I have been so excited to share this project with you!! My son recently turned 1, and we are very much in a season I’m calling “kiddo toyland.” It’s so much fun to see him learn new things and explore, but sometimes the classic toys need just a little customization.
The idea started as a joke with one of my friends because our husbands are both into golf, but then I started to think … this could be really cute and fun!
So while normally I work on the business side of things here at ABM, today I’m showing you how I transformed the traditional Cozy Coupe into a cozy coupe golf cart!
Related: Find more ideas on our kiddo site Childhood Magic.
First, I laid out all the pieces. You could definitely do this with an older or used Cozy Coupe—they do pop up on FB Marketplace from time to time. If you score a deal on a used one, you would just take apart the coupe and/or use painter’s tape to block the various areas.
Make sure to clean the plastic so that the paint adheres well. Next, you’ll want to tape off any sections you don’t want painted … like the gas cap, license plate area, and/or the head and taillights.
I used Rust-Oleum Painter’s Choice 2X spray paint because it’s recommended for use on plastic and you don’t need a separate primer. For the color, I went with Gloss Modern Mint for the body and Gloss White for the top.
The project took about two cans of the mint and a can of white. I think if you used a darker color it may not need as much, but covering the red with a light color took a few coats.
Keep the bottle 10-12 inches away from the surface and do slow/steady strokes. This is by far the hardest part for me—I always want to spray so quickly!
Wait a few minutes between coats, and then an hour or more before flipping it over and doing the other side. It does depend on weather/humidity on how long you need to let it dry. Make sure to spray in a well ventilated space or paint outdoors.
If you have any touch-ups needed, you can use a foam brush and touch it up with some extra paint. You can see in the below picture I had a little paint stick to the cardboard from flipping it over too early.
Knowing there were a lot of pieces to put together I did all my touch-ups after assembling the Cozy Coupe. During the assembly there were a few more scratches created to touch up, so that plan worked well.
One thing worth noting is that after painting I let it sit for 5 days before my kiddo played in it. The paint recommends 5-7 days for best adhesion to plastic, so I think that will help minimize chipping.
I did watch this assembly video and recruited my dad to help with putting it together. In hindsight, I am VERY glad we did not leave this until the night before my kiddo would receive it as a present.
And if you scored one on FB Marketplace, you avoided an assembly process as daunting as an IKEA dresser … so congrats! 🙂
After it was assembled, it was time for the details! I used the stickers that come with the Cozy for the eyes, and added a custom license plate and name sticker that I got from this Etsy shop. They have all kinds of colors and options! You could make your own decals, too.
I tried using adhesive stickers on the basket, but they didn’t quite hold. I actually have a video of the Cozy rolling around and the basket falling off … it happens. 🙂
We ended up drilling two small holes and using cable ties to add the basket that I found at Target for $4! It holds his clubs (similar set here) perfectly and a few other accessories and snacks, along with his Gatorade and water bottle.
He’s ready for a day on the course with his cozy coupe golf cart!
This is a project you could get very into or keep super simple. For a few hours and a couple bottles of spray paint the ideas are endless!
I went down the rabbit hole on Pinterest and there are so many different kinds of Coupe makeovers—there are amazing ones out there (II even saw a USPS track and a Mystery Machine makeover!)
I’m planning to update the post with how the outdoor toy holds up over time. I think the first place to show wear will be the door, since it opens and shuts into place.
If you have a Cozy Coupe makeover, I’d love to hear what you turned yours into! Or please let me know if you have any questions about the cozy coupe golf cart in the comments! Thanks for letting me share! Xoxo, Claire
Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to starting this project.
I am wanting to do this for my grandson’s 1st birthday. I’m ready that it didn’t hold up well for some. How did yours hold up?
Hi Beth- painted plastic can last the longest if you store it indoors (avoid leaving it outdoors in the elements for long periods). This is the best way to avoid touch ups. Hope it works great for you!!
I am working on one for my grandson for his first birthday too! I’m also doing golf cart because both of his parents love to play golf too❤️⛳️ My question is, every other post says you have to sand the cozy coupe so the paint will stick, but it doesn’t look like you did. Did you sand if not how did it hold up?
Hello there! Love-love-love!!
How did your paint end up holding up?! Thanks for sharing your genius here.
Did you have an issue with the paint chipping off the car? Even after letting the paint dry for a few days, it chipped off. I even took the time to sand it and still, the paint chipped off. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to prevent this?
So cute! How did you get off the front little tikes emblem to put the name plate on without destroying the plastic? I’m having a hard time getting mine off
Haha so fun! Thank you so much for the idea. I want to do this for my daughter’s golf cart, but change hers to purple. I’m not really that handy lol but will try with my husband. Thank you so much Claire!
Stop it right now. This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I love the colors you chose and how you made it a golf cart!
Thank you so much! It was a lot of fun!
You did such a good job, Claire!! It’s adorable (and so is Miles!)