Questions to Ask When Buying a Used Golf Cart

The questions

Open any question to see why it works.

1. 1

   Is it gas or electric, and why did you choose that?

   Gas carts run all day and refuel in a minute but are loud and need oil changes. Electric is quiet and cheap to run until the pack needs replacing. The owner's reasoning usually tells you how the cart was actually used.

2. 2

   What year is it, and where is the serial number?

   Every major manufacturer stamps a serial plate under a seat, on the frame or inside the glove box, and the year decodes from it. Sellers guess high, and a lifted cart with new seats and a new body can look a decade younger than it is.

3. 3

   How old are the batteries, and can I see the date codes?

   A lead-acid pack lasts roughly four to six years and costs a large fraction of a used cart's price to replace. Date stamps are on the case or the terminal, and a pack described as recently replaced often means one battery, not six.

4. 4

   Are all the batteries the same age and brand?

   A mismatched pack runs at the level of its weakest cell, so a new battery among five tired ones is money already lost. Look for one case that is visibly cleaner than the rest, which is the usual sign.

5. 5

   Can I watch it charge, and does the charger come with it?

   Chargers are matched to the cart and voltage and are expensive to replace. Plugging in while you are standing there also shows whether the charger engages at all, a failure that gets blamed on the batteries surprisingly often.

6. 6

   What is the range on a full charge, and how does it handle hills?

   Ask in rounds of golf or in miles, and ask about the steepest hill they climb regularly. A cart that slows to walking pace on a grade has a tired pack, a worn motor or a controller that is cutting back.

7. 7

   Has it been lifted, and were the other parts changed to suit?

   A lift with bigger tires and no change to the motor or gearing makes a cart slower, harder on batteries and harder on the rear end. Lifts also alter the steering geometry, so ask about tie rods and axle wear at the same time.

8. 8

   Is it street legal where I live, and what would it take to make it so?

   A golf cart and a low-speed vehicle are different things legally. Street use commonly requires lights, turn signals, mirrors, seat belts, a windshield, a horn and a seventeen character VIN, and not every cart can be converted.

9. 9

   Do you have a title, a registration or a bill of sale?

   Most golf carts have no title at all, which is normal, and that makes the serial number and a signed bill of sale your only evidence of ownership. Carts are stolen frequently and resold fast, so record the serial before you pay.

10. 10

    Has it ever been submerged, or stored outside?

    Water and salt air destroy connectors, controllers and frames from the inside out. Ask where it has been kept, then look at the battery terminals, the wiring under the seat and the underside of the body for corrosion.

11. 11

    What work has been done on it, and by whom?

    You are listening for the solenoid, controller, cables, brakes and bearings. A cart serviced by a dealer leaves a record you can call and check; a cart maintained by a neighbor leaves only a story.

12. 12

    How do the brakes feel, and when were they last adjusted?

    Most carts use mechanical drum brakes that go out of adjustment and then seize with rust. Test on a slope, because braking on the flat hides a great deal, and note that many electric carts lean on motor braking as well.

13. 13

    Can I drive it for at least fifteen minutes?

    A weak pack performs perfectly for two minutes and then falls away sharply. A long test drive with several stops and restarts is the only way to see voltage sag, a controller cutting out, or a motor heating up.

14. 14

    Does anything squeak, clunk or pull to one side?

    Front end bushings, tie rod ends and rear axle bearings are the usual sources. A clunk over bumps or a whine that rises with speed is ordinary wear on an old cart, but it should be reflected in what you pay.

15. 15

    How old are the tires?

    Cart tires usually age out rather than wear out, cracking along the sidewall while the tread still looks fine. Check the date code on the sidewall, because dry-rotted tires are both a safety problem and a cost you have not budgeted.

16. 16

    Is the frame solid, especially at the rear?

    Get underneath, or ask the seller to lift it. Rust through the rear frame rails and the battery tray is the damage that makes a cart not worth repairing, no matter how new the seats and body panels look.

17. 17

    What do you spend on it in a typical year?

    For electric that means watering the batteries, brake adjustment and tires. For gas it means oil, filters, a belt and a spark plug. An owner who cannot name a single yearly task almost certainly has not done any of them.

18. 18

    Is this a refurbished fleet cart?

    Many used carts are ex-course vehicles rebuilt with new bodies and seats. They can be a sound buy, but the frame and motor have thousands of rounds behind them, and the price should reflect the mileage rather than the new plastic.

19. 19

    What comes with it: charger, cover, spare key, manual?

    The small items add up quickly. A cover matters if the cart will live outdoors, and it is worth knowing that keys on many models are universal, which affects how you store it and whether you add a switch or a lock.

20. 20

    Why are you selling it?

    Upgrading, moving, or a community that changed its rules are all ordinary answers. So is admitting that it needs batteries and they do not want the job, and that answer should move the price by the full cost of a new pack.