When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a huge decision for anybody to choose whether to purchase second-hand or new. In terms of 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 example, know the type of machine which is needed, how many hours per week or per year you will use it and how long you intend to keep it.
Expensive forklifts would usually hold its value over time. It is good to remember that a lower priced new lift truck might not have the overall reliability, ability or value of a second-hand unit of an expensive kind.
When deciding whether or not to purchase a brand new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that you might wish to take note of: duty cycle, seasonality and utilization. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for at least 4 hours per day, it is recommended that you purchase a brand new model, particularly if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving numerous loads per hour that are near or at the capacity truck.
If you only need your lift truck for roughly 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, an inexpensive new model or second-hand forklift might be optimal. Several 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 utilize the forklift just during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck might best choice available and can potentially 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 required for your certain application.