For anyone determine whether to purchase used or brand new lift truck, it is a really big decision when confronted with the purchasing cycle. The best thing to do is to know the application requirements for the lift truck, when trying to choose between the two options. For instance, figure out the kind of equipment which is required, how long you plan to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you will use it.
Typically, an expensive forklift will hold its value longer over time. It is good to remember that a lower priced brand new lift truck may not have the overall ability, value or reliability of a second-hand unit of an expensive type.
When considering a purchase of a brand 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 using your lift truck for 4 or more hours a day, it is better that you buy a new unit, specially if you will have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving lots of loads per hour that are at or near the capacity truck.
Nonetheless, if you expect to utilize your forklift for less than 4 hours a day or on an intermittent basis, than buying an inexpensive new unit or a second-hand forklift may be the best alternative. Some 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 utilize the forklift only during specific times of year on a seasonal basis, then a rental program or a second-hand lift truck might best choice available and could potentially save you lots of money.
It is important to anticipate if the lift truck is going to be in nearly constant use or not. This would mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your particular application.