Budget Conscious: What are the benefits of upgrading a utility golf cart with a Kohler engine?
These days, maintaining a fleet of golf carts and utility vehicles is more a matter of recharging battery cells than checking spark plugs and mixing fuel and oil. Most of the golf carts sold in the last decade have been electric. Electric golf carts, conventional wisdom goes, are cheaper to maintain, easier to drive and less troublesome in the long run than models powered by small gasoline engines.
However, despite the popularity of electric golf carts, most professionals agree that there are some jobs that require the power of a good gas engine. It is not unusual for most course fleets to include at least a few gasoline golf carts that have been converted to utility vehicles for transportation and other purposes. What do you do when the engine on one of those starts running?
It used to be easy to replace those with a used golf or utility cart when the engine started working, but not anymore. Used and rebuilt gas-powered golf carts are rare, and replacing them with a new gas-powered cart could cost you $12,000 to $20,000.
The solution is simple. Don’t replace, repower. Repowering a utility vehicle you currently own instead of replacing it with a new vehicle makes perfect sense in many ways.
1. By repowering a vehicle you own, you extend the useful life of that vehicle or equipment. There’s no need to scrap a perfectly good piece of equipment that just needs a little boost in the engine department.
2. Repowering a vehicle with a new engine can extend its usefulness. You can turn an old golf cart into an all-purpose hauler or plow by equipping it with a more powerful engine.
3. You get a new warranty for your new upgraded engine. Depending on the dealer, you can find a Kohler engine overhaul kit that contains everything you need to upgrade and includes a two-year warranty, or a small Honda engine to replace one that’s on its last legs, with a parts warranty. up to two years.
4. A rebuilt Kohler or other small engine could save you money on fuel, especially if you switch to a cleaner burning fuel. And it will certainly be kinder to the environment.
5. Speaking of being kinder to the environment, check your state’s grants and proposals website if you’re considering replacing old power equipment. Many states offer substantial incentives if you choose to upgrade a high-emission kit to a low-emission engine. The same applies if you choose to rebuild an engine with aftermarket parts to reduce its emissions. In some cases, you can even apply for a rebate grant that will pay for a rebuilt engine or reconditioned parts, along with the parts needed to install the new engine in your tractor or utility vehicle.
6. If your new Repower engine needs repair, it will be much easier to get parts for a current engine than for an older model. Spare parts support is yet another reason to upgrade your engine with a repower.
Repowering is also a great way to upgrade your greens maintenance team. Little has changed on the business side of mowers, rakes and other lawn care equipment. Why replace equipment that is in near excellent condition when a repower kit will bring it up to date and keep it running in top condition for years to come? Kohler manufactures repower kits for Toro, Jacobsen, Club Car and Cushman lawn care equipment. All kits include everything you need to put a new engine in your trusty machine and upgrade it to perfect performance.
© Ben Anton, 2006