When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a huge decision for anyone to determine whether to buy used or new. When it comes to purchasing a lift truck and trying to decide between the two options, the best thing to do is figure out the application needs for the lift truck. For instance, figure out the kind of equipment that is needed, the number of hours per week or per year you will use it and how long you intend to keep it.
Typically, a higher priced forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive new lift truck may not have the overall ability, value or dependability of a second-hand unit of a higher priced type.
When deciding whether or not to purchase a brand new or used lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that you might wish to take note of: seasonality, utilization and duty cycle. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for at least 4 hours per day, it is better that you purchase a brand new unit, particularly if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving numerous loads per hour that are near or at the capacity truck.
However, if you expect to utilize your forklift for less than 4 hours per day or on an intermittent basis, than purchasing a lower cost brand new model or a used forklift may be the right alternative. Several of the newer units are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Moreover, if you think that you will expect to use the forklift only during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a used lift truck might best available option and could potentially save you a lot of money.
It is essential to anticipate if the lift truck is going to be always used or not. This will mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability required for your certain application.