When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a huge decision for anybody to choose whether to purchase second-hand or brand new. When it comes to buying a forklift and trying to choose between the two options, the best thing to do is figure out the application requirements for the lift truck. For example, figure out the kind of machinery that is needed, the number of hours per week or per year you would utilize it and how long you plan to keep it.
Usually, a higher priced forklift would hold its value longer over time. It is good to remember that an inexpensive new forklift may not have the overall ability, value or dependability of a used unit of an expensive kind.
When considering a purchase of a brand new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects which you must 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 better that you purchase a brand new model, specially if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving lots of loads per hour that are near or at the capacity truck.
If you just need your lift truck for about 4 hours per day or on an intermittent basis, an inexpensive brand new model or used lift truck might be optimal. Several of the newer models are available at lower costs which are manufactured 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 rental program or a used lift truck might best available choice and can possibly save you lots of money.
It is important to know whether the machine would be in constant use. This would mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your particular application.