Should you buy a secondhand forklift?

When looking to enhance materials handling operations, it’s common to consider purchasing a brand-new forklift. Modern, state-of-the-art forklifts promise reliability and up-to-date safety features, but they come with a hefty price tag and (sometimes) long delivery times if you can’t buy one ‘off the shelf’. In New Zealand, the cost is inflated by the high cost of shipping new, heavy machinery a long way from the various forklift manufacturing companies worldwide. So, should you choose a secondhand forklift instead?

Advantages of a second-hand forklift

Here are six main reasons why buying used can benefit your business:

1. Cost-Effectiveness: Used forklifts are significantly more budget-friendly than new ones. You can save a substantial amount of money upfront, freeing up resources for other critical areas of your business.
2. Immediate Availability: New forklifts might require waiting for the specific one to be shipped to you, which can test your patience. Used forklifts are available immediately, providing an instant solution for replacing or expanding your fleet: Increased Sustainability
3. Less Depreciation: Forklifts, like many machines, lose value rapidly in their first few years. By purchasing a second-hand forklift, you avoid the steep initial depreciation, preserving more of your investment.
4. Ongoing Cost Savings: Besides potential savings during purchase negotiations, insurance costs for used forklifts are typically lower due to their lower value, leading to continued savings over the equipment’s lifespan.
5. Proven Reliability: A used forklift that has been well-serviced comes with a good track record. Its performance history, maintenance records, and other technical information are usually available, giving you confidence in its reliability.
6. Sustainability: Opting for used forklifts is a sustainable choice, albeit one that your clients won’t get excited about. By extending the lifespan of existing machinery, you make use of resources that have already been expended, reducing environmental impact; you also avoid the hefty importation cost that comes with a new forklift
7. Increased capacity: you can get a bigger capacity forklift for the same money as a brand-new low-capacity one

Disadvantages of a used forklift

Here are six things to think about that might be negative aspects of purchasing a second-hand forklift.

1. Increased maintenance: The older they are, the more likely they are to need replacement parts or break down.
2. Expiring warranties: Sometimes, the peace of mind of a warranty is worth the extra money. If it breaks down out of the warranty period, then you’ll be up for 100% of the repair costs.
3. Image: A forklift that’s badly battered or obviously cheap and nasty might reflect poorly on your business’s image amongst your warehouse team. The good feeling of operating a new or near-new forklift can help with morale and company pride.
4. Fewer safety features: new forklifts come with proximity sensors, reversing cameras, automatic mast levellers and more.
5. Fuel economy and battery power: older petrol and diesel forklifts are likely to have worse fuel economy; battery forklifts may experience a sharp dropoff in performance as the battery ages, or may have reduced life.
6. Can you get what you want? If you buy new, you can specify your forklift to your exact requirements. There might be a compromise for a second-hand forklift, and if you live in an area where there are not many for sale, you may need to travel to find the right one.

What to Look for When Buying Used Machinery

When purchasing a used forklift, carefully consider your specific needs or those of your customers:

• Usage: What will the machine be used for?
• Suitability: Is the machine suitable for the operating environment, and does it have enough capacity to accommodate your work?
• Condition: What is the overall state of the machine, and will its cosmetic flaws be annoying?
• Operator comfort and safety: are important features such as the seat and rollover protection in good condition?

Purchasing a second-hand forklift offers numerous financial benefits, from immediate availability and lower upfront costs to reduced depreciation and ongoing savings.