuck if under warranty. If out of warranty, I highly recommend Willie Wilcoxon. Great guy, super mechanic. 352/255-1369

Have also heard nice things about our resident golf cart expert.

I have a 2011 Yamaha cart and I took it last year to Tire Choice at Colony. $49 for oil change, spark plug, rotate the tires, lube and overall check. I had called to make an appointment but they said just bring it in, no appt necessary. It took about an hour and I was happy with their work. I went there on the recommendation of 'Car Guy', he use to post on here a lot.

Another vote for Willy great guy knows his stuff

John,
Did they include the air filters too?
If they did, it's a fair deal.
If they didn't, they're readily available and easy to change and still not a bad deal.

I read the owners manual and it does not say that the annual service needs to be completed by an authorized dealer. If I have a warranty issue, the repair must be done by an authorized dealer. I replaced the spark plug and changed the oil myself around $10.00. Inspected the air filter & at this time it does not need to be replaced.

Willie is great-I think his maintenance fee is $65.

service
 

I do it myself also and cost about 10 bucks there is not much to check on a golf cart.

When I bought my Yamaha cart from The Villages I asked about doing my own maintenance. I was told anyone could do it, just to save my receipts. Recently, just under three years later, my cart developed an oil leak. The Villages Carts at first balked at doing the repair saying they didn't know if the maintenance had been performed and if the person doing the work knew what they were doing. I had provided all maintenance records when they picked up the cart.
I reminded them that all the records were clipped to the scorecard holder on the steering wheel and asked to speak with a manager. The manager wasn't available so I asked for that person to call me. A few minutes later the same person who told me they wouldn't do the job called me back and said they would do it, no charge. The job was completed without further complication.

I just had the service yesterday on my gas cart and the total price was $80.25 including pick up and delivery. This was from the Villages golf cart. Wonder why they gave you that quote?

We asked this year if we could have the annual maint done elsewhere and were told "as long as it is an authorized yamaha dealer" but there are no other dealers. New maint supv! Our purchase contract (2011) states free transport, Tues & Thurs. Still dealing with the issue. This will be our last Yamaha.

Golf Car Service
 

The Villages Golf Cart company is making a strategic marketing error. To unilaterally increase the service (almost double) and to ignore the quoted program charges to past purchasers, is a big mistake. Future sales will be affected by us who respond to inquiries from potential buyers will now have to warn them that this business can not be trusted to stand behind what they communicated to past purchasers. A big mistake!

If it were my business, I would announce the needed increases affective immediately BUT grandfather all those customers who purchased carts and were quoted the $75 price which included pickup and delivery. What an opportunity to rise above the competition and maintain a reputation built over a long time. The long term actual cost would be minute compared to the bad press this decision will bring. They will need the service income at some point when "new" sales start to decline as the growth of TV begins to slow and "we will remember".

Yes George, our thinking as well! Obviously the new maint supv isn't thinking long term. He told us today that we could get someone else to transport, totally missing the point of cost!

Bought my Yamaha at Carts and Clubs of Ocala they do my maintenance for $70.
All work is done at your house.
No need to transport a cart to change oil, replace plug, fuel filter and air filter, adjust cables etc.
When the warranty is up, I'll do it for $35. in parts
The serviceman showed me things to look for, where to grease, how to adjust the brakes, etc.
If I have other problems he said to give them a call. If it has to go back to the shop, it will cost $60 round trip, plus parts/labor.