5 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Used Forklift 

A forklift that looks fine on the yard can still cost you thousands within the first month of ownership. That’s the uncomfortable truth many buyers only learn after the sale is done and the invoice is paid. Used forklifts are a smart way to equip a warehouse or site without tying up capital in new machinery, but the used market rewards buyers who know what to check, and can punish those who don’t. 

Here are the five mistakes that come up again and again, and how to avoid each one. 

Mistake 1: Judging the forklift by its paint job 

A fresh coat of paint is one of the cheapest ways to make a tired forklift look new. It says nothing about the condition of the mast, the hydraulics, or the engine hours underneath. 

Before agreeing to buy, ask for: 

• Verified engine/operating hours, not just the number on the dash 

• Service history, even if it’s informal 

• Confirmation of the last major inspection or overhaul 

If a seller can’t produce any history at all, treat that as a red flag rather than a minor inconvenience. 

Mistake 2: Skipping a hydraulic and mast inspection 

The mast and hydraulic system do the heavy lifting literally and they’re also where wear shows up first. A forklift can idle smoothly and still have a mast that drifts under load or hydraulics that leak once they warm up. 

Ask to see the forklift lift a rated load, not just an empty pallet. Watch for: 

What to check	Warning sign
Mast lift and lower	Jerky movement, uneven lift
Tilt function	Delayed response, drift
Hydraulic hoses	Cracking, visible leaks
Forks	Bending, uneven wear, hairline cracks

A five-minute load test under real conditions will tell you more than any verbal assurance. 

Mistake 3: Ignoring tyre condition and type mismatch 

Tyres are a bigger cost than most buyers expect, particularly on solid or cushion tyres used in warehouse environments. Worn tyres also affect stability, which matters more on a loaded forklift than people assume. 

Just as important: check that the tyre type actually suits your site. A forklift fitted with pneumatic tyres for outdoor yard work won’t perform the same way on a smooth warehouse floor, and vice versa. Buying the wrong configuration means budgeting for a tyre change almost immediately. 

Mistake 4: Not matching capacity to the actual job 

It’s tempting to buy whatever forklift is available and reasonably priced, then ‘make it work.’ This is where a lot of buyers end up under-capacity for their real loads, which strains the mast, transmission, and hydraulics over time and shortens the machine’s working life. 

Before you shop, work out: 

• Maximum load weight you’ll realistically lift 

• Load centre distance (not just weight, but how far the load sits from the mast) 

• Lift height needed for your racking or truck beds 

• Aisle width, if the forklift will work indoors 

A forklift bought on price alone, without matching these specifics, is rarely the bargain it first appears to be. 

Mistake 5: Buying without seeing it run under its own power 

Some sellers will start a forklift for you. Fewer will let you actually operate it. If you can, get a qualified operator to run the machine through its full range: forward and reverse, lift and lower, tilt, and turning under load if it’s safe to do so. 

Listen for irregular engine noise, check for smoke on start-up, and confirm the brakes engage properly. These are the kind of issues that don’t show up standing still. 

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What to do instead 

A more reliable approach is to buy from a dealer who inspects and confirms the condition of the stock before it’s listed, rather than sourcing directly from unknown private sellers with no accountability after the sale. At Dar of Equipment, every used forklift that comes through our yard is checked mechanically before it’s offered for sale, and our team can talk you through the service history and suitability for your specific operation. 

Frequently Asked Questions