When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a huge decision for anyone to choose whether to purchase second-hand or brand new. In terms of purchasing a lift truck and trying to decide between the two options, the best thing to do is know the application needs for the lift truck. For example, figure out the kind of machine that is required, how long you plan to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you will utilize it.
Typically, a higher priced forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive brand new lift truck may not have the overall reliability, ability or value of a used unit of an expensive model.
When considering a purchase of a new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects which you should take heed 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 buy a new model, particularly if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving a lot of loads per hour which are near or at the capacity truck.
If you only need your lift truck for about 4 hours a day or on an irregular basis, an inexpensive brand new model or used forklift might be optimal. Some of the newer units are available at lower costs which are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Additionally, if you think that you would expect to utilize the forklift just during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a second-hand lift truck might best available choice and could potentially save you a lot of money.
It is essential to anticipate if the forklift is going to be always used or not. This will mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability required for your certain application.