Where to Buy a Forklift in Melbourne: Dealer vs Auction vs Marketplace
In Melbourne, forklifts are mainly sold through three channels: forklift dealers, auction houses such as Pickles, Slattery Grays and Lloyds, and online marketplaces such as Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Machines4u.
Auctions and private sales can offer a lower purchase price, but the forklift is usually sold as is, without a warranty and with limited consumer protection. Once the buyer’s premium, transport, an inspection and any repairs are added, the price difference is often smaller than it first appears.
A dealer usually costs more upfront. In return, the forklift is typically inspected and serviced before sale, covered by a warranty and protected by the consumer guarantees in the Australian Consumer Law.
The right choice depends on how soon the forklift needs to start work, whether you have access to a forklift technician and how much risk your business can absorb.
Dealer vs Auction vs Marketplace: Key Differences
| Feature | Dealer | Auction | Marketplace or private seller |
| Purchase price | Retail price, usually including pre-sale preparation | Hammer price plus a buyer’s premium of roughly 9% to 25%, plus GST where applicable | Negotiated with the seller |
| Condition at sale | Usually inspected and serviced before sale, although practices vary between dealers | Sold as is, where is, and not tested by the auctioneer | As described by the seller |
| Warranty | Dealer warranty usually included | None | None |
| Consumer guarantees | Apply to most purchases under $100,000 | Limited to clear title, undisturbed possession and no undisclosed debts | Private sellers: limited to clear title, undisturbed possession and no undisclosed debts |
| Inspection and testing | Inspect and arrange a test at the dealer | Visual inspection during set viewing times | Arranged with the seller |
| Payment | Finance often available | Usually due within 1 to 3 days | Usually paid in full on collection |
| Delivery | Often available | Buyer collects, usually within 1 to 3 days | Buyer arranges transport |
| Main risks | Higher upfront price | Hidden faults, storage fees and transport costs | Scams, finance owing and stolen equipment |
Buying a Forklift From a Dealer
Dealers sell new and used forklifts, and most prepare used stock in a workshop before sale. You can see the forklift, check its paperwork and test it before committing. Many dealers also offer delivery, finance and trade-ins.
Whether a new or used forklift suits your business depends mainly on budget, expected hours of use and how long you plan to keep the machine.
Consumer Guarantees When You Buy From a Dealer
Under the Australian Consumer Law, a business counts as a consumer when it buys goods costing less than $100,000 including GST. This threshold has applied to purchases since 1 July 2021. The main exceptions are goods bought to resell, or to use up or transform in manufacturing.
For most business forklift purchases under $100,000 from a dealer, this means:
- Consumer guarantees apply to second-hand goods sold by a business.
- Acceptable quality is judged with the forklift’s age, price and any disclosed defects in mind.
- A “no refunds” sign or a short warranty cannot remove these rights.
- A dealer warranty applies in addition to the consumer guarantees, not instead of them.
When you buy from a dealer in the ordinary course of their business, you generally take the forklift free of any security interest the dealer had over it.
In Victoria, anyone who supplies used plant must, so far as reasonably practicable, supply it in a safe condition and pass on any safe-use information and records they hold.
Questions to Ask a Forklift Dealer
- What inspection, servicing and repairs were completed before sale, and can I have that in writing?
- What are the operating hours, and is there a service history?
- What does the warranty cover, for how long, and who pays travel costs for warranty repairs?
- Can the forklift be tested with a load similar to mine?
- Is delivery included, and are finance and trade-ins available?
Buying a Forklift at Auction
Melbourne buyers mainly use Pickles, Slattery Grays and Lloyds Auctions. Slattery bought Grays in 2025 and now runs both brands under one user agreement. Most bidding happens online, with set inspection times at the auction yard.
How Forklift Auctions Work
Auction forklifts are sold as is, where is, with all faults.
- Limited inspection. Pickles describes its inspection as a “cursory external walk around” with no mechanical or hydraulic checks. Grays states that it does not test the item.
- Unverified hours. Hours are typically listed as “showing” rather than verified.
- No test drives. None of the auction terms reviewed for this article allow buyers to operate the forklift. Expect a visual inspection during set viewing times.
- Quick payment and collection. Pickles requires payment immediately after the sale and collection within one day, then charges storage of $75 a day. Lloyds allows three days, then charges storage of $22 per lot per day.
- You arrange transport. The buyer provides the truck, driver and loading equipment.
- Not ready for work. Pickles’ terms state that plant is not offered for workplace use. Before the forklift goes to work, the buyer is responsible for having it inspected and made safe.
Buyer’s Premiums and Extra Costs
| Auction house | Buyer’s premium |
| Pickles (industrial, GST inclusive) | 22.5% up to $5,000; 16.5% from $5,000.01 to $40,000; 12.5% from $40,000.01 to $55,000; 9.9% above $55,000 |
| Grays (example forklift lot, August 2025, GST added) | 25% up to $5,000; 16.5% from $5,001 to $25,000; 11.5% from $25,001 to $40,000; 9% above $40,001 |
| Lloyds | Set for each lot |
Fees change and can differ between sales, so always read the terms on the listing. On a forklift that sells for $12,000, the buyer’s premium alone is likely to be about $2,000 or more. Transport, a technician’s inspection and any repairs needed before the forklift can work are extra.
Your Rights at Auction
Most consumer guarantees do not apply to goods bought at a traditional auction, where the auctioneer acts as an agent for the owner. You are still entitled to clear title and undisturbed possession, the goods must be free of undisclosed debts, and the seller cannot make false or misleading claims.
