Buying Golf Cart Need Opinions or Reviews

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vipertblck

New Member
Hey all! Looking at buying my 1st golf cart for a campground in the Dells, prime time to buy this time of year! I'm looking for opinions or reviews on which golf cart would be best for me. I plan on spending around 2000 and it must be electric for the campground. I want a newer one, at least early 2000's and up. I plan to buy it with a roof and rear seat and hopefully lights, if not I will add it all. Also I want to eventually put a small lift, or maybe just wheel and tires on it. I've read about that PDS system on EZGO golf carts can be something to deal with when putting lifts on? Not to focus on ezgo in particular, but just an example.

Is there one brand that most lean towards for what I'm describing I want to do, or are they all pretty much just fine.
 
HotRodCarts

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
Welcome to the forum. :hattip:

EZGO PDS golf carts can handle a lift as well as any other brand. Any of the top 3 will require some minor mods to handle a lift like 4 gauge cables and a heavy duty solenoid helps. Any of the top 3 brands EZGO, Club Car or Yamaha is what I would look for. I like EZGO's and there's a lot of after market parts available for them.
 
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vipertblck

New Member
Great news, and a lot of info I was lookin for. You mentioned that doing a lift will require mods, which im prepared for, ideally ill just end up buying an entire kit and installing myself. You did mention though about 4 gauge cables and solenoids. Battery cables? Why do these two items need to be altered just for a lift? I'm new to electric motors and carts, so still learning. I've read that ezgo has the pds system, is that something that needs to be reprogrammed with a lift, or is it just something they can program for faster speeds? A lift is what I want to have essentially, but there's some pretty nice tire and wheel packages I've seen out there with factory appearing ride height....I'm not opposed to that either though.

Also is there a way to tell if it's 36/48 volt for the one listed above on craigslist?
 
HotRodCarts

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
The taller tires will put more of a strain on the electrical system so the stock 6 gauge battery cables can get hot. Most go with 4 gauge welding cable. I've had carts that were lifted with everything else stock and they were fine but I on my own carts I use 4 gauge welding cables and a HD White Rodgers solenoid.

The cart you posted looks like a 36 volt PDS but we would need the model # off the tag to know the year for sure.
 
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vipertblck

New Member
Again, thanks and great info. do you guys all make your cables yourself, or are there suppliers for them...same with the solenoid, is it a general solenoid, or golf cart specific? that's not a huge issue till I buy one. should I look at 36, or 48 volts? i'll try and get the number from the guy tonight for this cart I posted. also does the ezgo pds allow you to reprogram it for higher speeds?
 
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vipertblck

New Member
Got an update on the one I posted. It's an '08 EXGO RXV 48V. These seem like good carts from what I was looking at online. Are they still the PDS so I can put a chip in for higher speeds?
 
gornoman

gornoman

Well-Known Member
You're correct, that cart is an RXV cart. Very different than the older TXT line, which would include the PDS variant. The RXV carts are 48v AC drivetrains with no mechanical brakes. They use the AC motor for braking. The 2008 RXVs were first edition carts and had many issues with the motor braking. They can be updated to work correctly. They are very strong runners, and speeds can be set by a computer interface via a dealer.
 
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vipertblck

New Member
Issues with motor braking, and no mechanical brakes, all electric via the motor? Sounds like bad news, should I stay away from these things?
 
gornoman

gornoman

Well-Known Member
A new parking brake for that motor is $232. Just installed one today on a 2008. It was the third brake on this cart so far.
 
HotRodCarts

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
I guess I should have looked at the pic a little better. o_O

I don't like the EZGO RXV's at all. Seems like a lot of problems reported with them and I don't care for the looks either.
 
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vipertblck

New Member
Hmmm, sounds like this isn't the cart I should be going for then huh...I like simple mechanical brake systems that I can fix myself, not pay a dealer hundreds to diagnose it and then labor to fix it
 
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vipertblck

New Member
Gotcha, regen is that braking system where it charges while braking or what not? Do the series carts offer the PDS or something so it can be programmed for higher speeds?
 
HotRodCarts

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
No the series carts require parts to be upgraded for faster speed and more torque. EZGO PDS golf carts can be set for different speeds and regen braking.
 
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vipertblck

New Member
Found this one tonight online, nice pds cart! That means I can put a little chip in for more speed right? Also how are these pds carts, I know they do regen when you brake, is this a pretty reliable system?
 
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vipertblck

New Member
How reliable is this regen system? asking cuz it sounds like it may have some similarities with the rsx that uses the motor solely to brake and has no mechanical brakes. I don't like an electric motor that costs a lot to fix, in order to repair brakes or something. are the pds carts pretty well figured out in terms of reliability?
 
HotRodCarts

HotRodCarts

Cartaholic
The PDS and RXV are totally different in the electrical department.

The PDS carts are very reliable. The regen feature on a PDS cart is to help charge the batteries while coasting. They have drum brakes on the rear and operate fine with the speed chip and no regen.
 
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