Of the internal combustion types of forklifts, only propane can be used indoors as they create very few emissions. It is still recommended that propane lifts are used in well ventilated areas because they do emit small amounts of fumes. Gas and Diesel powered forklifts cannot be used indoors with low ceilings because they produce more emissions.
Although electric forklifts are less expensive to operate than internal combustion, batteries can be very expensive to replace. If purchasing a used electric forklift, make sure to get the hours of usage on the forklift to determine approximately how much life the battery has left. When an internal combustion powered forklift runs out of fuel, it typically takes 5-10 minutes to refuel, whereas electric can take up to 8 hours.
Why buy a used forklift over a new one? Used forklifts are typically about half the cost of buying a new one, so there are certain factors you should keep in mind when making this consideration. Ask the buyer how many hours the forklift has been used, which is a more important factor than the model year. You also want to look over the maintenance records to see if it has been serviced on a regular schedule, and if any major parts were replaced.
ASI does something uncommon for its customers. We provide a 30-day ASI guarantee on all used forklifts to ensure the customer’s satisfaction. If something is not operating correctly on the used forklift in the first 30 days, it can be sent back for a full refund (less a trial fee). All of our used forklifts can also be looked at on our website or viewed in person at our facility in East Providence, RI.