Golf Cart auctions are great places to find golf carts priced below their market value. The carts come from various sources and sometimes these auctions also include powersport vehicles like UTV’s. Regardless of where you find golf carts at auction, you need to do a thorough inspection before you bid. Below I’ll share where to find golf cart auctions, tips for bidding, what to expect, and my experience with the golf cart auctions near me.
Map of Golf Cart Auctions Near Me
For “Golf Cart Auctions Near Me”, see below for locations…
What is a Golf Cart Auction?
A golf cart auction is a great way to pick up used, quality golf carts at a reasonable price. Despite the name of golf carts, they are often used on farmland and to travel around other large plots of land, retirement complexes, holiday complexes, hospitals, colleges – not just on golf courses to carry golfers and their equipment. Golf cart auctions usually have a large amount of stock ready to go to the highest bidders.
A golf cart can be an expensive piece of machinery, with brand new ones ranging up to around $12, 000. If you are on a tight budget or need a few of them, this can be costly. A golf cart auction is a way of getting your hands on one for as little as $2, 000.
How to Find Golf Cart Auctions Near Me
There are special events that are are golf cart only auction, but mostly golf carts are included as part of another vehicle type auction. For example I have seen plenty of golf carts at RV, ATV, and UTV auctions. The auction styles tend to be traditional English auctions, but the sourcing of the vehicle varies. What I mean by sourcing is they can come from golf cart salvages, seized government property, or business liquidations.
The “X” factor on all these events is the quality of the golf carts you will find. A salvage golf cart auction is going to likely have poorer quality vehicles then a business liquidation.
Here are a few ways I find local golf cart auctions in my area….
Google Search and Yelp Listings
Google and Yelp display events in your area, often at an auction house that specializes in vehicles. Searching for “golf cart auctions near me”, you are likely not gonna find much. You want to generally look for related auctions like for Powersport vehicles or RV’s.
Here is the way I find smaller golf cart auctions…
Pro Tip: One of my best strategies is using Google “Events” to find golf cart auctions locally.
Try Google Events here: Golf Cart Auctions Near Me This Week
Government Listings
Federal, state, and local governments post auction info for seized and surplus vehicles. Here are the two websites I use to find golf carts at auction:
How Do Golf Cart Auctions Near Me Work?
A golf cart auction works in a very similar way to all other forms of auction. They can be done in one of two ways; the traditional in person route, where you physically go to an auction house, inspect the golf cart that you are interested in, and place bids, and the highest bidder wins the golf cart. Alternatively, you can attend an online auction, where you inspect the golf cart virtually – which is always more of a risk – and then place bets. It is recommended that where possible you inspect the vehicle, or get someone to do so on your behalf in person as they are almost always sold as seen.
It is important that a bet is considered a binding agreement, so when you place a bet, you must be prepared to pay that amount should you be successful. Different auction houses and sites have different payment requirements. Some may accept cash payments or wire transfers, some have an online payment portal or will accept credit and debit card payments. It is always advisable to check out how you are expected to pay before you start placing bids in a golf cart auction.
Many places expect registration prior to attending the auction, so be prepared to show some forms of identification and possibly a refundable bid deposit, which is used against any successful bids and refunded should you not make any purchases.
You also need to consider how you will get the golf cart to where you need it. Most auction houses will not keep it on site after the auction has ended as they need the space, so again, make sure you have arrangements in place to transport your golf cart home should you be successful in your bid.
Where Do The Golf Carts Come From?
The most obvious place for a golf cart to come from is a golf course. These are the ones that you ideally want to be going after. They usually are newer and in better condition, as golf courses pay a premium to keep them in good condition and renew their golf cart fleet every few years. This is one of the best ways of going about getting a decent one for less then a new one.
A used golf cart costs a lot less than it would new, and the vast majority are powered by a battery. They are cheaper to maintain as you are not worrying about having engines repaired, gas refills, or oil changes. At most, the battery might not be as good as it once was, but they can often be picked up at auctions for a lot cheaper than a brand new one too.
Other places that the golf carts at a golf cart auction may come from include:
- Hospitals
- Hotel complexes
- Retirement homes
- Farm sites
- Parks
- Private landowners
- Business liquidations
- Salvage yards
- Mechanic shops
Where to Find Golf Cart Auctions Near Me?
One of the best ways to find a golf cart auction near you is to have a look online. All across the US, there are auctions for just about everything , so a golf cart auction will be simple enough to find.
Ask in local Facebook groups, agricultural groups, and of course, golfing community groups. Someone is likely to know where and when a golf cart auction is held. Google Events is also a great way to find pop-up golf cart auctions rather than regular auctions in auction houses. This what I have learned from finding golf cart auctions near me.