FAQs

Batteries: The batteries are probably the most important component of an electric golf car. A pre-owned golf car with new or year old batteries is a good start. For example, you may find a golf car at a great price but it has four (4) year old batteries. If you buy this car, you should be prepared to replace the batteries ($800-$1,000) in the very near future. The price may not look as good once you factor in the cost of a new set of batteries.

Original Serial Number: The serial number tells you the year and month the car was manufactured. If a golf car does not have an original serial number attached to it, this vehicle may have been damaged in an accident, stolen or re-bodied.

Only buy a used golf car from an authorized golf cart dealer. To maintain their dealership, dealers must meet the golf cart manufactures high standards. Assuming that you are buying from a dealer, not a neighbor, factory authorized dealers are best trained to service and fix your car and have access to factory parts designed for your car.

For your protection, buy from a long established dealer. Pre-owned golf car warranties are backed by the dealer. It is in the dealers best interest to sell you a reliable, trouble free golf car. A warranty for a used golf cart is only as good as the golf cart dealer standing behind them. At Golf Cart Zone, our used golf carts come with an extensive warranty. We are that sure of our used golf carts.

Visit the dealer to see for yourself if the company you are about to buy from is dependable and not a fly by night outfit. There are many so called golf car dealers who rent a warehouse and create an inventory of cars that were wholesaled by legitimate dealers. Golf Cart Zone has over 100 years combined experience in the golf cart industry.

With the introduction of the deep cycle battery, electric golf cars have the power, speed and range to play at least thirty-six (36) holes of golf before needing to be recharged. Golfers are no longer willing to put up with the noise, smell and higher repair bills associated with gas golf carts. Note that gas golf carts have about 30 times more moving parts in them than electric carts do.

What is the power, speed, range and value of the cart I'm buying?

If you are buying a used golf cart, what is the overall condition of the cart, the age of the batteries and how much use has the cart had?

Electric golf carts are a little trickier to repair than you would think. There are several components in an electric cart that produce similar symptoms when one of them fails. These components are expensive to replace. Therefore, you want to bring your cart to an authorized dealer who has the training and expertise to properly diagnose and fix your cart.

It depends completely on what is being sold as a rebuilt. Many non-dealers will re-body old, worn out carts, add a set of cheap batteries, replace the wheels, install a lift kit and then sell the cart as a rebuild. It may look good, but this is a disaster waiting to happen. You need to be very careful buying a golf cart from a non-dealer claiming it was rebuilt. Check things out before you buy.

It depends on how they are used, and how well they are cared for. Charge and use regularly, keep filled with distilled water and they should last for three to five years if you get the best quality. At Golf Cart Zone we use only Continental or Trojan batteries.

No question that the Trojan T-875 (8 volts) and Trojan T-105 (6 volts) are the best golf cart batteries available. Golf Cart Zone sells only the best brand batteries for your electric golf cart.

The best solution here is to have a neighbor or friend stop by on a weekly basis to attach the charger to the cart and check the water level. This will keep the batteries charged and ready to go. We do not recommend keeping the charger attached to the golf cart for extended periods of time.

We tell our customers to charge their carts overnight so they are ready to go the next morning. The charger will shut off automatically.

Even if the golf car sits in the garage idly during the hot Texas summer, it is critical that the batteries be regularly charged and filled. Hot summer weather causes deep-cycling golf cart batteries to discharge at a much quicker rate than in cold climates. For example, a healthy fully charged set of batteries will lose half their capacity in just 9 weeks if sitting in 85 degree temps.

If you buy a LSV (low speed vehicle) like an E-Z-GO 2FIVE, the maximum speed allowed by law is 25mph. LSVs must not only be street legal, but also have additional safety equipment such as seat belts, turn signals, side mirrors, reflectors, an AS5 Plexiglas or better windshield and a l7- digit VIN number.

Batteries give off two explosive gases - hydrogen and oxygen. Consequently, do not smoke or work with open flames around batteries. Charge batteries in well vented areas. Avoid contact with highly corrosive battery acid. Wear acid resistant gloves and safety glasses or goggles. Wash off any battery liquid immediately with large quantities of water or neutralize with a baking soda solution. When working in the battery compartment, be sure to remove rings, watches and jewelry. The energy in a bank of golf car batteries can melt a ring and cause serious burns if you short out the terminals.

Dirt and moisture on the exterior battery surfaces permits current leakage. It is also harder to inspect dirty batteries for damage. While you can use a commercial battery cleaner, a 1/4 cup of baking soda in 1 ½ gallons of clean water will work as well. Spray the tops and sides, wiring and battery racks with cleaner. Scrub with a bristle brush soaked in the solution. Let solution stand for at least five minutes for neutralization. Rinse with a low-pressure spray of clean water. If any corrosion remains, repeat the process. Make sure caps are on tight so none of the baking soda gets into the battery since even a few drops can decrease the battery's efficiency and decrease its life.

Do not run your golf cart until the batteries are completely dead before you recharge it. Golf cart batteries should never be completely discharged prior to charging. This dramatically reduces their service life and will lead to early failure. If you have used your golf cart, attach your charger and let it run until it shuts off. You should always start out with freshly charged set of batteries.

Add water to your battery cells when the electrolyte level gets low. Do not over fill the cells and then place the car on charge. The water will expand during charging and come out of the cell caps and onto the floor. If you have low cells, add just enough water to cover the tops of the plates and then charge the car. After the charger has shut off and the batteries are cool, add water to each low cell to the appropriate level which is about ½ inch above the plates. Just maintain this level, and remember never fill battery cells to the top. To take the hassle out of filling your batteries, Golf Cart Zone has in stock Batter Filling Systems (BFS) which will fill your batteries correctly without needing to remove battery caps.

Disconnect the charger cord from the golf car after the cart has been fully charged and the charger has shut off.

Do not leave a cart unattended with the charger still plugged in for any extended period of time.

Do not add acid to a cell. Trying to add acid to a battery with water in the cells is dangerous. Pouring sulfuric acid into a wet cell is not wise and can cause serious injury.

Hot summer weather causes golf car batteries to self-discharge at a much higher rate than in cold weather. For example, a healthy, fully charged set of batteries will go from 100% capacity to 50% capacity in just 9 weeks if left sitting idle at a temperature of 86 degrees. Imagine what happens at 95 or 100 degrees. Batteries are most vulnerable to sulfating when they are sitting idle and partially discharged.

Do not buy auto parts store brand batteries or you'll be quickly disappointed. These are car batteries which are made differently and will not perform the same as deep-cycle batteries that are specifically designed for golf carts.