For anybody determine whether to buy second-hand or new forklift, 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. For example, figure out the kind of machine which is needed, the number of hours per week or per year you would utilize it and how long you intend to keep it.
Usually, a higher priced forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive 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 buy a new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that you may wish to take note of: duty cycle, seasonality and utilization. If you are thinking of utilizing your lift truck for at least 4 hours per day, it is better that you purchase a new unit, especially if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving numerous loads per hour which are at or near the capacity truck.
If you just need your lift truck for approximately 4 hours per day or on an intermittent basis, an inexpensive new unit or used lift truck might be optimal. Several of the newer units are available at lower costs which are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Also, if you think that you will expect to utilize the forklift only during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck might best available option and could potentially save you lots of money.
It is essential 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 certain application.