For anyone determine whether to purchase used 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 needs for the lift truck, when trying to decide between the two options. For example, know the kind of machine that is required, how long you intend to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you will utilize it.
Expensive forklifts would usually hold its value over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive new forklift might not have the overall dependability, ability or value of a used 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 which you may want to take note of: duty cycle, seasonality and utilization. If you are thinking of utilizing 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 at or near the capacity truck.
If you just need your lift truck for around 4 hours per day or on an irregular basis, an inexpensive brand new model or second-hand forklift might be optimal. Some of the newer models 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 second-hand lift truck might best available choice and could potentially save you a lot of money.
It is vital to anticipate if the forklift is going to be always used or not. This would mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.