Drive Your Game: Essential Tips for Buying the Perfect Golf Cart
Golf carts. Probably not the type of vehicle you imagine immediately, and the only real association you can make probably being from gangster movies set in Florida or Las Vegas, with shady business deals being organized by a swarthy, dangerous-looking pair in a golf cart, but it really shouldn’t be like that. Whether you are a golf enjoyer or not, golf carts are a great little vehicle for a number of reasons, one of them being that they are generally pretty affordable. They come with numerous benefits, so if you have never owned one before, you are probably a little confused about how to select the right one. But never fear, help is here, and after these essential tips, you should have some idea about where to start and what you are looking for.
Why New?
To begin with, let’s go over the pros and cons of a new golf cart vs. a used golf cart. Well, buying a new golf cart means it comes with a warranty, whether that is from the manufacturer or the dealer you are purchasing it from, like these golf carts for sale in Durham, and either way, this is a major benefit. This protects you as the buyer in case anything goes wrong with your shiny new golf cart, so that is a major perk of going with the new option. You also get more customization options, selecting all the accessories, options, and special features you want with the confidence that they are all new and have been installed by professionals. Buying new also means you can rest easy at night knowing it hasn’t been owned before you, no one has even breathed on it, so it hasn’t had any accidents or any other sort of unwanted history yet, mechanical or otherwise. Of course, all this means that new golf carts are obviously more expensive than used ones, so it’s highly recommended that you do some thorough research into pricing and everything to get the best price possible. Basically, don’t get ripped off; if you are going to pay, make sure it is worth it. Ask plenty of questions, look into the dealer you are going to purchase from, read some reviews, and so on.
Used Golf Carts
Moving on, we can take a look at used golf carts. Naturally, used golf carts are going to be significantly cheaper than buying a brand-new one, and if you can find one that was well taken care of and might as well be new but still fork over a lot less money, well, that is one advantage that you really shouldn’t ignore. Especially with refurbished golf carts, some of which can look and run like they are brand new while still selling for half the price, you can save a lot of money. Golf carts can last a very long time, so just because they are a bit older definitely doesn’t mean they are on their last legs. Still, you will want to investigate its maintenance history to make sure it was well taken care of. Inspect the cart itself thoroughly, or take someone with you who knows about golf carts, take it for a test drive, keep an ear out for any weird noises, look for any leaks, and so on. Usually, warranties aren’t offered with used golf carts, so you are purchasing them “as is”, so before you buy anything, you really want to be sure it will be worth the money.
Electric Golf Carts
Next up is which type of golf cart you are interested in electric or gas. Both are great options, with certain caveats and benefits that may be perfect for you or not, depending on your own opinion and needs. A common misconception about electric golf carts is that they cost more to maintain than gas carts, as batteries are expensive, but this isn’t actually true. In fact, their overall operating costs are pretty much the same. The only real difference is that for the gas variant, you will need to pay for belts, oil changes, filters, and fuel, while the electric cart only needs you to replace the batteries every couple of years, actually 5 to 7 years on average. They are also the most convenient, and maintenance is minimal. In general, electric golf carts are a little more carefree. Obviously, they are also less noisy as they run on batteries and not gas, and more eco-friendly with no pollution, if that is an important factor for you. Now they do need charging time, and it can be a bit tricky to figure out when your cart will run out of juice, plus they do take quite a while to recharge. So if it runs out of power somewhere and you aren’t close to an outlet or golf cart charger, you are in a bit of a pickle. They also have less power and speed than gas carts.
Gas Golf Carts
Gas golf carts are faster and have significantly more pulling power, so you won’t have any trouble getting up a hill or navigating steep terrain. They are also obviously very easy to refill and don’t need any charging time, so if you ever run out of power, you don’t have to get out and push the cart by hand to a battery charger or something, just fill it up with some gas and you are good to go, with no waiting required. Also, as gas carts are faster, they are more often allowed to be driven on roads, whereas the slower-moving electrical type can’t always maintain the minimum speed. On the flip side, gas carts definitely need a lot more maintenance like filters, oil changing, and so on, and are also noisier than the alternative because they run on gas and produce more pollution if that is an important point for you.
Golf carts have become all the rage in recent years. They are compact, convenient little vehicles that you can use every day, and now you should be good to go and consider your options.