For anyone determine whether to purchase used or brand new lift truck, it is a really big decision when confronted with the purchasing cycle. The best thing to do is to know the application needs for the forklift, when trying to choose between the two options. For example, know the type of equipment that is required, how long you plan to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you would utilize it.
Expensive 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 value, dependability and capability of a used unit of an expensive type.
When considering a purchase of a brand new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects which you should take heed of: utilization, duty cycle and seasonality. If you are thinking of utilizing your lift truck for 4 or more hours per day, it is better that you buy 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 at or near the capacity truck.
If you just need your lift truck for roughly 4 hours per day or on an irregular basis, an inexpensive new unit or second-hand forklift might be optimal. Some of the newer units are available at lower costs which are made for lower-duty cycles. In addition, 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 second-hand lift truck might best option available and can potentially save you a lot of money.
It is essential to anticipate if the forklift is going to be always used or not. This would mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.