For anyone determine whether to buy 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 requirements for the lift truck, when trying to choose between the two options. For example, know the kind of machinery that is needed, how long you plan to keep it and how many hours per week or per year you will use it.
Higher priced forklifts will normally hold its value over time. It is good to know that a lower priced new forklift may not have the overall ability, value or reliability of a used unit of a higher priced kind.
When deciding whether or not to buy a brand new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that 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 unit, particularly if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving many loads per hour that are at or near the capacity truck.
If you just need your lift truck for approximately 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, a lower cost brand new model or second-hand forklift may be optimal. Some of the newer models are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Furthermore, if you think that you would expect to utilize the forklift just during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck may best available option and can possibly save you a lot of money.
It is vital to anticipate if the lift truck is going to be always used or not. This would mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your particular application.