Regularly, we get calls asking if we have any second hand lifts, mostly people are looking for a 2 post or a scissor lift. Perhaps you are in the same situation and that’s how you ended up on this page. (read on for advice on buying second hand) Now, it’s rare that any of our lifts come back to us, so if you are looking for a second had lift we usually suggest an online marketplace popular here in Ireland.
Recently we had one such call and I realised I hadn’t looked at the state of the second hand market for a couple of weeks. So when I had a few moments later in the day I had a browse online for second hand lifts. The image at the start of this article was the first advert that greeted me. It can only be described as dumped in a hedge.
Unfortunately this condition of of equipment isn’t rare. Your “garden variety” used 2 post lift found advertised online has likely been removed and left outside, hopefully recently but possibly for some time before the seller has got round to listing it for sale.
Of course not all are this bad and even though we would love you to buy a new lift from us, we understand the appeal of finding a good deal, so if you are set on purchasing second hand hopefully reading on will help you find a good one.
Lets say you are scrolling through Friendbook Marketplace or DealDone and up pops this advert. That looks clean, its strapped together, there is even a photo of it installed before it was taken down. It looks promising.
However don’t jump in the van and head off to Cavan before giving it a little bit of thought. There are a lot of views on an old advert. 1800 other people have looked at this advert in the last 2 months and passed it up. I’ve had customers tell me first hand that they sold their old second hand lift in less than 2 hours of being listing it online and at full asking price, so this one still being there is strange.
There isn’t much you can buy for €1 in Ireland anymore so lets be real, that isn’t the actual price. So why has the seller not been honest and up front about how much they are are asking?
I actually know exactly what is going on here. It’s a classic bait and switch. This is a supplier who doesn’t actually have the photographed lift for sale, he just wants you to call him. When you do ring he will tell you he has Redmount lifts, trading off our good name. Yet when you get there, he shows you something that is clearly not a Redmount lift and claims they are “all the same.” Do you know how I know this? It’s because almost every month we hear this exact same experience from customers who have then driven directly over to us for a genuine Redmount lift.
Lets examine another advert. Similar initial thoughts to the last one we looked at with regards to the age of the advert and the amount of views.
In the picture we can see it’s a little but dusty, a lot of rubbish around it and it seems close to the wall. It also looks like the 2 posts have a length of steel welded between them. It’s obvious this is another one that has been taken out of service for some reason and perhaps sat unused for a while. The price is reasonable though compared to our first example and its inside and dry rather than left to nature.
Just a few things to consider then. I couldn’t make out the brand from any of the pictures. So does the original supplier still exist and is the manufacturer is still contactable? Is that model still supported? Is putting it back into service cost efficient? Have all the parts and accessories been kept with it?
As previously mentioned, well maintained used lifts sell quickly and fetch at a good price. We have seen lifts that have been taken out of service and left abandoned in a hedge advertised for €1000-1200 so we could expect one that is only a few years old and that can be seen in use to fetch around €2000 which is not far of the price of a new lift from us. For a customer perhaps undertaking a car restoration project with no regular use for the lift once the project is completed, it may be worth considering a brand new lift and its benefits and then recouping a large amount of the purchase price back when you are done. This may end up costing you only a few hundred euro spread over the length of the project. Can you find a second hand lift costing that little that you would trust to hold a car above your head?
If I were going to buy a used lift my main considerations would be: Why is the lift for sale? Can I see it in use or has it already been dismantled? Is it all there? Is it maintainable or repairable? And can I trust the seller? While there are deals to be found in the second-hand market, proceed with caution. Consider the points mentioned above to make an informed decision. Remember, safety and reliability are paramount when dealing with lifting equipment.
