Buying a Refurbished Forklift

Buying a refurbished forklift can save you a substantial amount of money but you need to know what to look for.

Firstly, be careful not to confuse Refurbished Forklifts with Used Forkilifts.  

A Refurbished Forklift should have undergone the following: 

A Used Forklift could mean the Forklift has been refurbished, is being sold as is, or anything in between.

Don’t just buy a Refurbished Forklift because it may seem like a reasonable upfront cost. You have to take into account the long-term running costs of the Forklift. Refurnished Forklifts that are not up-to-scratch could cost you a lot more in the long run as you have to constantly repair it.  

One trick to tell you a bit about a Forklift’s history is to look at its tires. Unlike normal vehicles, a Forklift doesn’t have shock absorbers or enhanced suspension so the Forklift tires take the bulk of the operational force. Tires that are in bad condition indicate that the Refurbished Forklift was misused in a rough location and will probably have lots of problems when you take it over.

A quality Forklift Dealershould be able to provide you with a warranty on a pre-owned Forklift. If a Forklift Dealer offers you a below par warranty than it could mean the Forklift’s mechanical condition isn’t what it seems when looking at it in the showroom.  

A warranty ensures you aren’t buying someone else’s problem. A credible Refurbished Forklift warranty should provide six months on the engine and three months on the entire Forklift including Forklift parts and labour.

Finally, a Refurbished Forklift may not be the right option for you if you’re going to be using the Forklift for more than 5 hours, everyday of the working week. Rather than risk overburdening an older machine and having countless problems with it, invest in a new Forklift.

Contact Value Group’s Materials Handling division for quality Refurbished Forklifts in South Africa.