For anyone 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 lift truck, when trying to choose between the two options. Like for instance, figure out the kind of machine which is required, how long you plan to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you would use it.
Expensive forklifts would usually hold its value over time. It is good to know that a lower priced new forklift may not have the overall value, reliability and capability of a used unit of an expensive model.
When deciding whether or not to buy a new or used lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage which you may wish to take note of: utilization, duty cycle and seasonality. If you are thinking of utilizing your lift truck for at least 4 hours per day, it is recommended that you purchase a new model, particularly if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving numerous loads per hour that are near or at the capacity truck.
Nonetheless, if you expect to utilize your lift truck for less than 4 hours per day or on an irregular basis, than buying an inexpensive new model or a used forklift might be the right alternative. Some of the newer units are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. In addition, if you think that you would expect to utilize the forklift only during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a second-hand lift truck might best option available and can possibly save you lots of money.
It is essential to know whether the equipment will be in constant use. This would mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your particular application.