When evaluating forklifts for sale from classified ads, car dealerships, or just by the side of the road, it pays to be extra careful. You could get a good deal – but more often, you'll get more than you bargained for.

When properly maintained, forklifts can have a fairly long operating life – up to 10,000 hours or more. This doesn't mean that the forklift for sale you're considering will last that long, though: you have no way of knowing how well the lift has been maintained and what kind of use it's been subject to.

Even the sellers might not know: if the forklift for sale wasn't theirs for its entire working life, they won't have any more idea than you will about its history. You won't get any guarantees or service policies, either, and those can really make the difference between a good purchase and a great purchase.

Evaluating forklifts for sale
When considering a forklift for sale outside of a dealership, here are some additional factors to consider:

• Check the hour meter yourself – it's easy to round down the usage numbers.
• If the lift has been parked for a while, check underneath for oil leaks.
• Never buy a lift without putting it through all the basic operations: check every forward and reverse gear, the lifting capacity, brakes, and hydraulics including sideshift or extensions.
• Inspect hoses and cables for signs of wear, and the frame for rust or cracks. Be especially cautious if you find small patches of new paint that could be covering up a significant problem.
• Watch out for high-pressure sales pitches: the harder they try to sell, the more suspicious you should be.

Buying forklifts from dealers
Forklifts for sale from established dealers have the weight of that dealership behind them. New forklifts have varying warranties on drive train and other systems, and even used forklifts sold at dealerships should have some limited warranties.

In addition, if you choose an established dealership, you can be sure that they will try to work out any problems that you might have. Dealers in heavy equipment like forklifts work hard to build up a trustworthy reputation in their communities, so they'll often go above and beyond to make sure you get a forklift you're happy with.

The best way to get a good range of prices and forklifts to compare is to use BuyerZone's free price quote request service. Answer a few questions about what you're looking for and we can connect you to several reputable dealers in your area – and you won’t have to take any chances with forklifts for sale from less-than-qualified sources.