When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a huge decision for anyone to determine whether to buy second-hand or brand new. When it comes to 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 that is needed, the number of hours per year or per week you will use it and how long you plan to keep it.
Expensive forklifts will usually hold its value over time. It is good to know that an inexpensive brand new lift truck may not have the overall dependability, ability or value of a used unit of an expensive kind.
When considering a purchase of a new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects that you should take heed of: seasonality, utilization and duty cycle. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for 4 or more hours per day, it is better that you buy a brand new unit, particularly if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving many loads per hour that are at or near the capacity truck.
On the other hand, if you expect to utilize your forklift for less than 4 hours a day or on an irregular basis, than buying an inexpensive brand new unit or a used forklift may be the best option. Several of the newer units are available at lower costs which are made for lower-duty cycles. As well, if you think that you would expect to utilize the forklift just during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck may best available alternative and can possibly save you a lot of money.
It is essential to know whether the machine would be always used. This would mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability required for your particular application.