For anybody determine whether to purchase second-hand or new lift truck, it is a very big decision when confronted with the purchasing cycle. The best thing to do is to know the application requirements for the forklift, when trying to choose between the two options. Like for instance, figure out the kind of machine which is needed, the number of hours per week or per year you would utilize it and how long you plan to keep it.
Higher priced forklifts would normally hold its value over time. It is good to remember that a lower priced brand new lift truck may not have the overall ability, value or reliability of a second-hand unit of a higher priced model.
When deciding whether or not to buy a brand new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage which you may wish to take note of: duty cycle, seasonality and utilization. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for 4 or more hours per day, it is better that you purchase a brand new model, specially if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving many loads per hour which are near or at the capacity truck.
If you just need your lift truck for about 4 hours per day or on an intermittent basis, an inexpensive new model or used lift truck might be optimal. Some of the newer models are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Additionally, if you think that you will expect to utilize the forklift only during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck might best available choice and can possibly save you lots of money.
It is important to know whether the machinery would be in constant use. This will mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.