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I was thinking about getting a gas powered golf cart to modify and use around our farm. Have you heard of anyone doing this? My uncle can't get around worth a crap anymore and I think he could get in and out of one of these so he could still get out in the woods. I was just thinking camo it out and put some different tires on it and then see where it takes me. Tell me if you know anything about this or if you think it would work. OKH

OKH, I don't know about a gas powered one, but I think John Wooters used an electric one on his south texas ranch for years. He had it camoed and all. tom

I did the same thing with a golf cart and I think it's one of the best kept secrets around. I have a gas '94 EZ-Go and added ATV tires from Northern Handyman. All things considered, it's amazing what it will go through and the abuse it will take.

I was mostly after a cheap run-around for my kids, but it quickly became useful for all kinds of chores. I started with an electric cart which sucked - because it was never charged when I wanted to use it. I then went to a 2-stroke which was great, except like all 2-strokes, things can get a little stinky. The engine blew because the oil injector clogged up.

I finally ended up with the '94 which is 4-stroke and never looked back. I highly recommend the 4-stroke. I'm also lucky that I have a used cart dealer nearby so parts are easy to get. My cart has been through heck and back including T-boning a couple trees and one roll-over. Parts are extremely cheap, like $15 for a steering column or $5 for a leaf spring.

The price tag on my (used) cart was $1400 three years ago. With the ATV tires it will run thru 6-in. of snow and mud until the frame hangs up. It will NOT run thru a 12-in. birch tree <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />. By taking the slack out of the throttle cable the cart will run at 25-mph.

I plan to add a massively beefed up suspension for about $250 this spring, which is sold kit form and easy to install. We really load the cart down and the over-size tires will rub as it is. You really, really need to change the tires. The slick grass tires are designed NOT to dig into golf courses and you will spin on a dusting of snow or mud. I went with the off-road-only V-tread tires and the difference is amazing.

All in all, the cheapest way to get into a ATV there is, cheap parts, easy to work on, and a blast. Did I mention 20-mpg?

This is what I have been looking for. I think that it would be an awesome tool to have at our place. What is the noise level like? I think that I will start looking for one pretty soon. OKH

Golf carts are very quiet - don't want to disturb them golfers <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />. The electrics are almost silent, but like I said, the battery charging can be a problem if more than one person drives it. Me charge it - I thought you charged it?

If you might be bouncing off some brush, consider an older one with an aluminum chassis (pre-95?). The newer carts have fiberglass bodies and are a little more fragile.

You can buy lots of extras, such as pickup beds, a cargo racks. Much of that stuff is overly expensive so I made my own flatbed across the back fenders. I also put on a headlight and switch kit from Northern Handyman so I can drive at night.

I use a John Deere Gator on my place...sorta like an overgrown gas-powered golf cart. It goes everywhere I need to go and has a pickup-type bed on the back that hauls about anything you would need to haul. Jim

I feel sorry for ya slumming around in that Gator. Tell ya what - I'll trade even up <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Gators are awesome machines. My local dealer let me steal one for a weekend a few years ago and I think we put 47.5 hours on it...a bunch anyhow. The only trouble is that some of my trails are narrow and tree-lined, and the 4x6 Gator I used had a tendency to push the front wheels during turns in snow and ice - the wheels would turn but the Gator would plow straight ahead. I never got the chance to drive a 2x4 model, but it would probably be the better choice for my conditions.

My neighbor has one, primarly used by the kids to run around the neighborhood. Actually, I didn't know it was gas powered until one day when one of the kids drove it right beside me. It's very quiet. It does not get the use that an ATV would, but it seems to hold up to 6-8 year old driving quite well. Don't know what brand it is.

One more thing - I was really surprised at the volume of the used golf cart market around here. If golf is popular where you live, there will probably be a ton of "cart lots". Golf courses lease most of their carts and then turn them in for new ones every few years so there is a constant turnover. Cart dealers buy the lease returns in lots. There are something like 4-5 dealers within 1/2 hour of my house.



Some of the lots also sell boats and motors, RVs, trailers, and all that. The biggest lot has 30-40 carts in all price ranges most of the time, plus a huge inventory of parts.



For you Minnesota boys, a great place is EZ-Go in Cambridge. The old timers might remember the Jack Roach Ford dealer - when Jack retired he started up this place. Jack died a couple years ago and his son runs it now. A heckuva nice guy, cheap parts, and good deals.

JOG: I have the 4X2 model.... it has been a good machine. Snow and ice are not the problem around here...it's thorns in the tires! They sell a sealant that will "stop leaks" HA HA I figure if it had 2 more tires, I'd just have 50% more flats! Jim

I hear ya - thorns suck. Here are a few options you might find interesting...

Tires

JOG: very interesting link....thanks!!

if you can find an ez-go grab it. they are a blast. we had 3 at the golf course i worked and, well, um after we closed the bar we used kinda' um........ well, anyway they go very well on 2 wheels <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />. if you can find the model with the dump cart on the back even better!
woofer

I have a '98 EZ go at camp. It was lifted 8" with the factory lift kit. New springs, struts, shocks. Basicly a whole new suspension front and rear with oversize ATV tires and wheels. It also has a P/U bed. I paid $3400 but it was all professionaly done. The motor, brakes everything was top notch. I have had it for about six months and I will probably auction it this year. It is great when theres no snow. After that its pretty useless.