If you are out looking at used forklifts to buy, there has never been a better time in the materials handling market. There are plenty of bargains you can pick up, weather its a 2.5T Yale forklift or a 16T SMV Forklift, but as always there are some things you really need to be aware of when looking at used forklifts.
Warranty
Does it have warranty. It use to be very common to buy a used forklift with no warranty. Well these days its fair and reasonable to expect some comfort in knowing that if you buy a used forklift you won’t get it home and have the engine blow up in the first week.
Most businesses will offer a 30 or 90 day standard warranty, if they don’t bring it up, ask them. We’ve also started to see 12 month warranties being offered on used equipment.
Most new forklift manufactures will offer a minimum 12 month /1200 hour warranty on a new forklift, so getting a 12 month warranty for a used forklift might seem fantastic. But read the fine print, a lot of these warranty policies, are bought for a few hundred dollars.
The policies are generally very tight, and don’t really allow for much, and you might fine that you get stuck with additional expenses like freight.
Beware the Liquid Overhaul
A lot of forklift dealers will tell you its been overhauled. It might look shiny with a new coat of paint, but pop the bonnet and take a look underneath. If you can see a dirty engine with visible oil leaks, its had a liquid overhaul Ask for service records, most forklift dealers won’t mind giving these out at all. Take a look at the last 12 months, if you can see service and breakdown jobs, you know it’s been well maintained.
Shop it around
With the internet people have gotten a lot smarter, with 20 minutes work, you are able to compare pricing for most things on line. Used forklifts are no different, take your time and look. If you like a Hyster H2.50DX model that you’ve looked at, compare the pricing on line, if you are thinking you got good value at $20 000, you might be in for a rude shock if you see them advertised online at for $10 500.
Buying Used Forklifts at auction
We see so many people burnt doing this, you think you can get a good deal at an Auction, and this really comes under point 3. We see people spend 10 or 20 thousands more then what they should, find that the used forklift has a problem and then want to sell it, and can’t get a return.
If you are going to an auction to buy, make sure you do your homework before you get there. Most auction houses will let you inspect the forklift and start it before you start to bid on it.
Used forklifts are just like use cars, there are plenty out there, sometimes you can buy a lemon. The trick to buying value is to do your research, and make sure you are buying something that has been well maintained, with a little bit of warranty on it. You won’t go wrong.
