When confronted with the purchasing cycle, it is a huge decision for anybody to determine whether to buy second-hand or new. When it comes to buying a lift truck and trying to decide between the two options, the best thing to do is figure out the application needs for the lift truck. For instance, figure out the kind of equipment which is required, how long you intend to keep it and how many hours per year or per week you will use it.

Expensive forklifts would usually hold its value over time. It is good to remember that a lower priced brand new lift truck may not have the overall reliability, capability or value of a used unit of an expensive kind.

When considering a purchase of a new or used 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 recommended that you buy a new model, particularly if you would have a high-duty cycle. A high-duty cycle means moving a lot of loads per hour that are at or near the capacity truck.

However, if you expect to use your forklift for less than 4 hours a day or on an irregular basis, than buying an inexpensive new unit or a used lift truck may be the right option. Some of the newer units are available at lower costs that are made for lower-duty cycles. What's more, if you think that you would 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 may best available option and could potentially save you a lot of money.

It is essential to anticipate if the forklift is going to be in nearly constant use or not. This would mean knowing the amount of uptime and dependability needed for your certain application.