Don’t risk it: When a bargain actually COSTS you money!

Don’t risk it: When a bargain actually COSTS you money!

Here at Hyundai Forklifts Mackay we see all sorts of machines come through our doors needing repairs, everything from minor servicing to major work, and you guessed it: when it comes to the latter, it’s mainly, let’s just say, the more “affordable type” machine.

When a machine goes down there is a massive downstream effect on your business. Not only do you need to pay for repairs, but there is also the loss of productivity, perhaps a replacement machine will need to be hired while the other machine is waiting on parts (because there’s no stock in Australia – it all has to come from the country of origin – and keep in mind Australia is a long way from the rest of the world).

Of course, we’re not saying that if you buy a particular brand this will not happen, but the regularity of such events is greatly reduced, and of course parts are much more readily available, for more reputable (and, well, reparable!) brands which helps lessen the cost of breakdowns and, more importantly, you have less downtime.

Here are some key points you need to consider when looking toward acquiring new plant:

• Australian distributor so parts can be sourced locally in a timely manner, reducing downtime
• End cost of your truck over full life, ie – purchase cost + maintenance and repair costs
• Warranty terms and conditions (on new machines)
• Quality of build of critical spares including – steer links, mast, steering components and brakes – all have vastly different lifespans depending on quality of materials and design of components
• Australian compliance regarding safety features as per Government legislation
• Operator comfort/ergonomics reducing fatigue and improving productivity
• Trained service technicians specialising in brand of equipment
• Gradeability and travel speed or speed limiting to site specific requirements 
• Wet brakes Vs standard drum style – wet brakes offering service life exceeding 4x drum brakes

Material handling is all about having the right gear, the right planning and the right management strategies in place. Get one thing wrong and you’re not only letting yourself, your staff and your business down, you’ll be left with some serious explaining to do to customers who might just think it easier to go somewhere else.

So, think about it. Given what all that will cost, is bargain equipment really worth it?