Gas or Electric Golf Cart for a Run-About?

Gale Hawkins · Jan 22, 2011

I am considering getting a golf cart to use as a run about around the place. I can live without one but it would be nice taking fuel, tools or just my butt around the place. For the next couple years I will be using a corner of our new 18'x28' 2 story storage building with a 12'x28' lean-to as my shop. That will be where the tools, oil filters will be and that is in the yard on the far side from everything is parked. I can keep the cart in the lean-to that is only about 20 foot the exit on that side of the house.

We have 15 acres so I may spray from it with a hand pump sprayer and haul the saw, etc from time to time.

While I have just been looking on paper I see several options in the $1200-$1500 price range. Some even report new batteries. One older Yamaha two stoke with the injector pump boast of a heavy rear bumper with a 2" ball and it will pull 400 pound loads just fine.

Are gas engine model strong in most cases. Electric for jump starting would be of interest. The kids (13 years old) will be driving this and I hope a steering wheel, pedals, etc would be positive for learning control a car soon.

What are some experiences?

milkman · Jan 22, 2011

I've got a '97 Club Car that I've had for two years, it is gas and has the flip flop seat on the back that makes a deck. I have ag tires on the back and use it like a 4 wheeler. I have a hitch on the back and use it to pull my trailer with tiller and gardening stuff to the garden. It is so easy on gas that I can't remember the last time I put gas in it. Use it year round and it starts anytime. I really wanted an RTV, but couldn't justify the money. Mine's not raised, but I did put the heavy springs under the back and replaced all the bushings in the front end for about $12 worth of parts. I use it for spraying too with my 25 gal sprayer and haul my chainsaw and tools and tow the wood splitter. I change oil once a year with Rotella synthetic and the oil filter is the same as the on on my Honda Odyssey. When this one falls apart, I will get another one.

Heywood Jannockitov · Jan 22, 2011

Gale,

I bought 4 gas carts (2 stroke Columbia Par Cars) about 12 years ago. I refurbished them cosmetically and sold off 2 of them for enough profit to cover the entire cost, so the two I kept were esentially free except for my labor. The two are still used every day in the summer. Have been very reliable and are extremely handy to have around. I defeated the governors and oil injection system and run them with straight 50 to 1 premix to preserve the un-governed engine.

I prefer gas myself but others will tell you to go electric for the silent running. I feel gas powered are stronger and won't leave you stranded if the batts die on you while you are in the back forty. Either way you decide to go, you will wonder how you got by without one.
Like milkman, when these ones die, I'll replace them.

Tenn_Blue · Jan 22, 2011

If you are interested in golf carts, there is a forum called "Buggies Gone Wild" - you should go visit them - everything you want to know about carts.

The gas vs electric debate is the counterpart to our Deere vs Kabota vs XXX brand debates :laughing:

We have an Ezgo Utility cart - 2 stroke gas engine cart with a pickup style box in back. Like a tractor, it's one of those things that you can't imagine how you got along without it once you get one.

Both gas and electric have their advantages/disadvantages, but seems like more rural applications use the gas carts - more speed and power than electric, especially if you have hills or carry loads.

RadarTech · Jan 22, 2011

Do they have 4x4 carts?

Gale Hawkins · Jan 23, 2011

I had a Cushman Truckster with a bed on it years ago that could carry a load and run 40 down the road. It was licensed as a motorcycle. It being a three wheeler and small back tires it was only so so of road. It was cool because I bought a tow bar for it and could tow it anywhere.

The rear seat that double as bed for hauling would be nice and I found that for $700 for an EZGO on E-bay.

The guy with the unknown age Yamaha said he had it parked in an enclosed trailer for the past 3-4 months and he put the trailer up for sale and someone wanted to look at it. I know he is a seller but he told me to his suprise he choked it and it started in this cold weather. I have heard those 2 stroke injector pumps were bad about failing. In fact the guy with it told me that because he ran dirt bikes with the Yamaha two stroke and the oil injector failed on two he owned.

