We're in the market for an articulating boom lift but...

Where can you find a new Nifty for 10k? The towable Genies (the blue ones) are total crap. The controls suck, they leak, they just don't work. The rental company I get them from owns 9 locations around the state. The owner told me at one time EVERY one of their Genies were broken at every location. They dumped em and for a good reason.

The Niftys are great. They rarely ever break down. Only times I've had issues were when there was a leak or something. Nifty TM50 is my go-to. The smaller 34' ones are OK, but there is something about their operation I don't like...

If you're only using them 10-12 times a year then you need to rent. I use them 20 times a year and when I run the numbers I still come out ahead renting them. Of course this depends on what you pay. I pay $240/day. Some places charge $400+

Nifty is located in Greer, SC so check them out and see about buying one.

Also, the self driving one's are cool. I've used it a few times. It takes extra time to load and unload it from a trailer so I usually stick with the towables.

 

you really should get inthe habit of checking craigslist, EVERY DAY
watch for a month or 2.
my scissor lift is old, but i paid $500 for it. put another $1500 into it, including new batteries
open a search, include nearby areas and go WIDE
you will only be driving once

i got my bucket truck for $2000. they were told it couldn't be fixed (i love can't be fixed things, i buy almost nothing else)
granted, it took up my spare time, for about 2 months, but we never have rental fees

buying new makes sense in the busy months
my way make sense in the relly slow months

 

Lol. Your not going to get that for 10k. Dont look at active auctions as use that as a pricing guide. Those start at like 30-40k

 

awesome graphics, go toadvanced on ebay & search sold listings to get a realistic idea where you will end up

i still say think craigslist. things sell a lot cheaper and more likely to tke a lower offer

 

I think a first consideration is what dealers are in your area and how easily you can get service and parts if you have a problem. I happen to like Haulotte (formerly BilJax), Nifty and JLG, probably in that order. The self driving ones are expensive and require a moderately heavy tow vehicle. You can get a new towable 34' lift with manual outriggers for about $15,000. The main difference with Nifty is that it is all hydraulic while the others are electric-hydraulic and those have expensive control boards and electronic components that can be a problem sometimes but the Nifty's have unique European fittings so I've heard, which can be a problem if you replace a hydraulic line...and you will.

 

You brought up a good point about the drivables being heavier. Before I got my 3/4 ton I had a regular 1/2 ton and having a drivable or a 50' towable can get dicey. The suspensions and brakes are not built for something that heavy. The 34' towable isn't bad but anything larger or heavier really is best to consider a heavy duty pickup. The HD pickups have better tires, brakes, suspensions, transmission coolers, the sit taller... built for towing but suck on gas

 

Had a chance to rent a new one of these.
Really compact and easy to tow.
Worked well, but this one was all battery - I would opt for the gas model as the all electric was kind of slow up and down compared to older gas models.
Goes up to about a 40'+ working height. Holds one fat guy or 2 not so fat guys.
Not sure what the cost is but a nice unit I'd like to own if we had enough work to justify it.

 

The towable Haulotte Biljax are the best I've used. They can easily be found for under $20k.

 

We've been using a Haulotte from a rental company when our truck isn't high enough. That thing is pretty great.

 

I would check rental places. Around here they sell their equipment after just a couple years and the stuff is well maintained

 

Not in my area I wouldn't suggest this. The equipment I see them sell gets used until they can't fix it anymore. Lifts are abused by tree-trimming guys. They are basically trash by the time rental companies sell them and on top of that they still ask for 10-15k.

 

Yea. Screw on two 2"x4"s and have them stick out about 4" from the basket. Rest the sign on it and run a strap from the bottom of the basket to the bar at the control panel so you can operate both hands. Don't get fancy and bolt square tubing... You'll get in a position where you need to loose the "forks" and being able to easily unscrew them from inside the basket has saved me many times.

Get a magnetic doggie dish to keep screws and bits.