Help with E-Z-GO Purchase

[RiverLiver]

Great and Knowledgeable,

I'm in the market for a gas cart to use around my home and for hunting at locations other than my home.

On the home front my cart will need to:

• Move firewood from A to B
• Clear the snow off my 100ft driveway
• Haul rocks, dirt, and other landscaping material
• Negotiate a 30 degree dirt incline
• The occasional towing of a log splitter or stump grinder

Hunting use is a secondary benefit.

I am under the impression that I'll need a 4" to 6" lift along with some tires that can handle terrain other than grass and pavement. I am also under the impression that a stock gasoline cart will provide enough power for me to get around with or without a load.

All of that to say, I stumbled upon this cart on sale for an asking price of $2250. Other than the price, the text of the ad says only "EZ Go Golf Cart, 2 cylinder gas 4 stroke, tires like new, father used at deer camp only, lightly used"

My questions are:

1. What year (approximately) do you think this cart is?
2. Is the installed lift kit a desirable brand and type?
3. What should I look for when inspecting used carts (I have a compression checker and am somewhat mechanically inclined)?
4. Based on the information we have, is the asking price fair?

If you cant tell I am brand new at this. Any other words of wisdom or links to helpful threads would be great!

TIA,

RiverLiver

[essness]

If it's a 4 stroke it's a early 90's Marathon. I think the price is a little steep, in my area that cart would sell more around the 1500.00 mark.

With a strong healthy engine this cart or one like it should do everything you mentioned.

I cant tell what kind of lift it has. The compression test is really your best effort here.

If you let us know where you are, some folks from that area will be able to give you some better pricing info.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Yup, if early 90's this cart could be either 2 or 4 stroke. The body type is the same as my '93 which has a 3pg 2-smoker in it.

One other thing to note - if you're planning on moving snow and/or hunting, you may want to look for a cart with a canopy. At least you can get a show/rain cover for it, and used tops are notoriously hard to come by.

And yes, for the cart, the price looks high by standards here to. For $2,250, you could get a lifted cart at least 7 years newer with nicer paint.

If you're looking at a 2-stroke, it's good to look at the compression to see that it is at least over 100, if not higher. I'd also be nervous about any cart still using the oil injector instead of premix.

However, have you thought of picking up a used cart that maybe needs a rebuild? For ~$250 you can rebuild the top end (ensuring you have a nice tight engine for a number of years), plus change out the crankseals, and whatever else needs doing. This way, you spend less on the front end, invest some sweat equity, but don't get any surprises later.

Plus then you can paint (or camo vinyl wrap like Dave Box did) the cart the way you like it, and put the tires and lift you want on the cart. And it's fun!

[essness]

Originally Posted by RiverLiver

Great and Knowledgeable,

I'm in the market for a gas cart to use around my home and for hunting at locations other than my home.

On the home front my cart will need to:

• Move firewood from A to B
• Clear the snow off my 100ft driveway
• Haul rocks, dirt, and other landscaping material
• Negotiate a 30 degree dirt incline
• The occasional towing of a log splitter or stump grinder

Hunting use is a secondary benefit.

I am under the impression that I'll need a 4" to 6" lift along with some tires that can handle terrain other than grass and pavement. I am also under the impression that a stock gasoline cart will provide enough power for me to get around with or without a load.

All of that to say, I stumbled upon this cart on sale for an asking price of $2250. Other than the price, the text of the ad says only "EZ Go Golf Cart, 2 cylinder gas 4 stroke, tires like new, father used at deer camp only, lightly used"

My questions are:

1. What year (approximately) do you think this cart is?
2. Is the installed lift kit a desirable brand and type?
3. What should I look for when inspecting used carts (I have a compression checker and am somewhat mechanically inclined)?
4. Based on the information we have, is the asking price fair?

If you cant tell I am brand new at this. Any other words of wisdom or links to helpful threads would be great!

TIA,

RiverLiver

Thanks Scooter, the description says it's a 4 stroke

[ScooterMcTavish]

Haha! Guess I need to learn how to read.

Well, at least the OP has some two stroke info for when he's shopping.....

[essness]

Originally Posted by ScooterMcTavish

Haha! Guess I need to learn how to read.

Well, at least the OP has some two stroke info for when he's shopping.....

The same info translates to a 4 stroke, I think a top end on the 4 stroke is a little mor expensive and somewhat more involved but it should be considered

[RiverLiver]

Wow, thanks for the thorough responses, guys.

I'm in West Michigan if that means anythng regarding price point.

Scooter, good call on the canopy. I would indeed like one at some point and just assumed that one would be easy to acquire.

I'd prefer a 4 stroke for the durability and (lack of) noise, and I'm totally fine with - and would prefer - to put work into something for the economics and fun of it.

Let me ask you guys this: What is the going rate for a late 90's/Early 2000's *stock* 4 stroke? Seems to me that it would be in the area of $1200-1600...

[essness]

RL, I bought my 97 workhorse from an Ez-go dealer for 1600.00 bone stock and mildly blemished.

[ScooterMcTavish]

I bought my 93 stock ex-golf from a farmer for $200 needing a rebuild. $800 in total, and it's all done including new seat covers, car battery, a stereo box, new top end, paint job, etc.

Could always try posting a WTB ad on Craiglist or eBay Classifieds, saying that you want a late 90's/early 2000's cart and want to pay $1,200. Guaranteed someone will come out of the woodwork.

And with winter use, I think your 4-stroke approach is good. However, working on the 2-strokes is terribly simple, and doesn't involve any of the wrinkles such as timing valves, lifters, etc. Even a moron like me can rebuild a top end.

[essness]

Originally Posted by ScooterMcTavish

I bought my 93 stock ex-golf from a farmer for $200 needing a rebuild. $800 in total, and it's all done including new seat covers, car battery, a stereo box, new top end, paint job, etc.

Could always try posting a WTB ad on Craiglist or eBay Classifieds, saying that you want a late 90's/early 2000's cart and want to pay $1,200. Guaranteed someone will come out of the woodwork.

And with winter use, I think your 4-stroke approach is good. However, working on the 2-strokes is terribly simple, and doesn't involve any of the wrinkles such as timing valves, lifters, etc. Even a moron like me can rebuild a top end.

that you would expect

I have all the skill that you would expect of a mediocre, middle-aged, Irish salesman, and I've re-built both a 2 and 4 stroke top end. Albeit, with a lot of help from folks here