Crown Forklift Price
Choosing a new forklift is all about balancing quality and performance with cost efficiency.
Crown Equipment Corporation has been a leading name in the material handling industry for over 60 years, but just how expensive is owning a Crown forklift?
You'll find key information about the cost of owning and running new and used Crown forklifts right here.
How Much Does A Crown Forklift Cost?
New Crown Forklift Prices
New Crown forklifts are available from authorized dealers all over the country. The price of Crown lift trucks will vary slightly between outlets and also depend on the taxes for the state in which you live.
That's why you won't find a Crown forklift price list on the manufacturer's website, although their online shop does offer direct sales for smaller products including stand-up Crown forklifts, hand jacks, and rider pallet trucks.
Armed with a clear idea of the price ranges for the different types of forklift trucks Crown offers, you'll be able to tell weather the shop you're dealing with is giving you a good deal.
Crown stand-up forklift prices start from around $5,000 .
At the lower end of the scale, a 3-wheeled electric forklift such as the Crown SC4040-35, which has a compact design perfect for working in tight spaces, will usually set you back between $14,000 and $15,500. Meanwhile, the Crown C-5 1050-60, a 6,000lb capacity, LPG-powered, 4-wheeled lift truck can exceed twice that price tag, at up to $35,500.
There are a whole slew of Crown forklifts in between these two extremes, with most models sitting somewhere in the $18,000 to $23,000 range. Depending on your priority between lift height, the ability to handle heavy loads, or maneuverability between narrow aisles, chances are that Crown Equipment Corporation has a lift truck to suit your requirements.
Crown Electric Forklift Prices
Crown is probably best known for their electric lift trucks. If the cost of a new model is prohibitive, there is a thriving market in used Crown forklifts including some of their most popular electric pallet trucks, order pickers, etc.
Used Crown electric lift trucks usually start from around $12,500, although the price varies depending on age, condition, attachments and other equipment.
Some used Crown forklifts can still easily reach $27,000 - $29,000.
If you're looking for more specialized equipment such as a Crown reach truck or order picker, you can expect to pay a little more than the standard forklift models.
Turret trucks designed for narrow aisle operations (e.g. the TSP series) tend to carry the highest price tag, with some fetching nearly $80,000 even in used condition. That said, it is still possible to get a mid-range TSP model for somewhere around the $40,000 mark.
Crown Forklift Rental Prices
An important question to ask yourself is whether you actually need to buy a Crown forklift for your business in the first place.
If you rely on lift trucks and similar equipment only rarely for specific tasks, ownership may turn out to be a less cost-efficient approach than simply renting a forklift when you need it.
The prices for renting Crown lift trucks varies between outlets but in general, a standard model suitable for warehouse operations will range from $300 - $1,300 per day. This price will depend how heavy your loads are (the cheaper options max out at around 5,000 lb).
If you're looking to rent turret trucks for working in tight spaces, order pickers, or heavy-duty forklift trucks, you can expect to pay more, as is also reflected if you chose to buy these types of forklifts. A heavy-duty truck designed for the construction or manufacturing industries, with a capacity of up to 100,000lbs, will set you back approximately $3,000 per day, although you'd need to go with a different brand since Crown Equipment doesn't currently offer anything that large (even the Crown C-series lift trucks only go as heavy as 20,000lbs).
About The Brand
Crown started out as a family business for the Dicke brothers in 1945 and remains family-owned to this day. In 1960 the Crown Equipment Corporation made its first foray into the manufacture of forklifts and they have been a staple of the material handling industry ever since.
One of the aspects which helps Crown forklifts stand out from the crowd is the attention to detail they put into every machine. It says something that Crown designs and manufactures over 80% of the components of every Crown Equipment lift truck in-house. This also goes a long way toward explaining how the company has won so many awards for the features, reliability, and durability of its machines.
Quality products and excellent customer service have come to be seen as the hallmarks of the Crown Equipment Corporation and they have managed to maintain these high standards throughout their expansion. They now serve over 500 dealerships in over 80 countries around the world.
Pricing Factors
Load Capacity
One of the main factors in the price of Crown forklifts is how much load they are designed to carry.
Load capacity determines the construction of the forklift chassis and the type of tires used.
As an example, the difference between a maximum load of 3,500 lbs and 6,000 lbs can double the price you'll end up paying.
Mast and Attachments
The range of masts available on forklift trucks can be quite bewildering. At the simplest end of the scale is a simplex/duplex mast designed for moving inventory without requiring high elevation or needing to operate in narrow aisle situations.
