For anyone determine whether to buy used or 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 needs for the lift truck, when trying to decide between the two options. For example, figure out the type of machine which is required, how many hours per year or per week you will utilize it and how long you intend to keep it.
Normally, an expensive forklift would hold its value longer over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive brand new lift truck may not have the overall value, dependability and capability of a used unit of an expensive type.
When considering whether or not to buy a new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage which 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 per day, it is better that you purchase a brand new model, 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 just need your lift truck for roughly 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, a lower cost new unit or second-hand forklift may be optimal. Some of the newer units are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Furthermore, if you think that you will expect to utilize the forklift just during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a second-hand lift truck may best available choice and could possibly save you lots of money.
It is essential to know whether the equipment will be always used. This would mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.