When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a big decision for anyone to choose whether to purchase used or new. In terms of purchasing a forklift and trying to decide between the two options, the best thing to do is know the application requirements for the lift truck. Like 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 would usually hold its value over time. It is good to remember that a lower priced brand new lift truck might not have the overall value, reliability and ability of a used unit of a higher priced model.
When considering a purchase of a brand new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects that you must take heed of: utilization, duty cycle and seasonality. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for 4 or more hours a day, it is recommended that you purchase a brand new unit, particularly if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving lots of loads per hour which are near or at the capacity truck.
If you only need your lift truck for approximately 4 hours a day or on an irregular basis, a lower cost brand new model or second-hand lift truck might be optimal. Some of the newer models are available at lower costs that are made for lower-duty cycles. In addition, if you think that you will 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 vital to anticipate if the forklift is going to be in nearly constant use or not. This would mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability required for your certain application.