In general, you want to buy a forklift that still has somewhere between a fourth and a half of its life left. That's probably somewhere between 7,000 and 11,000 hours. Of course, if you can find a machine with even fewer forklift hours, that is ideal, but you may not get the level of savings you're looking for.
The average lifespan of a forklift is 10,000 hours. It's also important to mention that it's common to see lift trucks last more than 20,000 hours from higher-quality brands, such as Toyota.
Forklift leases can range from 12 to 72 months. But the most common duration is 36 to 60 months. Forklift lessees generally chose the duration of the lease based on the application. For example, if it's a high-usage application, they'll often choose a shorter term lease.