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Post by smsmith on May 25, 2024 20:16:52 GMT -6
Spend 3-5k on upgrading an old cart to lithium, new upholstery, wheels, tires or go buy a new one one for 8+k?
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Post by Sandbur on May 26, 2024 3:55:38 GMT -6
My choice was to buy a new to me, used boat. ![;)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/wink.png) Now it is pickup time. ![:(](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/sad.png)
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Post by Foggy on May 26, 2024 7:05:21 GMT -6
Spend 3-5k on upgrading an old cart to lithium, new upholstery, wheels, tires or go buy a new one one for 8+k? Been seeing lots of new brands of golf carts in OZ. I think the market to refurbish / rebuilt the old ones is drawing to a close. Was a time that the golf cart rebuilders did a huge biz. They would paint, do new upholstery, high speed motors, batteries, and wheels tires and sell them to the public. Now you can buy a new cart for under $8000 with the lithium ion batteries. These brands are all Chineze parts but assembled in the USA. I've sure seen allot of folks down in OZ that replace their carts when batteries are shot rather than replace the batteries. The new litium batteries are good for over ten years. I just had this same scenario last year here in MN......and decided to replace my lead acid batteries. My last batteries lasted for about ten years as we dont use the cart too much here in MN. I figure if I get ten years out of the batteries that's about the end of my needs. I spent about $1200 on the batteries and some needed cables.
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Post by smsmith on May 26, 2024 7:11:16 GMT -6
Spend 3-5k on upgrading an old cart to lithium, new upholstery, wheels, tires or go buy a new one one for 8+k? Been seeing lots of new brands of golf carts in OZ. I think the market to refurbish / rebuilt the old ones is drawing to a close. Was a time that the golf cart rebuilders did a huge biz. They would paint, do new upholstery, high speed motors, batteries, and wheels tires and sell them to the public. Now you can buy a new cart for under $8000 with the lithium ion batteries. These brands are all Chineze parts but assembled in the USA. I've sure seen allot of folks down in OZ that replace their carts when batteries are shot rather than replace the batteries. The new litium batteries are good for over ten years. I just had this same scenario last year here in MN......and decided to replace my lead acid batteries. My last batteries lasted for about ten years as we dont use the cart too much here in MN. I figure if I get ten years out of the batteries that's about the end of my needs. I spent about $1200 on the batteries and some needed cables. there's a guy south of me a few miles who does really great work on upgrading old carts.
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Post by Foggy on May 26, 2024 8:50:49 GMT -6
Been seeing lots of new brands of golf carts in OZ. I think the market to refurbish / rebuilt the old ones is drawing to a close. Was a time that the golf cart rebuilders did a huge biz. They would paint, do new upholstery, high speed motors, batteries, and wheels tires and sell them to the public. Now you can buy a new cart for under $8000 with the lithium ion batteries. These brands are all Chineze parts but assembled in the USA. I've sure seen allot of folks down in OZ that replace their carts when batteries are shot rather than replace the batteries. The new litium batteries are good for over ten years. I just had this same scenario last year here in MN......and decided to replace my lead acid batteries. My last batteries lasted for about ten years as we dont use the cart too much here in MN. I figure if I get ten years out of the batteries that's about the end of my needs. I spent about $1200 on the batteries and some needed cables. there's a guy south of me a few miles who does really great work on upgrading old carts. One thing about batteries.......is that the lead / acid batties last allot longer here in MN vs AZ. In OZ the high temps shorten battery life to about 2 to 3 years. We have two carts in OZ. One is a newer EZ Go that I purchased with a Lithium battery. Its now about 4 or 5 years old and I have not had an issue. No maintenance.....no corrosion issues. When we get back after 6 months....the battery is the same as when we left. Our other golf cart was rebuilt about 12 years ago by a cart converter - as described above. I just replaced the batteries for a third time. We put in a Lithium Ion conversion which is guaranteed for ten years.....and they are said to last longer. We are sold on LI-ion for the desert (hot) climate. I paid about $3300 to do the conversion - complete. I did consider a new cart.....but the price difference was too much for my frugal ways. These carts are driven about 4 hours each day.....on nearly a daily basis. So they do get some use.....and who wants problems or maintainance issues? Also, I had a lead acid battery ruin some of my garage floor here in MN. Argh!!
