Retirees’ tricked-out golf carts make statements
The Villages in Florida was laid out so that the residents, who are in their 50s or older, could meet all their shopping, medical and entertainment needs without a full-size vehicle, so the retirement community of about 120,000 residents has about 60,000 golf carts.
As a result, a cottage industry has developed to sell tricked-out rides.
Some reflect the owner’s alma mater, favorite sports team, former profession or main hobby. There are golf cars made to look like Model T’s and race cars. There is even a mini fire engine and a scaled-down 18-wheeler.
One popular option is to stencil the owners’ first names in decorative script across the front. Also popular are bonus safety features and extracomfy seats.
Tom Sarauer, 63, moved to the Villages from Wisconsin in 2017. In the garage are hisand-hers golf carts (or golf cars, as they are also known) that pay tribute to the Green Bay Packers. His is two-toned in Packers green and gold; his wife’s is jazzed up with stickers and LEDS.
Wisconsinites who have fled for warmer climes always make sure to say hello when they spot the carts.
“It’s a conversation piece and a great way to meet people,” Sarauer said.
Donna Joy, 60, chose metallic green paint with silver and gold pinstripes for her vehicle, adding reclining cushioned seats with armrests. It also has a “Monarch front,” a premium add-on that gives the golf cart the more rounded front-end look of a car and provides storage space for groceries or other items.
Joy had fold-up seats installed in the back where golf clubs would be carried so she could transport more people and a special basket that clips in for her two small dogs.
“It’s kind of blingy,” she said. “You want to have something that you love.”
The terms golf carts and golf cars cover two types of vehicle. The more traditional golf carts are not allowed on general roads, but “low-speed vehicles” can share the road with autos on streets with speed limits up to 35 mph, and they have additional safety requirements, such as seat belts, headlights, taillights and a parking brake.
Some companies, such as Club Car, make both types, and either can be customized. The vehicles have traditionally run on gas, but consumer demand for electric models is increasing, and more solar power options are coming to market. Basic models start around $11,000 and can top $20,000.
Polaris, which makes GEM low-speed vehicles, sells mostly to the business market but is “diving into the consumer segment and seeing what they are most interested in,” said Keith Simon, vice president of Polaris Commercial North America.
“Customization is a big part of our business,” Simon said. Buyers can order a vehicle online and have many more customization choices than car customers. Along with passenger capacity, color and type of seats, there are choices on suspension, wheels, bumpers, battery, type of dashboard and whether to have doors.