When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a big decision for anybody to determine whether to purchase second-hand or brand 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. Like for example, know the type of machine that is needed, how many hours per year or per week you will utilize it and how long you plan to keep it.
Higher priced forklifts would usually hold its value over time. It is good to know that a lower priced brand new forklift might not have the overall value, dependability and ability of a second-hand unit of an expensive model.
When deciding whether or not to buy a brand new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that you might want to take note of: duty cycle, seasonality and utilization. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for 4 or more hours a day, it is better that you buy a brand new model, especially if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving lots of loads per hour that are near or at the capacity truck.
If you just need your lift truck for roughly 4 hours a day or on an irregular basis, a lower cost new unit or used forklift might be optimal. Some 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 use the forklift only during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck may best available choice and can possibly save you lots of money.
It is vital to anticipate if the forklift is going to be always used or not. This would mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your particular application.