94 or 97 club car - worth it?

SP-Electronics

I'm supposed to pick up a 1994 or 1997 (she wasn't sure which it was) Club Car 36v (she thinks) tomorrow. I haven't seen pictures or anything, but she said the body is in great shape, batteries are good, charger is included, but she said something about spinning the running gears and burning up the motor. They only want $125, so I figured it would be well worth it if for nothing but the charger, batteries (if they are still half decent) and other misc. "parts".

What say you all? :)

I'm wondering if by spun gears if that means the rear end broke, and the motor just spun up really fast, and somehow damaged it, or if that is really the case at all. Anyone have any ideas of what might have happened, any similar problems you've all encountered? Hopefully it isn't too bad.

Thanks for any input you can provide.

BGW

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SP-Electronics

Wow, no input at all? I'm guessing that's a good sign though. If it were a BAD idea to buy it, I'm sure everyone would have said so.

I'm supposed to go at about 2pm today to get it, so I'll snap some pics and put them up for everyone to critique later. Hopefully it's a decent cart and I won't have to put much into it to get it going. I'll probably end up selling at least one of the 3 I'll have when I add this one, and use the money to build my 600cc project.

azboo

I don't see any way you can go wrong. We pick up parts donors all the time for that kind of price and always make afew bucks parting them out. IBetween the tires, wheels and body alone, you'd be okay. I'd say go for it.

Boo

SP-Electronics

Thanks azboo. I figured I couldn't lose, even if it was almost a total wreck. From the description I got, it is in good shape, other than they burned up the motor, and I'm guessing damaged the rear end somehow. I figure just the batteries and charger are worth 3 times the price, so it was worth it.

You said you pick up a lot of parts donors up your way? Are used carts pretty prevalent in Phx and the surrounding area for cheap? I always forget to check the Phx craigslist, since I don't travel up that way as often as I used to. Most of my trips up are in the Chandler area, and not as far North as you, but once in a while I have to go up pretty close to where you're at to pick up various items. Tucson doesn't have many good cart deals very often.

You wouldn't have any parts carts on hand now would you? I may need a club car rear end either for this new cart (94-97) or my old one (84), depending on what I decide to do with them, and what I find is wrong with the one I'm picking up today. Hopefully they just don't know what they're talking about, and there is something simple to repair. Doubtful, but I'm crossing my fingers.

azboo

Let me know what you need specifically when your ready and I'll ask the boyfriend. I have a couple of electric carts in pieces and might have what you need. And yes, most everything came from Craigslist.

SP-Electronics

Thanks azboo. I'll let you know if there is anything I end up needing, once I know more about the cart. I have it home now, and hopefully I can start going through it soon. I put another thread up with more information and a picture (and link to a full series of pictures).

Hopefully I can put it together without too much trouble. The motor is out, the rearend seems fine, just not sure about the electrics since the motor was in the shape it was in. I don't think my other motor/s would fit it either, since the one mounted to my ford 8" rear has a sprocket attached and doesn't have a female splined fitting like this one, and I have no idea what type is in my Melex, but I would hate to pull that one and end up causing damage to it by trying it in the club car before I know if the electrical is up to snuff. The melex runs and drives as it is, so I don't want to break it if I can help it. :)

Hopefully through poking around on the site, and the help of all the great people here I'll be able to sort through the cart and make it operable. If not, I'll start parting it out I guess. I'm supposed to go look at another cart that is missing batteries, but they'll sell me for $50, so I figure it can't hurt to look, and there might be something of value there. Another guy offered me a complete cart with dead batteries for $400, but I don't really want to spend that much on a "dead" cart...

azboo

A dead cart for $400 wouldn't really be a deal unless the cart was incredible. Would be more than I would give in light of the price of batteries.

Wolley

Go for it. I sure would just for the parts! I am in South Jersey and If I were to see a deal like at twice the price I would be warming up my pickup truck!

azboo

Here in AZ old carts with all bad batts are pretty common for $200 and less. The heat here just cooks 'em. On almost any given day you can find one or two of them on Craigslist. Having said that, if it's a much newer cart with a good clean body and everything else in good shape the price might be in line, but you will have $1000 approx. in the cart before you know if that's the only problem. I guess carts are cheaper here.

SP-Electronics

Yeah, I have yet to pay more than $150 for a cart here, so I'm not usually as willing to part with money as some people. The melex was either $100 or $150 (can't remember now), with a good charger, and virtually complete other than dead batteries (which I never bothered trying to revive before using them as core). The seat backs have some tears in them, and there are some rust spots, and they had a 2x4 dash painted green mounted on it when I got it, and various green paint (kids were having fun) all over it, but after putting new batteries in, it was great. Todays cart for $125 is a little less complete since the motor was bad and removed, but I think probably a better deal overall since it's a good name brand, and newer. My old 84 club car was given to me for free, as was the narrowed ford 8" and the motor that was attached to it, but it is missing top, seat backs, and rearend.

I think I'm going to hit the phx craigslist again soon, and see what other treasures I can find. It'll cost me almost twice as much in the end, due to fuel prices though... Driving a big crew cab diesel 4x4 with trailer up from Tucson isn't very economical. lol