Put money into old cart or buy new?

MACKM · 05-17-2011, 05:56 PM

Hello,

New here and I've found this forum quite helpful over the past month. I recently bought a 1990 EZ GO cart (I think it's a Series) for our seasonal campground. I knew it would need some upgrading over time but was hoping to atleast get a season out of it. No such luck! We dropped in a new battery, gave it a charge and after some time, we decided to take it for a ride. It made it out of the campsite and died. I am handy with a multimeter and metered out the different points. I have tracked the failure to the motor. (37vdc from pack negative to each of the four points on the motor with the gas pedal depressed. So here is my dilemma and question. Is this cart worth a motor replacement? I originally paid $800 for it and I would rather cut my losses than invest more cash into a sinking ship. Advice that I have been given includes replacing the controller if I replace the motor and the five remaining batteries should probably be replaced as well. Majority of the cables are in good shape but some need upgrades as well.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read and respond.

shmo · 05-17-2011, 06:15 PM

It's personal opinion, but I will give you my take on it.

You paid $800 for the cart. If you were to just jump ship and try to sell it as is, you will have to let it go for next to nothing....so you will be out most of your initial investment.

What I would do is repair it. Now, would I upgrade all of the electronics and add a new set of batteries?....probably not. With that scenario, you would still have an old cart, but you would have substantially increased your investment. It would be hard to get your money back out of it if or when you decided to sell.

I would just put it back together with a simple replacement motor, maybe a couple hundred bucks or less if you shop around a little. At that point, I would ask myself if the cart filled my needs. If it didn't, I would base my next move on what I ultimately wanted or needed.

SHMO

Andy4639 · 05-17-2011, 08:14 PM

You ask so here is mine.

1. One new battery want be worth the time to install it if the rest of them are over 2 years old. They just took the new battery down to there level.

2. 37 volts is a dead battery pack. A fully charged pack should read min 38.20after a 12 hr sitting time. No riding or testing.
Your 37 volts is about 70% charged if it sat for 12 hrs before you checked it.
If that was right after taking it off the charger then the pack is gone.

Opinion:

$800.00 to start with.
Install all new batteries. $500.00 give or take, so now you have $1300.00 in the cart. See if it runs then. If not send motor to PQ for a rebuild. $300.00 give or take. Total $1600.00 give or take. You now have a nice older cart that is worth riding around to get a fill for the things you want in the next project. Drive this cart until you are ready to buy a new one.

eadavis · 05-17-2011, 08:28 PM

And you could always trade out your new known batteries for the batteries in a newer cart when you upgrade if you wanted to before you sold it as long as they were the same voltage.

scottyb · 05-17-2011, 08:32 PM

I agree with Andy

a usable cart for $800?.......batteries alone cost 6-700.00
I think you can recover by making it a good usable cart and either using or selling it.

shadowman · 05-18-2011, 07:55 AM

1st off i would never say the motor is bad by just testing with a meter i have seen way to many times where according to meter its bad but it wasn,t.........i would go further........that being said start with the basics if you havn,t was it a new battery you put in? or a used one?how old are the batteries? what shape are the cables in? test and load test the batteries and take a hydrometer to the cells..........you may just find its not the motor thats bad but if it is its not a bank breaking fix.....................

MACKM · 05-18-2011, 10:29 AM

Thanks for the replies. I guess I've been dreading the thought of buying all new batteries. The cost is a lot to shell out even though I only paid $800 for the cart. Like I said, I was hoping to get this season out of it then tackle the batteries next year. Bummer...
I bought the cart last fall with batteries (energizer) all under 2 yrs old. I pulled the batteries and stored them in my heated basement for the winter. Pulled them out to charge and load them and found 1 to be cracked. A local shop schooled me on the batteries and how I should have been giving them a charge throughout the winter. To replace the cracked battery I bought a used Trojan from him. When I replaced the battery and charged up the cart I thought it was good to go. Thats when the cart stopped working all together. I got about 50 feet and then it sort of jolted a few times before it died. The cart worked, slow but worked, before changing out the cracked battery. I checked & rechecked the wiring and all is good. After doing all the meter checks I was thinking it is an issue with the motor.
So, after Andy laying out the obvious. Investing another $800 or so still gives me an old cart but I will get what I need out of it, a functioning cart to get from here to there. I'm buying batteries today and loading them this weekend in hopes that will get the cart going. From there if it's still is a no go then I will bring the motor somewhere for repair.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

