For anybody determine whether to purchase second-hand or new forklift, it is a really big decision when confronted with the purchasing cycle. The best thing to do is to know the application requirements for the forklift, when trying to choose between the two options. For example, know the type of machinery that is required, how long you intend to keep it and the number of hours per year or per week you would use it.
Higher priced forklifts will typically hold its value over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive brand new lift truck may not have the overall value, reliability and capability of a used unit of an expensive kind.
When deciding whether or not to purchase a brand new or used lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage which you might want to take note of: seasonality, utilization and duty cycle. 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 would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving many loads per hour that are at or near the capacity truck.
However, if you expect to utilize your forklift for less than 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, than purchasing a lower cost brand new model or a second-hand lift truck might be the best alternative. Several of the newer units are available at lower costs that are made for lower-duty cycles. Also, if you think that you would expect to utilize the forklift just during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck may best alternative available and could potentially save you lots of money.
It is essential to know whether the equipment will be always used. This will mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability required for your certain application.