How to Master the Art of buying a Used Forklift?

It really is an art; knowing when and how to buy a used forklift to enhance your operations. Not only does it reduce your costs but, if done right, can result in improved productivity and as a result better profitability. After all, the ultimate aim of any business, whether material handling or otherwise, is to provide the best quality for its customers while maximizing profitability for itself.

Since pre-owned equipment comes at a cheaper price, and because forklifts are the most widely used material handling equipment in the industry, therefore it makes sense to consider how to purchase used forklifts without compromising quality. Numerous businesses make use of used forklifts in their operations and achieve desired results, yet this is not to say that these pre-owned forklifts are without risk.

The “art” of buying a used forklift lies in meeting the balance between cost reduction, quality maintenance and safety assurance. You want to maintain quality for your customers while minimizing your own costs without compromising the safety of the crew. There are some forklifts that are able to achieve this better than others,even if they are pre-owned such as used Moffett forklifts that come equipped with the latest and most sophisticated safety features.

So the question is, how does a fleet manager identify a used forklift that is safe to use and will allow the firm to maintain its quality standards? There are several factors that need to be assessed and taken into consideration. We will go through each one of them in this article and teach you how to master the art of buying a used forklift for your material handling business.

The Checklist for Buying a Used Forklift

As mentioned above, there are several factors that need to be assessed before purchasing a used forklift. Each of these factors varies widely from situation to situation, yet will always help you in identifying whether a used forklift meets your criteria of selection. So let us take a look at some of the things you need to consider before purchasing a used forklift.

Purpose of Purchase

This involves asking a very basic question; “Why do we need to buy the forklift?” Identifying the purpose for which you will be using the forklift will help clear up a lot of confusion. This may require answering questions such as:

• Is the forklift needed for loading and unloading equipment?
• Is it needed to work the entire day or just few times during the week?
• Will it be working indoors or outdoors?
• Do you prefer using electric or combustion engine for the forklift?

The answer to each one of these questions will make it clear whether you would be better off buying a used forklift or a new one would suit you best. For example, if you need a forklift that will only be operated a couple of times during the week for light level loading and unloading then opting for a pre-owned forklift is the smart thing to do.

Who to Approach?

The next decision to make is who you are going to approach to buy the used forklift. Though there are plenty of retailers in the United States, yet not all of them have what you are looking for. Moreover, in order to ensure safety standards are met, you need to be sure of the credentials and reliability of the retailer as well as the nature of use of the forklift under the previous owner.

Retailers such as Bobby Park Truck and Equipment can vet the condition of the forklift thoroughly before purchase which makes it easy to trust the condition of the forklift. Moffett truck mounted forklifts usually have the best resilience when it comes to long lasting functionality and maintaining performance standards over a long period of time.

How to Test the Forklift?

No matter how much trust you have in the retailer or the previous owner, you always need to test the forklift yourself before finalizing the purchase. There are a couple of things you need to check for, including:

• The state and power of the engine
• The functionality of the mast carriage and forks
• Transmission of the forklift
• Electrical components such as indicators
• The state of lift chains

Since these are the most important components of a forklift, checking them thoroughly is priority. You can also check any other components that you may be concerned about. The more rigorous the checking process, the better. After all, purchasing a faulty forklift is exactly the opposite of what you want and it will result in more problems.

After you are satisfied with the state of the forklift and are sure of its previous usage, then you can proceed to purchasing the forklift. Though remember to let your forklift operator have a look at it before you finalize the purchase since they are the ones who are actually going to be operating it.