For anybody determine whether to purchase second-hand or brand new lift truck, it is a very big decision when confronted with the purchasing cycle. The best thing to do is to figure out the application needs for the forklift, when trying to choose between the two options. Like for instance, figure out the kind of machine that is needed, the number of hours per year or per week you would use it and how long you plan to keep it.
Normally, an expensive forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to know that an inexpensive new lift truck may not have the overall value, reliability and ability of a second-hand unit of a higher priced kind.
When deciding whether or not to purchase a brand new or used lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage which you may want to take note of: seasonality, utilization and duty cycle. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for 4 or more hours per day, it is recommended that you buy a brand new unit, especially if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving numerous loads per hour that are at or near the capacity truck.
Nevertheless, if you expect to use your forklift for less than 4 hours a day or on an irregular basis, than buying a lower cost new model or a used forklift might be the best alternative. Several of the newer models are available at lower costs which are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. What's more, if you think that you would expect to use the forklift only during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck may best option available and can potentially save you lots of money.
It is vital to anticipate if the lift truck is going to be always used or not. This will mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your particular application.