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Price guides

Forklift Price Guides

6 machines covered. 1 model currently carries a clearly labelled estimate derived from a sourced new price. Verified market ranges replace estimates only after clearing our sample-size gate.

Forklifts are the highest-volume materials-handling market in the country, and the used pool is dominated by counterbalance machines from warehouse fleet turnover. Hours matter far more than age, the mast and side-shift spec decides who can use the machine, and the fuel type splits the market cleanly between indoor and yard work. Prices below are current asking figures from the open market, each with its sample size shown.

Live Guides

Hyster H2.5XT ≈ $14,000 modelled 8-year modelled reference · not sold data Linde H25T No estimate yet used pricing being rebuilt Toyota 8FBE20 No estimate yet used pricing being rebuilt Toyota 8FD25 No estimate yet used pricing being rebuilt Toyota 8FG18 No estimate yet used pricing being rebuilt Toyota 8FG25 No estimate yet used pricing being rebuilt

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Forklift buyer’s guide

What size forklift do you need?

Two numbers decide it: lift capacity (the rated load at a standard load centre) and lift height. A 2.5-tonne counterbalance covers most general warehouse and yard work; heavier loads or high racking need more capacity, or a reach truck for narrow aisles. Size to your heaviest routine pallet and your highest beam — undersizing risks the load, oversizing costs more to buy and run every day.

Electric, LPG or diesel?

Fuel type splits the market cleanly. Electric suits indoor and clean-floor work with no exhaust; LPG is the flexible indoor-outdoor option; diesel is for yards and rough ground. Buy the wrong side of that split and the machine is harder to use and harder to resell, so match the fuel to where it will actually work.

Buying used vs hiring

Forklifts live on the hour meter, not the calendar. If you run one most weeks, owning usually beats hiring once you count delivery fees; for occasional peaks, hire and skip the servicing, tyres and battery upkeep. The buy-vs-hire calculator runs your own numbers.

Forklift FAQ

What is a forklift used for?
A forklift lifts and moves palletised and unit loads — loading and unloading trucks, stacking racking, and shifting stock around warehouses, factories and yards. Attachments like rotators, clamps and jibs extend it beyond plain pallet work, which is why it is the backbone of materials handling.
What size forklift do I need?
Lift capacity and lift height are the two numbers. A 2.5-tonne counterbalance handles most general work; high racking or heavy loads need more capacity or reach. Size to your heaviest routine load and highest beam, not a one-off.
Do I need a licence to operate a forklift?
Yes. In Australia operating a forklift requires a High Risk Work Licence — class LF for a standard counterbalance forklift, or class LO for an order-picking forklift. The classes do not cross over: an LF licence does not authorise an order picker. That is a legal requirement, not just site familiarisation, and it is the key difference from machines like excavators. Check your state WHS regulator before you operate.
Can you drive a forklift on the road?
Only in limited circumstances. A forklift does not meet standard vehicle registration rules, so public-road use — even crossing between two yards — generally needs conditional registration under your state’s scheme, with conditions on where and how it travels. Most states either exempt conditionally registered plant from stamp duty or charge a small flat amount. Check your state transport authority before moving a forklift outside the yard.
Electric, LPG or diesel — which is better?
Electric for indoor and clean-floor work, LPG for flexible indoor-outdoor use, diesel for yards and rough ground. The right choice is whichever matches your site; a machine on the wrong side of that split is slower to sell and narrower in use.
How much does it cost to hire a forklift?
Dry-hire rates vary with capacity, fuel type and city. See HeavyBook’s hire section for rates where we publish them, each shown with its sample size, and use the buy-vs-hire calculator to weigh hiring against owning for your own usage.
Can I finance a used forklift?
Yes — used equipment finance is widely available through brokers and lenders. HeavyBook’s equipment finance calculator gives an indicative monthly repayment across 1–7 years; it is indicative only and not financial advice. HeavyBook may receive a fee if you proceed with a broker we refer you to, and we never recommend a specific credit product.

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