Warranties for lithium golf car batteries are crucial, especially when contrasted with the less expensive items, like the $45 wireless headphones I recently bought. While I declined an additional warranty for the headphones, it was a significant consideration when purchasing my last vehicle. The importance of a product’s warranty is relative, often depending on the item’s cost, potential repair expenses, and expected service life.
In this article, I will discuss why warranties are particularly important for lithium golf car batteries, what to look for in a warranty, the different types of warranties available, and how to assess a company’s reliability.
Traditionally, golf car owners were offered a 1-year manufacturer’s defect warranty by lead acid battery companies. Given that a set of lead acid batteries typically lasts 3-5 years, or about 750 life cycles, this isn’t a bad deal. In contrast, lithium golf car batteries often come with 5 or 10-year warranties, reflecting their higher price range of $2,000 to $3,000 and a life expectancy of 3,500 cycles or more. Although few products have reached these high lifecycle counts under average use conditions, lithium golf car batteries are expected to surpass the duration of an eight to ten-year warranty easily.
Prioritizing a warranty’s importance is essential when choosing which lithium golf car battery to buy. If you’ve narrowed down your choices to a few brands, take time to read the warranty details on each company’s website. It’s also wise to check online reviews, seek recommendations in social media groups, or consult with local retailers. Diversify your sources to get a comprehensive understanding of what the warranty covers, the logistics for warranty claims, the warranty’s length, and any out-of-pocket costs for prorated warranties.
Lithium golf car battery warranties may offer prorated coverage, full coverage, or a mix of both. Smaller, 5-year prorated warranties typically decrease in value each month. In the event of a claim, consumers pay a replacement cost percentage based on the time elapsed since purchase. Meanwhile, the full then prorated warranties, usually for 8 to 10 years, cover the consumer fully for the first 3 to 5 years before shifting to a prorated model.
A valid concern is whether a company will remain operational long enough to honor its warranty. In the first five years of mass lithium golf car battery sales, several mid-sized brands have failed, leaving customers with worthless warranties. While it’s impossible to predict which companies will endure, factors such as business longevity, OEM partnerships, company background, ownership, investors, and import records may indicate stability.
As demand for lithium batteries increases, the market will continue to attract new products, companies, and distributors. These durable, high-output batteries should be viewed as long-term investments, with life expectancies that can exceed a decade. A product’s warranty, alongside the company’s reputation and price, should be among your top three considerations when making a purchase. Always prioritize value, seeking the most benefits for the least cost.
