For anybody determine whether to buy 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 forklift, when trying to choose between the two options. For instance, know the kind of machine which is required, how long you plan to keep it and the number of hours per year or per week you will use it.
Normally, an expensive forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to remember that a lower priced new lift truck may not have the overall dependability, capability or value of a second-hand unit of a higher priced kind.
When considering whether or not to purchase a new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that you may want to take note of: duty cycle, seasonality and utilization. If you are thinking of utilizing your lift truck for at least 4 hours per day, it is better that you buy a brand new model, particularly if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving lots of loads per hour that are near or at the capacity truck.
On the other hand, if you expect to use your lift truck for less than 4 hours per day or on an intermittent basis, than buying a lower cost new unit or a second-hand lift truck may be the best alternative. Several of the newer models are available at lower costs which are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Additionally, if you think that you will expect to use the forklift only during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck might best alternative available and could potentially save you lots of money.
It is vital to anticipate if the forklift is going to be always used or not. This would mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability required for your particular application.