When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a big decision for anybody to choose whether to buy second-hand or new. When it comes to buying a forklift and trying to choose 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 machinery which is required, how long you plan to keep it and the number of hours per year or per week you will use it.
Higher priced forklifts would usually hold its value over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive brand new forklift might not have the overall value, dependability and capability of a second-hand unit of an expensive model.
When considering a purchase of a brand new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects that you should take heed of: seasonality, utilization and duty cycle. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for 4 or more hours a day, it is better that you buy 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 only need your lift truck for roughly 4 hours a day or on an irregular basis, an inexpensive brand new unit or used forklift might be optimal. Several of the newer models are available at lower costs which are made for lower-duty cycles. Furthermore, if you think that you would expect to use the forklift just during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a second-hand lift truck might best choice available and could possibly save you a lot of money.
It is vital to anticipate if the lift truck is going to be in nearly constant use or not. This would mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.