When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a big decision for anyone to determine whether to buy second-hand or brand new. In terms of buying a forklift and trying to choose between the two options, the best thing to do is figure out the application requirements for the lift truck. For example, figure out the type of machine which is needed, how long you plan to keep it and how many hours per week or per year you would use it.
Usually, a higher priced forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to know that a lower priced brand new forklift may not have the overall ability, value or reliability of a used unit of a higher priced model.
When deciding whether or not to buy a brand new or used 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 utilizing your lift truck for 4 or more hours a day, it is recommended that you buy a brand new unit, specially if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving numerous loads per hour which are near or at the capacity truck.
If you just need your lift truck for roughly 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, an inexpensive brand new unit or second-hand forklift may be optimal. Some of the newer units are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Also, if you think that you would expect to use the forklift only during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a second-hand lift truck may best available choice and can potentially save you lots of money.
It is important to anticipate if the lift truck is going to be in nearly constant use or not. This will mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your particular application.