Dave in VA · 05-18-2011, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MACKM

Thanks for the replies. I guess I've been dreading the thought of buying all new batteries. The cost is a lot to shell out even though I only paid $800 for the cart. Like I said, I was hoping to get this season out of it then tackle the batteries next year. Bummer...
I bought the cart last fall with batteries (energizer) all under 2 yrs old. I pulled the batteries and stored them in my heated basement for the winter. Pulled them out to charge and load them and found 1 to be cracked. A local shop schooled me on the batteries and how I should have been giving them a charge throughout the winter. To replace the cracked battery I bought a used Trojan from him. When I replaced the battery and charged up the cart I thought it was good to go. Thats when the cart stopped working all together. I got about 50 feet and then it sort of jolted a few times before it died. The cart worked, slow but worked, before changing out the cracked battery. I checked & rechecked the wiring and all is good. After doing all the meter checks I was thinking it is an issue with the motor.
So, after Andy laying out the obvious. Investing another $800 or so still gives me an old cart but I will get what I need out of it, a functioning cart to get from here to there. I'm buying batteries today and loading them this weekend in hopes that will get the cart going. From there if it's still is a no go then I will bring the motor somewhere for repair. Thanks again for your thoughts.

http://www.plumquick.com/

DOOmsman · 05-18-2011, 12:42 PM

Mack, using Andys numbers $1600 in a running cart is good
and then you could add some bling, A newer cart will cost more.
If you like to tinker you can do as Gorno does a little on his camping
days.

MACKM · 05-20-2011, 11:21 AM

Another question before picking up new batteries today. I was thinking about my problems with getting the cart going and I'm still confused by it not moving at all. If the pack is reading at 37volts I understand the charge is only at about 70% but shouldn't I get some movement out of the tires when it's jacked up? This is what lead me to believe it's an issue with the motor.

Any thoughts??

05-17-2011, 05:56 PM	#1
MACKM Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2011 Location: MA. Posts: 27	Put money into old cart or buy new? Hello, New here and I've found this forum quite helpful over the past month. I recently bought a 1990 EZ GO cart (I think it's a Series) for our seasonal campground. I knew it would need some upgrading over time but was hoping to atleast get a season out of it. No such luck! We dropped in a new battery, gave it a charge and after some time, we decided to take it for a ride. It made it out of the campsite and died. I am handy with a multimeter and metered out the different points. I have tracked the failure to the motor. (37vdc from pack negative to each of the four points on the motor with the gas pedal depressed. So here is my dilemma and question. Is this cart worth a motor replacement? I originally paid $800 for it and I would rather cut my losses than invest more cash into a sinking ship. Advice that I have been given includes replacing the controller if I replace the motor and the five remaining batteries should probably be replaced as well. Majority of the cables are in good shape but some need upgrades as well. Thanks in advance for taking the time to read and respond.

05-17-2011, 06:15 PM	#2
shmo Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lynden, Washington Posts: 406	Re: Put money into old cart or buy new? It's personal opinion, but I will give you my take on it. You paid $800 for the cart. If you were to just jump ship and try to sell it as is, you will have to let it go for next to nothing....so you will be out most of your initial investment. What I would do is repair it. Now, would I upgrade all of the electronics and add a new set of batteries?....probably not. With that scenario, you would still have an old cart, but you would have substantially increased your investment. It would be hard to get your money back out of it if or when you decided to sell. I would just put it back together with a simple replacement motor, maybe a couple hundred bucks or less if you shop around a little. At that point, I would ask myself if the cart filled my needs. If it didn't, I would base my next move on what I ultimately wanted or needed. SHMO

