Buying refurbished forklifts

You can save considerable money if you buy refurbished forklifts. But the lure of saving a few dollars could lead to a poor shopping experience if you don't know what to look for.

Be careful not to confuse refurbished with used. "Refurbished" indicates the dealer carefully examined the forklift, repaired or replaced any broken or missing parts, ensured it runs well, and backed up the work with a warranty. "Used" is a very vague term that could mean refurbished, as is, or anything in between. Many forklift dealers use the terms interchangeably but it's important to look beyond the terminology to know what you're buying.

We asked several BuyerZone forklift dealers for purchasing advice for refurbished forklifts. Here are some of the tips they shared.

Don't shop on price alone

It's understandable to seek the best possible deal on a reconditioned forklift. Just make sure to look beyond the up-front costs.

"The best advice I can give potential buyers would be to focus on total cost of ownership not cost of acquisition," explains Greg Springer, Sales Manager at Garrison Toyota Material Handling in Nashville, Tennessee. "You can buy a truck that appears cheap up front, but end up spending a lot more long term. Don't sacrifice on the quality of the unit just to save a little up-front money."

One way to tell if the forklift you're looking at is reliable is to examine the tires.

"Tire condition is indicative of the environment the previous owner worked in," explains Todd Yandell, Sales Manager at Lonestar Forklift in Houston, Texas. "Without the suspension and shocks of typical vehicles, forklift tires take the brunt of the force of pavement transitions. Bad tires usually mean the truck was used in a very rough environment, and will likely experience a lot of problems."

Age doesn't tell the whole story

You may find two identical refurbished forklifts that were manufactured in the same year, but have a big discrepancy in price. There's usually a good reason for that, according to Richard Cole, Sales Manager for Dyna-Lift of Florida.

"You have to investigate the environment that the forklift was used in," cautions Cole. "Someone may come in looking at two five-year old forklifts coming off leases. If one forklift is coming off a lease from a dry goods warehouse that only used it to load and unload goods a few times a day, it will have less hours on it than a forklift that operated frequently inside a meat-packing plant. Even though both forklifts are the same age, the one used sporadically is likely the most reliable."

Learn about the warranty

Matt Philipopoulos of the Eldorado Forklift Company in Menlo Park, California stresses that quality forklift dealers should provide warranties on their pre-owned forklifts.

"Find out what warranty they offer to back up the purchase," explains Philpopoulos. "If I'm selling a good refurb vehicle, I'll back it up with a good warranty. A forklift could look nice and clean, but it doesn't tell the whole story. If a dealer offers a sub par warranty, it could be an indicator of the forklift's mechanical condition."

"The warranty ensures you don't buy somebody else's problem," adds Bill Leavitt, Vice President of Sales, New England Industrial Truck in Woburn, Massachusetts. "Dealers who stand behind their vehicles should provide six months on the engine and drivetrain, and three months on the entire forklift, including parts and labor."

Is refurbished right for you?

If you can't decide whether to buy new or refurbished, David A. Dunaj of Blue Water Lift Truck Service in Kimball Michigan provides this helpful rule of thumb:

"If you'll use a forklift for more than five hours of a typical eight-hour workday, consider buying a new forklift," says Dunaj. "Otherwise, you risk overworking an older machine and spending more money in the long run."

Want to work with forklift dealers who can help you determine which type of vehicle to purchase? Submit a free forklifts request for quotes and get matched to similar companies that will help you make an informed purchasing decision.

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