Buying a new lift for your shop? Are you asking the right questions? Most people are looking at exactly backwards. Here is what is most important and in the order of importance.
Parts and Service- NADA says that an average bay with a lift generates approx. $1,000 in labor and $1500 in parts every day. Finding a supplier that has sufficient factory trained technicians and OEM parts inventory to keep your lift running is the most important thing to do. A single extra day waiting for service far outweighs saving a couple of dollars on the initial purchase. A quality supplier should have the parts to service your lift on hand. This requires a substantial investment from your supplier. If your lift supplier sub-contracts service and installation, expect to get in line behind the sub-contractor’s customers when it comes time for service. If your supplier does not have in-house parts and service, it will cost you more in lost revenue.
At Viking Equipment, we have 6 full-time service techs plus a dedicated lift inspector. In addition, we have another 4 staff members (including our owner) with parts and tools in their vehicles to handle emergency service. We stock most parts for lifts sold in the last 20 years from the largest lift manufacturers. We are committed to using OEM parts when available. Our extensive parts inventory includes Power units, Cylinders, Cables, Hoses, safety locks, electrical components and more. We have the most qualified techs and the largest parts inventory in the state. If you purchase from us, we will keep your lift running.
Warranty- This gives you an idea of the quality of the lift and the confidence that the manufacturer has in their product. A minimum of 1-year parts and labor should be expected.
At Viking Equipment, we only stock quality lifts. All of our lifts come with a minimum of 1-year parts and labor. Because of our status as a Rotary Authorized Installer, Rotary extends their 1-year standard parts warranty to 2 years if it is installed by us. Viking Equipment takes that a step further. We match the 1-year parts extension with a 1-year labor extension. Your Rotary lift is covered for 2 full years parts AND labor when you purchase it from Viking Equipment and we install it.
Capacity/Features- Light and mid-sized trucks are becoming an ever-larger portion of the market. It can be short-sighted to purchase a lift without the ability to service these heavier vehicles. Many suppliers have designed new products that can service these larger vehicles and still service cars as well. Make sure you are not limiting your income by purchasing a less expensive model. Additional features include faster lifts, lifts with pads to speed up express service, Truck adapters, air and electric boxes. All of this can translate into more revenue and higher efficiency.
At Viking Equipment, we will work with you to get the right model or mix of models to make sure you are maximizing your revenue. We have a huge assortment of Rotary and Forward lifts in stock.
Brand- Lift brand is often an indicator of quality. The big-name brands earned their reputation by building high-quality durable products over an extended period of time.
At Viking Equipment, we have a long successful history with Rotary and Forward lifts. We are confident that we can provide a lift that is competitive on features and price but just as importantly a lift that will be dependable for it’s expected life. You are purchasing a lift to make money. You’ll make more money with a lift from Viking Equipment.
Price – On any given model of lift the difference between the most expensive supplier and the least expensive will be less than $500 and more likely less than $200. Spread over the expected life of the lift (20 years) It is almost a non-factor. Purchase the right lift from a trusted source and get a fair price. Don’t buy the wrong lift from a bad supplier to save a buck on the initial purchase because it will cost much more in the long run.
At Viking Equipment, we know that the price is important. We have a low-price guaranty. We almost always automatically have the lowest price. We regularly shop our competition. In the rare case that someone is lower, we’ll meet it or beat it. At Viking Equipment, you get more but you don’t have to pay more!