Prices and choosing a dealer
Golf carts are complex machines and carry price tags to match. If you're buying a golf cart or utility vehicle for your business, it may help to think about the return on investment over a long period of time: properly maintained, a brand-name golf cart should last 10 or 20 years. Over that kind of lifespan, even a high-end golf cart may seem like a bargain.
Low-end golf carts – the basic 2 seaters – usually start around $5,000. You can expect to add a few hundred dollars for every major upgrade – a top, windshield, or rain flaps. As with car sales, you'll often get a better deal if you choose upgrade packages that include several upgrades. For a high-end, 4 person cart, you can expect to pay $10,000 or more.
Utility vehicles and personnel carriers cover even a wider span. The most basic personnel carriers – a couple of benches on a flat platform – are as little as $4,000. The biggest burden carriers, capable of carrying up to 5,000 pounds, can cost up to $20,000. In between, the most common types of utility vehicles are usually $6,000 to $12,000, depending on their capabilities and extras.
Choosing the right dealer
Needless to say, if you're dropping $10,000 on a new piece of equipment for your business, you should take some time to evaluate the dealer, in addition to the vehicle itself. Making sure your dealer is reliable and trustworthy can help avoid problems down the road.
Do this evaluation throughout the sales process. If the salesperson acts like you're not worth his or her time, that's probably a good indicator of how you'll be treated by the company as a whole. The dealer should invite you to demo multiple carts and let you run them through the type of tasks you'll actually be doing: if you plan on carrying 1,000 pound loads, test the carts you're interested in with that size load to see how they perform.
Make sure you understand how each dealer will handle maintenance duties. Whether you buy gasoline or electric, your cart will need regular servicing to keep running its best. This includes routine tasks such as oil and filter changes, water or coolant levels, and battery upkeep.
Look for a dealer who will offer you a maintenance contract. The contract should specify how often they'll service the cart and what types of maintenance and repairs are included, and what costs extra.
It's worth spending the extra money to protect your investment: with good care, a high-quality golf cart should last for 10 years or so. Choosing a dealer who'll be around to help you care for the cart is one way to make sure you get your money's worth.