The full consumer guarantees do apply if a business auctions its own goods without an agent, or if you use a “buy it now” option from a business seller.
When an Auction Can Make Sense
- You have a forklift technician who can inspect and repair the machine.
- You need a low-cost second forklift rather than a primary machine.
- Your operation can manage without the forklift while it is assessed and repaired.
Buying From Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Machines4u
Online marketplaces offer the widest choice and room to negotiate, but they also carry the most risk.
Private Sellers vs Business Sellers
When the seller is a private individual, only three consumer guarantees apply: clear title, undisturbed possession and no undisclosed debts. When the seller is a business, the normal consumer guarantees apply. On eBay, your rights are against the seller, not eBay.
Machinery Scams and Red Flags
Machinery scams are well documented. Scamwatch reported that farm businesses lost more than $1.2 million to scams between January and August 2022, with more than $1 million of that linked to fake tractor and heavy machinery sales. Scammers used convincing ads on legitimate platforms, borrowed ABNs and fake escrow “trial periods”.
Warning signs include:
- a price well below comparable forklifts
- a seller who cannot show the forklift in person or on a live video call
- pressure to pay by bank transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency before you have seen the machine
Stolen Equipment
In September 2025, about $700,000 of machinery, including a gas forklift, was reported stolen from a hire business in Sunshine West. Ask private sellers for proof of ownership and check that the serial number on the forklift matches their paperwork.
Checks Before You Pay a Private Seller
- Have a forklift technician carry out a thorough used forklift inspection and test the machine under load.
- Check that the data plate matches the advertised model, capacity and serial number.
- Confirm the seller’s ABN if they claim to be a business.
- Search the PPSR for finance owing.
- Pay on collection, not before you have seen the forklift.
How to Check a Forklift for Finance Owing
A forklift with finance still owing can be repossessed, even after you have paid for it. A search on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) costs $2 online.
- Search by serial number if the forklift counts as a motor vehicle for PPSR purposes. That means it is self-propelled, capable of at least 10 km/h, has motors over 200 W and carries a VIN, chassis or manufacturer’s number. Most ride-on forklifts are likely to qualify, while slow walk-behind equipment may not.
- Search the seller as well, using their ABN, ACN or name. Business finance is sometimes registered against the owner only, so a serial number search alone can miss it.
- Search on the day you pay, or the day before. A clear search at that point generally protects you. Private buyers who do not search are not protected.
Comparing the Total Cost of a Forklift
The advertised price is only part of what it costs to get a forklift working safely on your site.
| Cost | Dealer | Auction or private sale |
| Purchase price | Included | Included |
| Buyer’s premium | Not applicable | Auction only: roughly 9% to 25% |
| Transport to your site | Often available or included | Your cost. Truck and tilt tray hire is commonly charged by the hour, with published Melbourne rates from about $85 plus GST to $150 an hour. |
| Pre-use inspection and servicing | Usually completed before sale | Your cost |
| Repairs to chains, forks, tyres or brakes | Usually completed before sale | Your cost |
| Warranty | Usually included | None |
Current forklift prices in Australia vary widely with age, capacity, fuel type and hours, so compare forklifts on their all-in cost rather than the advertised figure. If the forklift is only needed for a short project, hiring may cost less than buying.
Buying a Used Forklift From Buy A Fork
Buy A Fork sells new and used forklifts from its showroom at Factory 2/802 Cooper St, Somerton VIC 3062, in Melbourne’s north.
Used forklifts purchased from Buy A Fork include a free 6-month basic service, a warranty with extended 3-year and 5-year options available, a free pallet jack valued at $499 and free delivery within 10 km (T&Cs apply). Finance options are available and trade-ins are welcome.
Browse the current range of used forklifts for sale, call 1300 057 880, or visit the Somerton showroom Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 4.30pm, or Saturday from 8.30am to 1.30pm.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buying a Forklift in Melbourne
1. Where Can I Buy a Forklift in Melbourne?
Forklifts in Melbourne are sold through dealers, auction houses such as Pickles, Slattery Grays and Lloyds, and online marketplaces such as Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Machines4u. Dealers suit buyers who need a forklift ready to work with a warranty. Auctions and private sales suit buyers who can inspect and repair a machine themselves.
2. Is It Cheaper to Buy a Forklift at Auction?
The hammer price is often lower, but buyers then pay a buyer’s premium of roughly 9% to 25%, GST where applicable, transport, possible storage fees and any inspection and repairs needed before the forklift can be used at work. There is no warranty, so the overall saving is often smaller than it first appears.
3. Do Consumer Guarantees Apply When a Business Buys a Forklift?
Generally yes, when the forklift is bought from a business such as a dealer and costs less than $100,000 including GST, unless it is bought for resale. Most guarantees do not apply to traditional auctions or private sales. This is general information, not legal advice.
4. How Do I Check if a Used Forklift Has Finance Owing?
Search the Personal Property Securities Register at ppsr.gov.au for $2. Search by the forklift’s serial number and by the seller’s ABN, ACN or name, on the day you pay or the day before.
5. Can You Test Drive a Forklift at an Auction?
Generally no. Auction houses offer set inspection times, sell forklifts as is and do not test them. Plan for a visual inspection only, ideally with a forklift technician present.
6. What Should I Check Before Buying a Forklift Privately?
Check the data plate, serial number, hours and service history, run a PPSR search and test the forklift under load. A forklift technician should inspect the mast, chains, forks, hydraulics, brakes and the engine or battery before you pay.