For anyone determine whether to buy 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 needs for the lift truck, when trying to decide between the two options. For example, figure out the kind of machine which is needed, how many hours per year or per week you would use it and how long you intend to keep it.
Usually, a higher priced forklift would hold its value longer over time. It is good to know that an inexpensive new lift truck may not have the overall dependability, ability or value of a second-hand unit of an expensive model.
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: duty cycle, seasonality and utilization. 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 model, particularly if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving lots of loads per hour which are near or at the capacity truck.
If you just need your lift truck for around 4 hours per day or on an intermittent basis, an inexpensive brand new model or used forklift might be optimal. Several of the newer units are available at lower costs that are made for lower-duty cycles. As well, if you think that you will expect to use the forklift just during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a second-hand lift truck or a rental program may best available option and could potentially save you lots of money.
It is essential to anticipate if the forklift is going to be in nearly constant use or not. This will mean determining the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.