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Anyone have experience with man lifts?


Thaddeus Smith

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Hoping you can provide some insight for me since I have very little experience with large machinery. Looking to buy a used man lift for my work from United rentals, specifically a 2014 model with 199 hours on the meter. My assumption is that these things are rated for thousands of hours with proper maintenance, right?

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Are you sure the meter works? 199 hours sounds low for 6 years being in the Dallas Tx area where as you know lots of building going on. It would have to be a better than great deal for me to buy from a rental co. The industry does not treat rentals like their own. I was a buyer for a construction co here for three years. I witnessed what the industry did do to the rentals when it came time to return them. We paid dearly for the damage.

Just my two cents

Rich

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What style of man lift are you looking to buy? One that lifts vertically or one the has an arm with a basket? The vertical lifts are generally safer as they don’t apply a load on a lever to the base like the bucket lifts do. 
 

Ask for the service records. If there are hydraulic components get an oil sample analyzed from the hydraulic reservoir. Replacing worn out hydraulic components is expensive. 
 

cincy

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It's a mast lift. We already have a hydraulic scissor lift for open areas with open plenum. I need a smaller 1-man for tight areas in the building with offices, bathrooms, and drop ceiling.

 

The hours to age ratio seems about average for all the listing I see out there and I haven't really found many options besides off-lease rental type places.

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Before retiring, I worked as an application engineer in the hydraulic industry. Manufacturers of equipment designed for the rental market always produced products as inexpensively as possible with a very short useable design life. 
 

I'd be very careful buying a man lift being sold by a rental company. If they thought it was dependable they would be renting it.

 

Message me if you want to talk in greater detail. 
 

 

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So where does one go to buy this equipment if not through a rental company? Genie gr-20 is specifically what I'm looking at, for what it matters.

 

The nature of my need is such that it's worth it to buy on our own and have readily available rather than pay extra fees for urgent delivery or end up waiting for one to become available.

 

So I know just enough to not really know anything, but it doesn't change my need or budget (around $6500).

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5 minutes ago, cincymat said:

Here's a distributor of Genie lifts in Dallas. 
 

https://ce-dfw.com/showrooms/ 

 

I’m looking at the service manual for the model you indicated above. 

 

Thanks. They don't list any used gr-20 on the website, but I'll reach out tomorrow and see if they have any. Why would their used options be more reliable?

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Not trying to come across as argumentative - sorry if I am. I've got a pressing need, fixed budget, and specific model requirements. I know this model will fit in our tightest of spaces while still giving us the 25ft working height we need.

 

20k for new isn't feasible, and I'm certainly not going to buy from some rando on Craigslist. The chain renters have depreciation plans and life cycle management to maintain across their fleet - so it's logical to me that I'd be able to buy a 6yr old model for a fraction of the cost, not because it's broke down and untrustworthy but because it's reached an inventory threshold for the business model. We do it all the time with IT equipment, generally 3-5 years and you can get some really good deals as a result.

 

So am I being naive, and if so, why do these chains (United, sunbelt, etc) have hundreds of listings around the country for similar price, age, and usage metrics?

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17 minutes ago, Thaddeus Smith said:

I've got a pressing need, fixed budget, and specific model requirements.

Sounds like you should rent one. If the hour meter is analog, then it likely is not an accurate measure of use as they are often flat out wrong. I bought a 15 year old backhoe once with 250 hrs on it. 4000 hrs would be more like it.

 

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In think you’re asking great questions. I’m only relying on my experience with OEM manufacturers selling products to the large national rental companies. 

 

I don't think the national rental companies have large well trained service departments. That’s expensive and it’s not how they make money. My guess is the maintenance costs entering the fifth year of ownership start rising to the point it makes sense to replenish their fleet. 
 

 

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