Used Cart Pricing Help Needed

WhereDoesItHurt

Hello everyone. I'm new and this is my first post. First, I want to say that the last few weeks while I've been shopping used carts, this site has been incredibly helpful! I'm on a few other unrelated boards and have read several doing research and this has been one of the most informative and dare I say it, friendliest boards I've seen.

Anyway, enough sucking up...

So, I've narrowed my search down to two very different carts. I plan to use the cart in a farm-like setting. We live on 100 acres with several other families. My family does a poultry business here on the property, and we are wanting the cart to run errands as well as hauling people around the property at times. The property has moderate hills.

One is a '98 Yamaha G16A gas burner. It has been used on a farm hauling horse feed and getting the mail. Body is in somewhat rough (no dents or tears, just typical scratches and dirty) condition, tires are so-so, and seems to have been ridden a little hard based on things like the fact that the choke knob is broken off (choke is still functional). The seller's son said that the motor has just been rebuilt for $350. I drove it and it pretty much ran like a scalded dog. It did need a little choke at first (about a 60 degree day), but I couldn't even get it up to full speed in the parking lot where I was driving it before I had to slow it down. He is saying that his bottom dollar is $1400.

The other is a '99 Club Car 48v electric. This cart is being sold on the side (from his home) by a local dealer. I must admit that even though all of my recommendations have been to buy gas for my intended use, the condition of this cart is causing me to question the "need" for gas. I tend to believe his assertion that it was a one owner cart. It is immaculate and looks almost brand new. He has put brand new Trojan batteries in it and all new battery cables. I seriously am wondering if it has ever been off the pavement or out of the garage for more than an hour at a time. I also drove it and it seems plenty powerful to me. He says his bottom dollar is $1800.

Whichever one I end up with, my first improvement will be a windshield and headlights. Eventually I plan to install a fold down rear seat. May or may not ever go the lifting route.

So, given the intended use, apparent conditions and pricing, what say you?

Oh, I am going to call the owner of the gas cart back today and ask who did the rebuild and try to contact them to ask about the condition of the engine if possible. That will play into my decision as well.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Ken

BGW

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ChevyRacing75

with what your going to be using it for I would say go with the gas cart.

rose88

Gas on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kgsc

Who took over Chevy's computer ?? Mr sparky recommended gas ?? What is this world coming to..

Sorry Ken, I couldn't let it go

For what you want to do, gas is the way to go IMO.. and as for price, you didn't say where you were and prices range by area..

bud light

welcome

Maybe not that one but get a GAS CART!!!



.45ACP because shooting twice is silly

WhereDoesItHurt

Well. I made the decision today to get the CC electric partly because I couldn't get the guy with the gas cart to call me back about with his mechanic's name and number. I have it home now and honestly I'm suffering a little buyers remorse already. :( I'm not overly impressed with the performance on the hills/slopes. Of course it gets us up them OK, but it definitely slows down quite a bit. I suspect that it's still a good cart for an electric, but I'm just not going to get the torque I would like from a stock electric. I really don't know if a gas would be that much better or not anyway because I've never driven a gas cart on hills like these.

I also haven't been able to find a gas cart that I'm very comfortable with the condition for the price range I've been looking in.

If I had to guess, I'd say it's going from 10-12 mph on flat ground to 5 or under on the longer hill climbs. Is this expected? The cables are very clean and the batteries are November 2010 and fully charged before I picked up the cart. I haven't put any kind of voltage meter on them. Any suggestions of things I could do to help with the low end torque? Not interested in much additional normal conditions speed, just more pulling power.

Oh, and I am in Southwest TN about 1.5 hours east of Memphis if that helps with the pricing questions.

Thanks,

Ken

Todd Dolfi

Since you bought the cart already the pricing issue is out the window.. I hate to tell you this but to get the power you want you may have to up grade some things already like cables/controller. I don't think it's the battery's...but then again I'm no expert, good luck...

jedotx

You are getting about the same performance that I got with my 2000 CC
48 volt when I bought it. See my thread titled "2000 CC 48 volt very slow on hills " It has great information posted by the experts here on how to check the batteries and more importantly about proper battery maintenance. As was earlier posted, you will need to upgrade that cart to get the type of performance you are looking for. I caught the upgrade bug and am in the middle of a total re-build (motor, motor controller, 2 gauge cables, HD solenoid, HD f&R switch, lift kit, 22" tires). To get the kind of performance I think you’re after you will need to do the same. Unfortunately these upgrades run into a lot of money. I'm going to have way more invested in the upgrades than I did in the cart originally. If the stock performance is not acceptable you may want to consider trying to sell the sparkie and get a good gas cart if you can get a good one in the same price range in your area. If not then weigh the difference between upgrading the existing cart against the difference in cost between the existing cart and a good gas cart. Hope this helps.

WhereDoesItHurt

I remember reading somewhere that batteries have sort of a "break in" period. Is this true? These batteries have a Nov. 2010 date code on them which is consistent with what the seller told me. He said that he put them in just before Christmas. He said that when he charged them yesterday for me was the first time he's charged them again since the initial charge. He's a dealer and it's just been parked at his house.

I've had a recommendation of upgrading to a 400-500amp controller and 4 ga cables. From what I've seen, it seems that I'm looking at $350-$500 for a controller and $175-$225 for cables. That averages out to around $600 for additional torque.

Will this really give that noticeable of a difference? Would I see any improved performance from just changing the cables first?

jedotx

My understanding is that it takes approximately 30 charge cycles before batteries fully broke in. Batteries should be charged after every use and also periodically during extended periods of non use. Proper water level in battery must be monitored and maintained also.
I upgraded the controller in mine first. I went to a 400 amp Alltrax controller and did not see any real improvement. I was told on this forum that cable upgrade without motor upgrade would not make a noticeable difference. I will be doing the motor and cables next week when I get home and will post the results. Basically the controller and the cables are only going to provide what the motor is asking for. Without doing the motor I don't think you are going to get what you are looking for. You can figure somewhere in the neighborhood of $500 for a motor. You also must put in a heavy duty solenoid and F&R switch to handle the increase in amps.