New vs. used golf carts
As you'll see when we cover golf cart pricing, new golf carts are expensive enough that many buyers turn to used vehicles instead. For individual buyers, this can be a good way to cut your costs and still get a vehicle that gets the job done. For businesses, though, it may make more sense to buy new, even if the initial cost is a bit more.
The biggest driver of the used golf cart market is golf courses and country clubs. Typically, these businesses lease large fleets of fairly nice golf carts, and upgrade every couple of years. Their used carts get taken back to the dealers, refurbished, and sold to other customers.
These carts are almost exclusively electric, 2 or 4 seater golf carts – not burden carriers, utility vehicles, or other specialized types. As such, the used market is fairly thin on gasoline powered golf carts.
The best choice for many businesses, who need more expensive burden carriers, utility vehicles, or personnel carriers, is to lease a new cart. You'll get the manufacturer's warranty, as well as expert service from the dealer. And, you'll be saving money over the full purchase price. You may be able to get a lease-to-own program that includes a buyout option after 3 years.
Refurbished vs. as-is
The refurbishing process is similar to what goes into "certified pre-owned" cars. The dealership will thoroughly inspect, clean, and repair the cart, according to the manufacturer's specs. The result is a cart that looks and performs fairly close to new.
Refurbished golf carts typically come with a short-term warranty – 30 days is standard. While this is useful if something is obviously wrong with the vehicle, it's not very reassuring long-term. Businesses that are buying a cart to use as part of their daily operations may not want to risk having it break down after 2, 6, or 12 months.
You should be able to get ongoing repairs and maintenance from the dealer, even on a used cart. The problem lies in the lost productivity you suffer by not having the cart. If that's minimal, buying refurbished is a good way to save some money.
We shouldn't have to say this, but watch out for "bargains" that aren't bargains at all. You can find "as is" golf carts in many places, but usually not at golf cart dealerships. After looking at refurbished carts for $4,000, it may be tempting to buy an as-is cart for $1,500, since it seems to be running fine at the moment. Chances are, you'll get what you pay for in this situation: a cart that breaks down quickly and doesn't have a reputable dealership standing behind it.