Gas vs Electric

gjdavis76 · 01-19-2013, 10:22 AM

So, I have a 2001 CC electric and use it for driving around town. Works out great. We are in the process of buying a beach condo and need a cart to drive around the condo complex to get to the pool, beach, etc. All of the driving will be on relatively flat concrete. A couple of things for discussion:

1. The cart will be parked outside in a parking spot in front of the condo with a receptacle inside the condo for charging. The cart will stay there year around. We do not have a garage to keep the charger on when not in use.
2. There will be multiple family members visiting, without me there, who does not know about golf carts. Ease of use for multiple folks (including mom) is important.
3. I figure the cart will get used once or so per month for a week at the time. I would consider the use light to medium when in use.

An electric would be fine from the amount of use, but I think it would be a pain to keep a charger on the batteries, when no one is there, and making sure people do not totally drain the batteries when I am not there.

Any similar experiences? What works best for you guys?

Buickguy · 01-19-2013, 11:14 AM

For your use its a hard call.

Personal observation and experience tells me that no mater what power you use, people unfamiliar with the cart and little to no vested interest in the cart will abuse it anyway.
In my campground there is a fellow in one of the sites that has an old Yami two stroke gasser. He has in laws in two other sites in the campground. (wife's sister and her family, wife's brother and his family)
Being the nice guy he is, he lets the kin use his cart at will. That have taken it out and run it hard. They let their teenagers run it and those kids run it hard. They've run it down the road for trips to the local grocery store. They have managed to run it out of gas, have mechanical break downs and flat tires several times over the past few years.
Guess who has to fix all this! That's right, he does.
One time his brother in law ran it to the store, ran it out of gas then killed the battery trying to start it. He then called the cart's owner at home (he wasn't out that week) and the owner had to drive out to the campground, tow the cart back to his site, get gas and charge the battery. The owner did manage to tell the brother in law about replacing gas when he used the cart. After the owner went home, the brother in law and his teens were back out on the cart and left it near empty again for the owner.

Long story just to say that you may have user issues either way.

lockman1 · 01-19-2013, 11:31 AM

To me... it's not a hard call!
A gas cart would suit your situation the best in my opinion!

Yeah... they may run it out of gas, or not replenish the gas used,
But, with an electric, the whole thing lies on:
IF someone plugs it in, IF you don't get to check on the cart as often to check the batteries,
and if the cart is left outside unattended for long periods of time,
there may be someone else that doesn't want to buy new batteries for their cart, and they steal yours!
and I'm guessing you know how much a set of batteries cost!

Sadly, Battery theft happens more often then we really care to acknowledge!

my .02

Buickguy · 01-19-2013, 12:01 PM

Lockman,

Good point!
Its been a while since I had an electric cart (Cushman, 3 wheel, 36V back in the mid '80s)
I had forgotten about battery theft.

essness · 01-19-2013, 01:05 PM

I say gas is the right choice for all the reasons listed above and of course, the other folks should know they will need gas in it. Chances are they drove a car to get there and understand the importance of fuel in that process.

gjdavis76 · 01-19-2013, 01:33 PM

Thanks for the input! I was really thinking gas is the way to go before I posted. I would think a once per year oil and air filter change is the maintenance for a gas cart with this type use. Other than that hopefully it is gas and go.
I'm also thinking of putting a toggle switch somewhere, not so obvious, to detour any joy riding by folks I don't want riding.

ProjectClubCar · 01-20-2013, 07:59 AM

beach condo?

i live 200 yards from the beach, and rust and corrosion are a factor as well, my first cart was an ez-go,and after 1 year the frame started rusting, buy the second year the cart was not safe to ride. i have club car now, and to this day it still amaze's me, the cart has been through hell and back, simply wipe the cart off and the frame looks like new,still to this day.
buy a cover and keep it covered when not in use. it wont stop the rust and corrosion it but it will slow it down.
seats, struts and things like that make sure they are alumuim
10 bucks for an oil change is cheap, i would suggest changing in spring and fall, or every 100 hours.
the toggle is a great idea, with club car 1 key fits all or so i have noticed.
and the last thing, the gas tanks hold over 6 gallons, wich is a lot of riding, be sure add and additive such as stable or somthing like it, to keep the gas from going bad and gumming up the carb, for periods when it will just be sitting.

