For anybody determine whether to buy used or new forklift, it is a very big decision when confronted with the purchasing cycle. The best thing to do is to know the application requirements for the lift truck, when trying to decide between the two options. For instance, know the type of machinery which is needed, how long you plan to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you would utilize it.
Expensive forklifts will normally hold its value over time. It is good to know that a lower priced new forklift might not have the overall value, reliability and ability of a second-hand unit of a higher priced model.
When deciding whether or not to purchase a new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that you may want to take note of: utilization, duty cycle and seasonality. If you are thinking of utilizing your lift truck for 4 or more hours per day, it is recommended that you buy a new unit, particularly if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving many loads per hour which are near or at the capacity truck.
Nevertheless, if you expect to utilize your lift truck for less than 4 hours a day or on an irregular basis, than buying a lower cost brand new model or a used lift truck might be the right option. Some of the newer models are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Also, if you think that you will expect to use the forklift just during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck might best option available and could possibly save you a lot of money.
It is vital to anticipate if the forklift is going to be in nearly constant use or not. This will mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your particular application.