05-17-2011, 08:14 PM	#3
Andy4639 48/400/Alltrax HS motor Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Liberty SC, Garden City SC Posts: 6,190	Re: Put money into old cart or buy new? You ask so here is mine. 1. One new battery want be worth the time to install it if the rest of them are over 2 years old. They just took the new battery down to there level. 2. 37 volts is a dead battery pack. A fully charged pack should read min 38.20after a 12 hr sitting time. No riding or testing. Your 37 volts is about 70% charged if it sat for 12 hrs before you checked it. If that was right after taking it off the charger then the pack is gone. Opinion: $800.00 to start with. Install all new batteries. $500.00 give or take, so now you have $1300.00 in the cart. See if it runs then. If not send motor to PQ for a rebuild. $300.00 give or take. Total $1600.00 give or take. You now have a nice older cart that is worth riding around to get a fill for the things you want in the next project. Drive this cart until you are ready to buy a new one.

05-17-2011, 08:28 PM	#4
eadavis Gone Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Texas Panhandle Posts: 170	Re: Put money into old cart or buy new? And you could always trade out your new known batteries for the batteries in a newer cart when you upgrade if you wanted to before you sold it as long as they were the same voltage.

05-17-2011, 08:32 PM	#5
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,418	Re: Put money into old cart or buy new? I agree with Andy a usable cart for $800?.......batteries alone cost 6-700.00 I think you can recover by making it a good usable cart and either using or selling it.

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05-18-2011, 07:55 AM	#6
shadowman The Last Moja Morani Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: jumping from cart to cart Posts: 8,975	Re: Put money into old cart or buy new? 1st off i would never say the motor is bad by just testing with a meter i have seen way to many times where according to meter its bad but it wasn,t.........i would go further........that being said start with the basics if you havn,t was it a new battery you put in? or a used one?how old are the batteries? what shape are the cables in? test and load test the batteries and take a hydrometer to the cells..........you may just find its not the motor thats bad but if it is its not a bank breaking fix.....................

05-18-2011, 10:29 AM	#7
MACKM Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2011 Location: MA. Posts: 27	Re: Put money into old cart or buy new? Thanks for the replies. I guess I've been dreading the thought of buying all new batteries. The cost is a lot to shell out even though I only paid $800 for the cart. Like I said, I was hoping to get this season out of it then tackle the batteries next year. Bummer... I bought the cart last fall with batteries (energizer) all under 2 yrs old. I pulled the batteries and stored them in my heated basement for the winter. Pulled them out to charge and load them and found 1 to be cracked. A local shop schooled me on the batteries and how I should have been giving them a charge throughout the winter. To replace the cracked battery I bought a used Trojan from him. When I replaced the battery and charged up the cart I thought it was good to go. Thats when the cart stopped working all together. I got about 50 feet and then it sort of jolted a few times before it died. The cart worked, slow but worked, before changing out the cracked battery. I checked & rechecked the wiring and all is good. After doing all the meter checks I was thinking it is an issue with the motor. So, after Andy laying out the obvious. Investing another $800 or so still gives me an old cart but I will get what I need out of it, a functioning cart to get from here to there. I'm buying batteries today and loading them this weekend in hopes that will get the cart going. From there if it's still is a no go then I will bring the motor somewhere for repair. Thanks again for your thoughts.

05-18-2011, 12:42 PM	#9
DOOmsman Gone Wild Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Reddick IL Posts: 11,220	Re: Put money into old cart or buy new? Mack, using Andys numbers $1600 in a running cart is good and then you could add some bling, A newer cart will cost more. If you like to tinker you can do as Gorno does a little on his camping days.

05-20-2011, 11:21 AM	#10
MACKM Not Yet Wild Join Date: May 2011 Location: MA. Posts: 27	Re: Put money into old cart or buy new? Another question before picking up new batteries today. I was thinking about my problems with getting the cart going and I'm still confused by it not moving at all. If the pack is reading at 37volts I understand the charge is only at about 70% but shouldn't I get some movement out of the tires when it's jacked up? This is what lead me to believe it's an issue with the motor. Any thoughts??

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