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Post by smsmith on May 26, 2024 9:03:12 GMT -6
there's a guy south of me a few miles who does really great work on upgrading old carts. One thing about batteries.......is that the lead / acid batties last allot longer here in MN vs AZ. In OZ the high temps shorten battery life to about 2 to 3 years. We have two carts in OZ. One is a newer EZ Go that I purchased with a Lithium battery. Its now about 4 or 5 years old and I have not had an issue. No maintenance.....no corrosion issues. When we get back after 6 months....the battery is the same as when we left. Our other golf cart was rebuilt about 12 years ago by a cart converter - as described above. I just replaced the batteries for a third time. We put in a Lithium Ion conversion which is guaranteed for ten years.....and they are said to last longer. We are sold on LI-ion for the desert (hot) climate. I paid about $3300 to do the conversion - complete. I did consider a new cart.....but the price difference was too much for my frugal ways. These carts are driven about 4 hours each day.....on nearly a daily basis. So they do get some use.....and who wants problems or maintainance issues? Also, I had a lead acid battery ruin some of my garage floor here in MN. Argh!! lead acid batteries are staining our garage floor too. I'm sold on the lithium batteries, I just need to decide on conversion vs. new.
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Post by Foggy on May 26, 2024 10:37:28 GMT -6
One thing about batteries.......is that the lead / acid batties last allot longer here in MN vs AZ. In OZ the high temps shorten battery life to about 2 to 3 years. We have two carts in OZ. One is a newer EZ Go that I purchased with a Lithium battery. Its now about 4 or 5 years old and I have not had an issue. No maintenance.....no corrosion issues. When we get back after 6 months....the battery is the same as when we left. Our other golf cart was rebuilt about 12 years ago by a cart converter - as described above. I just replaced the batteries for a third time. We put in a Lithium Ion conversion which is guaranteed for ten years.....and they are said to last longer. We are sold on LI-ion for the desert (hot) climate. I paid about $3300 to do the conversion - complete. I did consider a new cart.....but the price difference was too much for my frugal ways. These carts are driven about 4 hours each day.....on nearly a daily basis. So they do get some use.....and who wants problems or maintainance issues? Also, I had a lead acid battery ruin some of my garage floor here in MN. Argh!! lead acid batteries are staining our garage floor too. I'm sold on the lithium batteries, I just need to decide on conversion vs. new. Staining is one thing.....but the acid ate into my concrete at my shed. Made a mess out of the floor in that area. Now I keep a plastic Menards tarp under the cart in case the acid oozes out with a weather change. I will say that our conversion to the li-ion in our "old" cart is working super well.....as are numerous other conversions with folks I know. Ends battery terminal corrosion and any kind of maintenance whatsoever. Have not heard anyone that grumbles about the conversions. Kinda wondering why I put lead acid back into my old EZ Go at the deertopia. But if the cart lasts another 5 years or so......I will likely be done with it. It's over 20 years old now....but still gives a quiet ride to the deer stands when we use it. Not too often in recent years.
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Post by terrifictom on May 26, 2024 18:26:08 GMT -6
Something I would think about is that there are other things that can wear out on an old cart even after replacing the batteries and upholstery. Might be better off just getting new and not have to worry.
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Post by Foggy on May 26, 2024 19:24:43 GMT -6
Something I would think about is that there are other things that can wear out on an old cart even after replacing the batteries and upholstery. Might be better off just getting new and not have to worry. Tom's right about this. Our rebuilt cart had a front spindle break off......and had a rear spring break.....both while on the course. Luckily this didn't happen when driving on the roads at 25 MPH +. We know several people that had carts break and hit the curb.....not a good outcome in some cases.
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