If your requirements are more complex, involving side-shift, rotation, and/or extended lift heights, Crown lift trucks with a mast that can facilitate these operations (e.g. Crown reach forklifts) will come at an increased cost.
Similarly, forklifts are generally supplied with basic pallet forks. Industry-specific equipment such as drum carriers, order pickers, clamps, telescoping booms, etc. will raise the price.
Indoor vs Outdoor Operation
There's a big difference between Crown forklifts designed for indoor warehouse applications and their more rugged outdoor cousins. Everything from the type of motor to the tires is affected by this distinction, and it all comes down to the level of durability and efficiency that you need.
Outdoor, all-terrain forklifts do tend to be more expensive (to buy, run, and maintain), so are best only bought if you really need to go down that route.
Age and Condition
Of course, if you decide to buy a used Crown forklift, the older models tend to be cheaper. Be careful though, as maintenance costs can be quite high. If you are looking at a discontinued model, it's important to make sure that Crown still manufactures the right parts for any repairs the forklift may need.
When To Buy Pre-Owned vs When To Buy New
Used Crown forklifts often cost as little as half the purchase price of a new model. But, that doesn't always mean they represent superior value. There are a few factors to consider before choosing used Crown equipment over a shiny new forklift fresh from the factory.
Level of Use
If your equipment is going to be used heavily by operators on multiple shifts, the reliability of a used forklift is really going to be tested. At the very least there will probably end up being more downtime for maintenance than with a brand-new forklift and repair work will also cost money out of pocket rather than being done under warranty.
Consistency
If you use multiple forklifts in your business, there are advantages to keeping the make and model the same across your fleet. This facilitates operators switching between machines, servicing with the same tools and procedures, and other factors which can have a significant cumulative effect on productivity.
Unless you can find someone selling a whole fleet of used Crown forklifts, you might be better off asking a dealer for a discount in exchange for them making a large sale of new equipment.
When Is a Used Forklift Best?
One obvious answer is "When your budget demands it". If you need the equipment but can't afford new, or simply need to maximize the number of forklifts you can get for a fixed total, used is clearly the way to go.
Something else to bear in mind is the delivery time. Because of the way the manufacturing and distribution of Crown forklifts work, there will usually be a waiting period between placing your order and receiving your new forklift(s). Conversely, when you buy a used Crown forklift you can normally collect it or have it delivered within a day or two.
Crown Forklift Maintenance Costs
Maintenance is the most significant portion of the overall cost of owning a forklift. According to Crown's own website, service and maintenance fees can account for nearly 80% of all forklift-related expenses.
Forklift repairs generally cost over $100 per hour just in labor costs. When you add the cost of parts on top of that, and the effect of unscheduled downtime on productivity, it's easy to see why proper maintenance and a regular service schedule are so important.
Crown offers a full service and repair contract once the 3-year (6000hour) warranty period expires. The cost may initially seem higher than using a third-party technician, but the level of support available and a promise to only use quality Crown Integrity parts makes for a very cost-efficient approach in the longer term. There's also a Crown service app that you can use to order parts and lodge service or support requests.
FAQ
Battery for Crown forklift: How much do they cost?
There are two main types of batteries for electric forklifts, lead-acid and Lithium-ion. Lead-acid is a lot cheaper to buy (around a quarter of the price of an equivalent lithium-ion battery) but has several drawbacks in terms of performance, safety, and service life, and also requires extra maintenance.
Overall, you're almost always better off buying a lithium-ion forklift battery. These cost between $3,000-$7,000 depending on the size and output. However, they last approximately twice as long as lead-acid batteries, charge faster, require less maintenance, and give reliable performance even when only partially charged.
Crown forklift service: How often?
A minor service should be carried out approximately once every six weeks (or 250 hours of operation, whichever comes first). This normally takes approximately 2-3 hours for an internal combustion-engine forklift and slightly less for electric forklifts.
The major service interval is a year (or 6000 hours) and usually takes an experienced technician around 4-6 hours to complete. It can be done slightly quicker if a second person is assigned to assist with some of the basic tasks.
Are Crown forklift parts easy to come by?
Because they are a major producer of their own parts, Crown can practically guarantee the availability of replacement components for most systems in their forklifts.
Other companies also manufacture aftermarket versions of most Crown forklift parts. These may look tempting due to their lower prices than the original Crown equipment, but the quality is often lower, which will affect performance, durability, and even safety.
If you're in the market for a new or used forklift, we can help! Simply fill out the form below and let the most reputable forklift dealers in your area send you their best quotes, tailored to exactly the sort of lift truck(s) your business needs.
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Tim Postlethwaite // Staff Writer
