For anybody determine whether to buy second-hand or brand new lift truck, it is a very 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 decide between the two options. Like for instance, know the kind of machine that is needed, how many hours per week or per year you will use it and how long you intend to keep it.
Normally, a higher priced forklift would hold its value longer over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive new lift truck may not have the overall dependability, capability or value of a second-hand unit of a higher priced kind.
When deciding whether or not to buy a brand new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage that you may wish to take note of: seasonality, utilization and duty cycle. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for 4 or more hours a day, it is better that you buy a new model, specially if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving numerous loads per hour that are near or at the capacity truck.
If you only need your lift truck for about 4 hours per day or on an intermittent basis, a lower cost new model or used lift truck might be optimal. Some of the newer models are available at lower costs which are made for lower-duty cycles. Moreover, if you think that you will expect to use the forklift just during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a second-hand lift truck might best available option and could possibly save you lots of money.
It is vital to know whether the machine will be in constant use. This will mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability required for your certain application.