Columbia Par Car ... Think twice
 

I am now going on my third set of batteries for this cart and a partial replacement of matched batteries. This is either a situation where the batteries can not handle the intended use (Interstate) or the service department does not know how to locate the cause of the problem. Either way there is a MAJOR issue with these carts. I have heard from others that they too are going through batteries every two years.

THINK TWICE

I have a 2010 Par Car and am on 4th set of batteries. I have to replace batteries about every 15/16Mos. Luckily they have still been under warranty both times. So i bought the 2 sets and had the warranty replacement on them. First you have to figure how many miles you drive a year....I have a par car street legal and I put on about 7500 miles a year, also i travel 90% of the time at about 27 MPH....I'm a high end user.... at the higher speed I'm probably using 25 to30 percent more draw on the batteries. So I figure my use @ 7500 miles a yr.... most gas carts get on a average of 40 MPG..... and @ $3.50 gal you are spending about $655 a year on gas, and I spend about $800 for batteries that last me about 30 months which figures cheaper than a gas cart.

Shouldn't you also be factoring in the cost of charging the cart? Electricity ain't free. Plus higher insurance and vehicle registration. Something tells me that the annual expenses for your Par Car are a bit higher than my Yamaha gas cart. And then there's the fact that most golf cart mechanics have nothing good to say about Par Cars and the trade-in value is a lot less than for other carts.

yes electricity cost is about $10/15 month...as far as insurance and registration that's an extra that I choose to have but not needed.....I could just convert back to slower mode if I wish....as far as the mechanics since purchasing the cart I haven't had any maintenance issues. The big PLUS for me is the quietness of the ride and no smell....btw I had a Yamaha for 7 years before this and it was a great cart

The onboard charger on these carts is from China, and if you research these message boards, you will see it as a source of many problems, including improper charging and shortened battery life. If you had to replace it, it would be cheaper just to convert to a standard, reliable offboard charger. Ken Spano and others have done this, and it solves the problem of the defective onboard charger.

Got a 2007. On the second set of batteries counting the original batteries and, the original on-board charger. Go figure.

Couldn't get rid of mine fast enough just look at how low the resale value is of Par Cars
Mine left acid spots all over my drive way and garage
Yes I all way filled after charging
Nice Looking carts got a great range that's about all

I have had good luck by just using a $14 timer. Got it from Amazon to keep from over charging.

You obviously have good batteries, a working charger, and proper charging and maintenance skills. The ParCar is no different than nearly all the other brands - an electric motor, powered by batteries, which are re-charged through a charger. If you have good batteries and a good charger, the only problem area is the operator.

That is interesting: you essentially get two sets of batteries for $800 with the warranty. So, you are paying a bit less than $400/year for batteries. If you add in 2 cents/mile for electricity cost then you are a bit below $550/year as opposed to $655/year for gas in a gas cart plus maintenance (oil, filters, belts, starter battery). I am curious about what condition the batteries must be in to trigger a warranty replacement. Thanks.

$800 for batteries that lasted 30 months is $320 per year. That's quite a bit less than $400. Add $150 per year and that $470 per year compared to $655 for gas.

Still, I know several people who own Par Cars and most are not happy with them.I have heard some people say that they love them, but I have heard a lot of negatives. I don't hear those kinds of negatives about most other carts with the exception of the GEM and Think.

I rounded up ;-)

"a bit" = $80

Any comments on the Star EV?

tuccillo.....I bought a cheap bubble hydrometer at walmart $5 .....i start checking batteries usually after 8 to 10 months when i see a difference in the range i get in my travels.....as soon as i find a bad cell in a battery i notify whoever i purchased them from....this time it was battery boys....they will change out the bad battery .....after the 3rd exchange they decided to just change the rest it was easier for them.

I assume the battery warranty is complete replacement (not prorated) for 2-years and if you use the warranty the 2 years does not get "reset"? In other words, the warranty is still two years from the initial purchase for the replacement set? Thanks.