When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a huge decision for anybody to determine whether to buy used or new. In terms of purchasing a forklift and trying to decide between the two options, the best thing to do is figure out the application requirements for the lift truck. For instance, figure out the type of machine which is required, how long you plan to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you will use it.
Typically, a higher priced forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive new forklift might not have the overall reliability, ability or value of a used unit of an expensive model.
When considering whether or not to buy a new or used lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage which you may want 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 better that you purchase a brand new unit, particularly if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving many loads per hour which are near or at the capacity truck.
If you only need your lift truck for around 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, an inexpensive brand new unit or second-hand forklift might be optimal. Some of the newer units are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. As well, if you think that you would 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 option available and could potentially save you a lot of money.
It is important to know whether the machine would be always used. This would mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.