For anyone determine whether to purchase used or brand new forklift, it is a really 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 decide between the two options. For instance, figure out the kind of machinery which is required, how many hours per week or per year you would utilize it and how long you intend to keep it.
Higher priced forklifts will normally hold its value over time. It is good to know that a lower priced brand new lift truck may not have the overall ability, value or reliability of a second-hand unit of an expensive model.
When deciding whether or not to purchase a new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that you might wish to take note of: utilization, duty cycle and seasonality. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for 4 or more hours a day, it is recommended that you purchase a brand new model, especially if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving a lot of loads per hour which are near or at the capacity truck.
Nevertheless, if you expect to use your lift truck for less than 4 hours a day or on an irregular basis, than purchasing a lower cost brand new unit or a second-hand forklift might be the right option. Several of the newer units are available at lower costs which are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Additionally, if you think that you will expect to use the forklift only during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck might best choice available and could potentially save you a lot of money.
It is essential 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 required for your certain application.