For anybody determine whether to purchase used or new lift truck, it is a very big decision when confronted with the purchasing cycle. The best thing to do is to figure out the application requirements for the lift truck, when trying to choose between the two options. For instance, figure out the type of machinery that is needed, how long you plan to keep it and the number of hours per week or per year you would use it.
Usually, a higher priced forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to know that an inexpensive new lift truck might not have the overall capability, value or dependability of a second-hand unit of a higher priced kind.
When considering a purchase of a new or used lift truck, there are 3 aspects which 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 better that you buy a new model, specially if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving many loads per hour which are near or at the capacity truck.
On the other hand, if you expect to use your lift truck for less than 4 hours per day or on an irregular basis, than purchasing a lower cost new model or a used forklift might be the right alternative. Some of the newer models are available at lower costs that are made for lower-duty cycles. Furthermore, if you think that you will expect to utilize the forklift only during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a second-hand lift truck or a rental program may best available alternative and can potentially save you lots of money.
It is vital to know whether the machinery will be in constant use. This would mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability required for your certain application.