When when the oil injector stops working does that burn up the engine or is there a kill device to protect the engine?

On fuel usage he said it sure did not use much gas.

I do not want an ATV for many reasons and I am not going to spend $10K+ for a mule. I want something you can just drop into and go.

whistlepig · Jan 23, 2011

RadarTech said:
Do they have 4x4 carts?

A place close to where we used to live sold 4X4 electric golf carts and/or 4x4 electric ATV's as I would call them. The electric ATV's are nice. Jacked up for extra ground clearance and camo colors. Price is comparable with gas ATV's. They are still in business. If you wish I can look for some information.

milkman · Jan 23, 2011

I do not want an ATV for many reasons and I am not going to spend $10K+ for a mule. I want something you can just drop into and go.

That's one of the things I really like about the golf cart, easy on and off, don't know about the 2 stroke carts, I don't know how long it has been since they were made of if they still are. Mine sure won't run 40mph, only does 13mph and I get along with that just fine. One thing I didn't like about mine was the engine cutting off every time I stopped, that was a bother also trying to go slow while spraying. On another site, I found that just by unplugging one wire, it will continue to run even if I set the brake and get off.

westbrooklawn · Jan 23, 2011

I've had both, and gas is the way to go. Inevitably you will want go to use the electric cart, and the batteries are low, or it will go dead a half mile from the house. Hills are also a challenge for electric carts... that is why you will always find gas carts on golf courses in the mountains.

With the gas cart, it's easy to monitor your fuel level and make sure you can "go" when you need to.

ANiforos · Jan 23, 2011

I live on six acres, mostly wooded. Have a long gravel driveway (600 feet or so) going out to a private road (700 to 800 feet or so) that meets the paved state maintained road. That is where the mailboxes are and where we have to take the trash cans once a week. We don't want the large trucks tearing up the private road and driveways. There are five of us on this private road.

About 15 years ago I bought a gas Easy Go golf cart with a small flat bed on the back of it. The bed is 44 inches wide and three feet from front to back. The place I bought the cart from welded it all on. It even had little rail sides you could take off by lifting out of the welded on pockets,, just like some large trailers. My only problem was that the frame was made out of steel and parts of it rusted underneath.....at the time I didn't have a shelter to keep it under. One day I was using it and the gas pedal got stuck without warning due to the rust underneath. Hit tree, bent frame, broke wrist........ok, now you can quit laughing. I had to have a golf cart, so I researched them some and found that Club Cars are aluminum framed. I bought one (actually traded in my wrecked EasyGo for which I got about 600 dollars). I got a gas model again.......If you have any hills, gas is the way to go. Actually, in my opinion, gas is the way to go anyway. The years go by quick, and next thing you know you will be looking at hundred of dollars for batteries. I took the new Club Car which is a 95 model, to the same place I bought my EasyGo from and they put a bed on it for a hundred dollars or so. That was probably 12, 13 or 14 years ago. I have had virtually no problems with it. Recently just had some type of electrical part changed...cost me $120.00 or so, but after all these years it is to be expected. I use mine for all kinds of stuff. I load up the bed with firewood so high that the front wheels almost come off the ground. I had a trailer hitch welded to the rear.....use it to pull around utility trailers, the log splitter, even used it to move around several old VW beetles that I have. Take the trash out to the main road, go to visit the neighbors, load up the bed with the little mantis tiller to take out the my 10 raised garden beds. I am telling you, you will wonder how you ever did without one. I got a top for mine and a fold down windshield so in the winter when we take out the trash we don't have the cold wind hitting us in the face.

A previous poster said his was good on gas.....I agree. It has a huge tank, but I never fill it up because I don't want the gas to go bad before I get to use it all. I put headlights on mine with a push/pull switch on the dash. For those nights when I have to take the trash out at 11 pm because I forgot to do it during daylight. I would recommend a Club Car.....Mine has a Kawasaki engine in it (made in Japan)....they run foreverl. Its also a 4 stroke, so it isn't loud nor do you have to mix gas/oil. Get one, you will never regret it.
Alex