[Kitria]

Ok. Have at it here.

you can also discuss 2 or 4 seaters. I was going to buy a 4 seater for company. My golf cart garage wasn't deep enough for one. So, before you buy, make sure wherevever you are parking it is deep enough.

Our 2 seater electric can go from the Orange Blossom Hills historical side to Havanna golf course, go a round of 18 holes, stop in Sumter Landing, and get back home with juice to spare. Think about your trips. Will you be likely to want to travel more than an hour to get to where you want to go using your golf cart? Or will you use your car for those longish trips?

Enough of me..what is your take?

[zcaveman]

I have an electric cart. I know that I can travel from my home in Marion county to the other end of TV. But why? That is a long trip when there are many golf courses within my reach. Personally I like to travel no more than 20-30 minutes to play golf. That excludes Mira Mesa, Chula Vista, Hilltop and Sliver Lake. Anything near past Palmer is also not on my list.

Maybe it is a personal thing - but I will not even think about it.

I will take a ride to Spanish Springs - 25 minutes. Never went to Sumter Landing. No interest.

[Barefoot]

I finally found a gardener who is willing to pull the weeds. ;D

(Just kidding, zcaveman, I know this post is about golf carts.)

[golfnut]

barefoot, you are baaaaaaaad.

[SteveFromNY]

I haven't bought a cart yet as I'm not moving into my house until next year. It's in Liberty Park, which is fairly close to Sumter Landing, fairly close to the new shopping center, but pretty far from Spanish Springs. One of the things I really like about TV is the great golf cart access to the stores and restaurants, as well as golf. It makes it all fun! And I've always liked to drive. So I picture my wife and I spending a lot of time in our golf cart.
That said, I'm leaning toward a gas cart, as I don't want to find myself wanting to use the cart but not being ablre to as it needs a charge. I know Al Gore will be annoyed, but I figure I'm using 1/4 of the gas I'd be using driving a car and that's what I'd be using if I lived elsewhere.

[larryfish]

It doesn't have anything to do with Al Gore...the stink and smell of the gas carts is objectionable to all the neighbors, because there is so much old gas...and people fail to put in high grade fuel (save 21 cents) If you plug in the electric cart whenever you come into the garage, and keep the batteries up (an automatic battery filler is very helpful, and inexpensive) you never run out of electric. After four years, I have never been anywhere where the electric would not take me...who would want to go fifty miles on a golf cart? By the way, you could run out of gas.

Electric is a much smoother ride also. gas is so herky jerky reverse is very uncomfortable. fishface

[SteveFromNY]

Thanks for the input and I will give it lots of thought before I buy one.

[jjdees]

What maintenance is needed on an electric besides the batteries?

[villages07]

Back to environmental considerations.... I assume the gas carts don't have any pollution/emissions control, so, I would think they must stink up the air (literally and environmentally). Any scientists or motor heads out there with an opinion? I know back in DC when we had code Red air quality, they asked people to curtail mowing grass with gas mowers until early or late in the day.

[villages07]

jj... filling batteries is only engine maintenance; otherwise, periodic brake checks, clean battery terminals, lube joints, etc. We had the vendor come out for 6 month checkup for about $50 just to be sure everything was wearing properly. Most motorheads could do much of the maintenance themselves. We are having to put water into the batteries about every 2 weeks now...in the cooler months (less miles too), more like 4-5 weeks.

[golfnut]

I have an electric cart and will probably buy a second cart once we retire, I hope to stick with electric because I do not like the noise or the smell of a gas cart, even the brand now ones stink. As v07 stated maintenance is easy, I bought a single point fill system for the batteries so I just plug a hose into a single connection on the batteries then stick the other end of the hose in a jug of distilled water squeeze a few times and I'm done, literally takes less than a minute.

[BETHPAGE BLACK]

Fishface....what is an automatic battery filler..how does it work? I purchased golf cart (electric) my last trip down and will be picking it up on my next trip in October. I'm still working not retired yet and the cart will sit unused while I'm working. I do have someone taking care of my home who will fill battery but I have a question, should the battery be charged even when not being used? Will the life of the battery be jeopardized by not using the cart. What advice can you give on the upkeep of a cart not used on a regular basis.

[jjdees]

Thanks for the info on the maintenance. I'll also add my 2 cents on the carts. Electric carts are a lot smoother than the gas ones that jerk and lurch. And, I' can't pass this one up.. Fishface, a name only a mother could love. I'm not a mother but fishface, I love it!

[zcaveman]

I have an electric cart. Every week I check the water levels in the battery cells. Every other week I torque the batterry nuts. Evey six months I have the cart guy come out and service the brakes and wheels and check the tire pressure.

Every four years (or so) you might need to replace the batteries. Check with your cart guy or call Spano to see if it is necessary.

[larryfish]

zxlbb...I believe golfnut is talking about the same system. It is inexpensive. The caps from your batteries are replaced with a cap that has a tube running back to a single main tube. You put the distilled please water into the system til the little wheel stops spinning.

USE OF THE CAR regularly makes it work better. If you let it set for a long time, it takes a week or so of run down and charge up to get it back to full strength. My brother has had batteries for eight years, and with proper maintenance, they will continue to work. People panic and replace the batteries, when all they need is to be used regularly.

Notice they are GOLF CARTS.

That means they are to be used for two or three sessions of five miles per day, and charged every night. They will give good service for years. My Club Car gets service complete every year, and gives us 10-15 miles every day...30 when we want it (uggh) with no failures. Now and then we get the opportunity to push or pull a gas machine to the repair shop. Ha Ha. Ours is smmmoooth running, does not smell, and does not break our neck when starting or going into reverse.

The poor folks who give up all the smoothness and joy of the quiet, inexpensive electric carts for the off chance that they may want to go 100 miles on their cart some day, really get misled by the sales staff who don't understand the joy of an electric golf car. Fishface

PS. We also have an 07 Toyota Camry Hybrid with continuously variable transmission. It is a comfortable electric golf car that goes up to 39 miles per hour before the gas motor kicks in. Gets 42 MPG on the road. Hmmmm. FISHFACE