6 Questions to ask when buying a used forklift

Buying a used forklift can be a great way to save your company a bit of extra cash. But just like purchasing a used car, there are certain details that need to be addressed before you decide to buy. We at ARPAC understand that peace of mind is important when buying a pre-owned forklift. With a limited warranty, shopping for used equipment is a stressful task. Take it from us—if you’re looking to buy a used forklift in Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver, these six questions could be the difference between a good buy and taking home a dud.

1. What are the maintenance costs?

   You should never buy a piece of equipment without first knowing the kind of financial responsibility you or your company are about to take on. Does it have a history of breaking down? If so, how often? How much did it cost to repair? How readily available are the spare parts for this model? And so on.

2. How long has it been in operation?

   It’s important to know how long the vehicle has been in use. Some follow-up questions should include: how many hours of use? (The hour meter is used to calculate the total amount of time the lift has been operated, similar to the odometer on your car.  Forklifts can have multiple hour meters to measure the different functions, make sure you are using the Traction or Drive Motor meter when measuring use).

3. What is the repair history of the vehicle?

   Vaguely tied into question one, you should always ask for a detailed history of each repair that had to be made over the lifespan of the forklift. This is important because it could shed some light on the type of repairs that might be needed in the future (or point to a recurring problem). You should always try to buy a used forklift from the dealer who sells the brand as a New item. If at all possible buy a used unit that the OEM serviced, it will have had repairs done properly and installed original OEM parts.

4. Why are you selling it?

   Some sell their forklift because they’re upgrading to a newer model, while others sell it because they’ve been having problems that they just don’t want to deal with anymore. Asking this question could save you from purchasing a money pit that will be more trouble than it’s worth.

5. Does it come with a warranty?

   It’s good to know what kind of coverage is still left on the vehicle before you decide to buy.If they won’t warranty it, you should never buy it.

6. What is the work capacity of this machine?

   You want to know exactly what this piece of equipment can do before you take it home. It’s important to ask about load capacity, maximum height of the forks, as well as full weight and dimensions of the lift.  Check to ensure the correct spec plate is installed and the serial numbers match, if they don’t, Don’t buy it.

Before you buy a used Forklift in Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver, be sure to contact us at ARPAC. Let us show you how easy it can be to find the perfect lift for your business.