When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a big decision for anybody to determine whether to buy second-hand or brand new. In terms of purchasing a lift truck 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, figure out the type of machine which is required, the number of hours per week or per year you will use it and how long you intend to keep it.
Higher priced forklifts will typically hold its value over time. It is good to remember that a lower priced new forklift may not have the overall reliability, ability or value of a second-hand unit of a higher priced kind.
When considering a purchase of a new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects that you should take heed of: utilization, duty cycle and seasonality. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for at least 4 hours per day, it is recommended that you buy a new unit, 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 just need your lift truck for roughly 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, a lower cost new model or used forklift might be optimal. Some of the newer units are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. Furthermore, 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 may best alternative available and can potentially save you lots of money.
It is important to know whether the equipment will be always used. This will mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability required for your particular application.