When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a huge decision for anyone to determine whether to buy used or brand new. In terms of buying a forklift and trying to choose between the two options, the best thing to do is know the application needs for the lift truck. Like for instance, know the kind of equipment that is required, how long you plan to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you would use it.
Normally, an expensive forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to know that an inexpensive new forklift may not have the overall capability, value or dependability of a used unit of a higher priced kind.
When considering a purchase of a new or used lift truck, there are 3 aspects that you should take heed of: duty cycle, seasonality and utilization. If you are thinking of utilizing your lift truck for at least 4 hours per day, it is recommended that you purchase a new model, specially if you would 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.
On the other hand, if you expect to use your forklift for less than 4 hours per day or on an irregular basis, than buying a lower cost new model or a second-hand forklift might be the right alternative. Several of the newer units are available at lower costs that are manufactured for lower-duty cycles. What's more, if you think that you would expect to use the forklift only during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a used lift truck or a rental program may best alternative available and could potentially save you a lot of money.
It is essential to know whether the equipment will be in constant use. This will mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your particular application.