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.
There are 10 types of forklifts, including warehouse, side loader, counterbalance, telehandler, heavy-duty, rough terrain, pallet jack, walkie stacker, order picker and reach trucks. Each type of forklift provides an essential function for various material handling tasks.
Purchasing forklifts is generally provided a better return on investment compared to long-term rentals since rental fees are higher than monthly financing costs.
The answer depends on your situation. Leasing equipment can be a good option for business owners who have limited capital or who need equipment that must be upgraded every few years, while purchasing equipment can be a better option for established businesses or for equipment that has a long usable life.
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.
Every machine is unique, but for a forklift, anything over 10,000 hours is often regarded as high. A lifespan of 10,000 hours based on eight-hour workdays indicates that most equipment will last for approximately 5-7 years. Top-quality forklifts, like Hyundai, can operate for up to 20,000 hours, or ten years.
The typical lifespan of a forklift tends to be around 10,000 working hours, but there are several factors that affect how long a forklift will last, such as: Typical operating environment — for example, whether the forklift is operated regularly in challenging or uneven terrain.
Every machine is different, but anything over 10,000 hours is typically considered high for a forklift. Based on eight-hour workdays, a lifespan of 10,000 hours means most machines will last for roughly five years. Forklifts made by top brands may last for up to 20,000 hours, or ten years.
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.