I have had two forklifts so far, both bought privately and both are lemon, but both cheap being 1000USD and 2000USD. therefore am looking at spending some serious money to get a serious machine, say the likes of Toyota Series 7 or Series 8. My operation is a small 1-2 man furniture production workshop. I have part timer coming from time to time, I do maybe 2 hours a week unloading/loading trucks. My local dealers has a lot of series 8, one sales said If I can, try stay with Series 7 cos Series 8 has more electronics - more stuff to go wrong... is this true? I have a number of option to choose from, a 21,000 hours Series 8, 3 ton with Cascade Multiload Pallet handler for $7500 USD or a standard series 8, 2.5 ton thats done 8000 hours for $10,000 USD. I dont really need the Cascade attachment but it will be handy when we unload long pieces of timber, and being $7500 that is a very good deal... your thoughts/experience with Series 7 and 8 please?
This thread is a little hold now, but I thought I'd reply since it might still be helpful. I asked a co-worker who's got 10+ years experience fixing forklifts. Here's what he said about getting 7 vs. 8 series Toyota's (and assuming you're asking about gas trucks): "The main difference will be considerably less emissions with the 8 series. This is a huge factor when considering a unit for indoor use. The 8 series does have more electronics and the main reason for that is it has far superior diagnostic capability. The 7 series monitors only 4 engine functions where the 8 monitors the entire engine and will be way more specific when showing error codes, hence quicker troubleshooting. The 8 series has the capability to adjust speeds electronically where the 7 series would need a very expensive mechanical speed control. You can also adjust lift speed, and tilt just to name a few. Both are great trucks but the 8 series is a better option all around." There's also this resource about buying used forklifts (Toyota's specifically), might be of some additional help to you: New & Used Forklift Prices: How to Choose the Perfect Lift Truck for Your Budget Hope this helps