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 buying a lift truck and trying to decide between the two options, the best thing to do is figure out the application needs for the lift truck. Like for example, figure out the type of machine that is required, how long you intend to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you will use it.
Usually, an expensive forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to know that an inexpensive brand new lift truck might not have the overall value, reliability and ability of a second-hand unit of a higher priced type.
When considering whether or not to buy a brand new or used lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that you might want to take note of: seasonality, utilization and duty cycle. If you are thinking of utilizing your lift truck for 4 or more hours per day, it is better that you purchase a brand new unit, specially if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving many loads per hour that are near or at the capacity truck.
If you only need your lift truck for about 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, an inexpensive new unit or used forklift may be optimal. Several of the newer units are available at lower costs which are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Furthermore, if you think that you would expect to utilize the forklift only during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck might best available option and can possibly save you a lot of money.
It is vital to know whether the equipment will be always used. This will mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability required for your particular application.