When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a big decision for anyone to choose whether to buy second-hand or brand new. When it comes to purchasing a lift truck and trying to decide between the two options, the best thing to do is figure out the application requirements for the lift truck. Like for instance, know the kind of equipment that is required, how long you plan to keep it and the number of hours per year or per week you would use it.
Typically, a higher priced forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to know that a lower priced brand new lift truck might not have the overall ability, value or reliability of a second-hand unit of an expensive kind.
When deciding whether or not to purchase a new or second-hand lift truck, there are 3 aspects of usage which you may want to take note of: seasonality, utilization and duty cycle. If you are thinking of using your lift truck for at least 4 hours per day, it is recommended that you purchase a new model, particularly if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving many loads per hour that are near or at the capacity truck.
However, if you expect to use your lift truck for less than 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, than purchasing a lower cost brand new model or a used forklift might be the right alternative. Several of the newer units are available at lower costs which are made for lower-duty cycles. As well, if you think that you will expect to use the forklift just during particular times of year on a seasonal basis, then a second-hand lift truck or a rental program may best available choice and can possibly save you lots of money.
It is vital to know whether the machinery would be always used. This will mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.