hope this helps give a little insight

01-19-2013, 10:22 AM	#1
gjdavis76 Not Yet Wild Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 8	Gas vs Electric So, I have a 2001 CC electric and use it for driving around town. Works out great. We are in the process of buying a beach condo and need a cart to drive around the condo complex to get to the pool, beach, etc. All of the driving will be on relatively flat concrete. A couple of things for discussion: 1. The cart will be parked outside in a parking spot in front of the condo with a receptacle inside the condo for charging. The cart will stay there year around. We do not have a garage to keep the charger on when not in use. 2. There will be multiple family members visiting, without me there, who does not know about golf carts. Ease of use for multiple folks (including mom) is important. 3. I figure the cart will get used once or so per month for a week at the time. I would consider the use light to medium when in use. An electric would be fine from the amount of use, but I think it would be a pain to keep a charger on the batteries, when no one is there, and making sure people do not totally drain the batteries when I am not there. Any similar experiences? What works best for you guys?
gjdavis76 Not Yet Wild Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 8

01-19-2013, 11:14 AM	#2
Buickguy Getting Wild Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 103	Re: Gas vs Electric For your use its a hard call. Personal observation and experience tells me that no mater what power you use, people unfamiliar with the cart and little to no vested interest in the cart will abuse it anyway. In my campground there is a fellow in one of the sites that has an old Yami two stroke gasser. He has in laws in two other sites in the campground. (wife's sister and her family, wife's brother and his family) Being the nice guy he is, he lets the kin use his cart at will. That have taken it out and run it hard. They let their teenagers run it and those kids run it hard. They've run it down the road for trips to the local grocery store. They have managed to run it out of gas, have mechanical break downs and flat tires several times over the past few years. Guess who has to fix all this! That's right, he does. One time his brother in law ran it to the store, ran it out of gas then killed the battery trying to start it. He then called the cart's owner at home (he wasn't out that week) and the owner had to drive out to the campground, tow the cart back to his site, get gas and charge the battery. The owner did manage to tell the brother in law about replacing gas when he used the cart. After the owner went home, the brother in law and his teens were back out on the cart and left it near empty again for the owner. Long story just to say that you may have user issues either way.

01-19-2013, 11:31 AM	#3
lockman1 What the ....? Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N.E. Wisconsin Posts: 14,928	Re: Gas vs Electric To me... it's not a hard call! A gas cart would suit your situation the best in my opinion! Yeah... they may run it out of gas, or not replenish the gas used, But, with an electric, the whole thing lies on: IF someone plugs it in, IF you don't get to check on the cart as often to check the batteries, and if the cart is left outside unattended for long periods of time, there may be someone else that doesn't want to buy new batteries for their cart, and they steal yours! and I'm guessing you know how much a set of batteries cost! Sadly, Battery theft happens more often then we really care to acknowledge! my .02

01-19-2013, 12:01 PM	#4
Buickguy Getting Wild Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 103	Re: Gas vs Electric Lockman, Good point! Its been a while since I had an electric cart (Cushman, 3 wheel, 36V back in the mid '80s) I had forgotten about battery theft.

01-19-2013, 01:05 PM	#5
essness Not your usual outlaw Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Near Lake Geneva, WI Posts: 20,054	Re: Gas vs Electric I say gas is the right choice for all the reasons listed above and of course, the other folks should know they will need gas in it. Chances are they drove a car to get there and understand the importance of fuel in that process.

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01-19-2013, 01:33 PM	#6
gjdavis76 Not Yet Wild Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 8	Re: Gas vs Electric Thanks for the input! I was really thinking gas is the way to go before I posted. I would think a once per year oil and air filter change is the maintenance for a gas cart with this type use. Other than that hopefully it is gas and go. I'm also thinking of putting a toggle switch somewhere, not so obvious, to detour any joy riding by folks I don't want riding.
gjdavis76 Not Yet Wild Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 8

01-20-2013, 07:59 AM	#7
ProjectClubCar Gone Broke Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Galveston, Texas Posts: 1,592	Re: Gas vs Electric beach condo? i live 200 yards from the beach, and rust and corrosion are a factor as well, my first cart was an ez-go,and after 1 year the frame started rusting, buy the second year the cart was not safe to ride. i have club car now, and to this day it still amaze's me, the cart has been through hell and back, simply wipe the cart off and the frame looks like new,still to this day. buy a cover and keep it covered when not in use. it wont stop the rust and corrosion it but it will slow it down. seats, struts and things like that make sure they are alumuim 10 bucks for an oil change is cheap, i would suggest changing in spring and fall, or every 100 hours. the toggle is a great idea, with club car 1 key fits all or so i have noticed. and the last thing, the gas tanks hold over 6 gallons, wich is a lot of riding, be sure add and additive such as stable or somthing like it, to keep the gas from going bad and gumming up the carb, for periods when it will just be sitting. hope this helps give a little insight