Forklift Buyers Guide, Lift Trucks, Vancouver, BC, British Columbia

A list of the Top 10 forklift buying tips for anyone wanting to purchase a forklift / lift truck.

1)  Never assume that you know the weights or measurements that relate to your products or facility
without verifying that they are accurate.

2)  Never ask the dealer to quote on a particular product or service without first asking the dealer for their
recommendations after they have had a chance to survey your facility. Various forklift options that are
available from the manufacturer or dealer can make the world of difference to the operator and to the
total cost of ownership over the truck’s life. Only an experienced forklift professional can properly
evaluate and recommend these options.

3)  Never assume that an older forklift with a particular capacity can be replaced with a newer forklift
of the same capacity. The gross chassis capacity is seldom the actual net lifting capacity of the
forklift at full lifting height, particularly if there is an attachment installed. So, when you ask the
dealer to bid on a 5,000 lb capacity forklift, for example, the actual lifting capacity will usually
be something less than 5,000 lbs at full lifting height. In some cases this drop in capacity at
full lifting height can be significant. Adding attachments to a forklift can also affect a truck’s
rated capacity. There are other factors that affect capacity and only an experienced forklift
professional can watch out for these small but critical details.

4)  Always evaluate new technology and ideas before replacing current equipment with the same
type of product, ie consider electric forklift technology as an example.

5)  Always evaluate whether it is less expensive to rent forklifts long term ( ie 12 months or longer ),
lease forklifts or buy forklifts on every new or used lift truck acquisition.

6)  Never assume that you need to acquire another forklift when your staff is telling you they
can’t keep up using the forklifts they have. Find an experienced and professional forklift fleet
management consultant that understands the specifications of the forklift truck and your application.
They can help you analyse your forklift fleet to determine the right quantity and mix of lift trucks
that will give you the best possible return on your investment without adversely affecting productivity.

7)  Never acquire forklifts on a repeat basis from your existing supplier without first obtaining
competitive bids. There are many options to consider in this regard.

8)  Never acquire a forklift without first understanding your after-the-sale costs for items such as
labour rates, travel time, shop supplies, fuel surcharges, environmental waste oil and filter
disposal charges, parts pricing, planned maintenance program details, operator and / or
instructor training costs and short term rental costs. You will also want to consider various
other items such as technician proximity to your location, technician response time, policies
on after hours service and the possible overtime charges that may apply, technician training
and tools on board their van, dealership reputation and financial strength, the dealer’s service
invoicing system etc. The list can be long but it is better to ask the hard questions and obtain the
dealers commitment on those issues that are important to you before you sign on the dotted line.

9)  Know how you will track and control all forklift maintenance costs after the purchase. Ignoring
this aspect of cost control will cost your company thousands of unnecessary profit dollars.

10)  Keep in mind that a forklift is only a glorified fulcrum or teeter totter when broken down into it’s
basic components. However, choosing the wrong forklift driven by an untrained operator
handling loads that are not within the rated capacity of the forklift can be a recipe for disaster
and the source of significant company liability, not to mention how an accident resulting in injury would
weigh on a person’s conscience. Take the time to choose the right forklift that will be safe for all involved.