When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a huge decision for anybody to choose whether to purchase used or 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 needs for the lift truck. For instance, figure out the kind of machinery which is needed, how many hours per week or per year you would use it and how long you intend to keep it.
Usually, an expensive forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to know that an inexpensive brand new forklift may not have the overall reliability, capability or value of a used unit of a higher priced model.
When considering 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: utilization, duty cycle and seasonality. If you are thinking of utilizing your lift truck for at least 4 hours per day, it is better that you purchase a new model, especially if you will 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 approximately 4 hours per day or on an irregular basis, a lower cost brand new model or used forklift may be optimal. Some of the newer units are available at lower costs that are made for lower-duty cycles. As well, if you think that you would expect to use the forklift just during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a used lift truck or a rental program might best option available and could possibly save you a lot of money.
It is vital to anticipate if the lift truck is going to be always used or not. This would mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.