E-Z-GO catches people out because the number everyone photographs first, the serial number, does not contain the year at all. The year lives in a second number on the same plate, the manufacturer's code, and once you know that, dating an E-Z-GO takes seconds. This guide covers where the plate sits on each generation, how the two numbers differ, and what to do with the year once you have it, including checking what the buggy is worth in the UK.
- An E-Z-GO carries two numbers: a serial number (no year information) and a manufacturer's code (year in the last two digits).
- From 1979 onwards, the last two digits of the manufacturer's code are the model year.
- Plate locations: Marathon under the passenger-side glovebox, Medalist and TXT inside it, RXV on the rear passenger-side frame.
- From the mid-2000s some vehicles carry a sticker near the charger receptacle instead of a dash plate.
Where to find the serial number
The identification plate moved with the generations. On the Marathon, the boxy model built into the mid-1990s, it sits under the glovebox on the passenger side. On the Medalist and the long-running TXT, it moved inside the passenger-side glovebox. On the RXV, introduced in 2008, look at the rear of the vehicle on the passenger-side frame. There is one more wrinkle: in the mid-2000s E-Z-GO began applying a sticker rather than a plate on some vehicles, placed under the charger receptacle on electric models (or under the choke plate on petrol ones), and those stickers dropped the manufacturer's code entirely. If yours is one of those, photograph the sticker and the vehicle and ask an E-Z-GO dealer to date it from the numbers that remain.
Serial number versus manufacturer's code
The plate carries two numbers, and they do different jobs. The serial number is six or seven digits and identifies the individual vehicle; it tells you nothing about the year. The manufacturer's code is the one you want: a letter followed by three or four digits, and for vehicles built from 1979 onwards the last two digits are the model year. So a code ending 97 is a 1997 vehicle, and a code ending 08 is a 2008 one. Two independent references we cross-checked, Buggies Unlimited and Golf Cart Tire Supply, describe the same rule, with the note that on the small number of surviving late-1970s vehicles the year sits at the start of the code instead. As with any two-digit year, use the model's production run to pick the decade: a TXT ending 03 is 2003, because there was no 1903 or 1993 TXT.
What the year matters for
The year decides more on an E-Z-GO than on most brands, because the TXT in particular ran for decades with meaningful changes under the skin: drivetrains, controllers and charger systems evolved, and parts listings split by year ranges. It also frames the battery question, since replacement sets and lithium upgrade options are listed against model and year, and battery age is the biggest single influence on a used buggy's price. And it anchors the value: our depreciation and resale guide explains the age curve, and the valuation tool applies it to your exact vehicle in under a minute.
Found the year? Now find the value
Put the model, year and battery details into our free valuation tool for a typical UK value range in under a minute, or send it to us for a firm part-exchange figure.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the serial number on an E-Z-GO?+
Marathon: under the passenger-side glovebox. Medalist and TXT: inside the passenger-side glovebox. RXV: on the rear passenger-side frame. Some mid-2000s onwards vehicles carry a sticker near the charger receptacle instead.
Does the E-Z-GO serial number tell me the year?+
No. The serial number identifies the vehicle but carries no year. The year is in the separate manufacturer's code on the same plate: for vehicles from 1979 onwards, the last two digits of that code are the model year.
My E-Z-GO has no manufacturer's code. How do I date it?+
Some vehicles from the mid-2000s onwards carry only a sticker without the code. Photograph the sticker, the serial number and the vehicle, and an E-Z-GO dealer or buggy specialist can date it from those details.
Why does the year matter on a TXT?+
The TXT ran for decades with real mechanical changes along the way, so parts, chargers and battery options are listed by year range. The year also anchors the resale value, which our valuation tool estimates from the model, year and battery details.
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Our guides are written and reviewed by the Hawke Electric Vehicles team, the people who specify, build, deliver and support the vehicles. We focus on honest, practical advice and flag where a figure depends on the build rather than guessing.
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