Car lifts are one of the most critical investments an automotive shop can make. With the recent growth in the automotive business sector, people are more likely to have their service and have their cars fixed rather than buy new ones.
You can comfortably say it’s never been a better time to own an auto shop.
Speaking of car lifts for your professional auto shop, automotive equipment companies are out there with the best quality and prices around.
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These machines are products of brilliant craftsmanship, advanced technology, and incredible logistics.
But since not every company supplies quality equipment, you need to be careful when choosing your auto lifts for your shop.
Things to Consider Before Buying an Auto Lift
As earlier mentioned, buying an auto lift is a huge decision. The last thing you want is to watch your money go down the drain when you end up with a substandard or unsafe auto lift. This is why you must do your due diligence to ensure you get the highest quality auto lifts for your needs.
1. Availability of information
Research is a massive part of your decision-making process. Therefore, be cautious about vehicle lift companies that offer little or little information about the product or company.
That said, credible car lift companies are proud of their products and will not shy away from letting the world know about them. If you are on Google searching for an auto lift company, find it many pages after the past pages, and find still nothing helpful, the company is likely hiding something.
Some companies will request you to call in to get more information. Such companies will also likely persuade you to purchase even when their products are of poor quality.
Therefore, always purchase a product whose information is readily available. This way, you can be confident when making your purchase.
2. Manufacturer
We live in a world where some people will do anything to take advantage of others.
Sadly, some lifts “brands” are just labels fabricated by small and illegitimate warehouse dealers passing these products as their own, as you can guess. Most, if not all the fabricated products have severe standard issues.
Therefore, when you find a car lift that interests you, be sure you find everything about the manufacturing company. Also, check if other dealers are selling the same brand in the country. If you find nothing concrete on the actual manufacturer, it would be best to search for alternative solutions.
3. Company reputation
Still on the company, what do other customers think about the company you want to purchase an auto from?
Online reviews are often an incredible resource for unbiased and unfiltered reviews and testimonials. You will discover that reviews will be quite diverse, some praising the product and others condemning it. By all means, use the reviews to find your auto lift, but keep in mind that there is always some truth in there.
Also, how long has the company been operating?
The longer a company has availed its services, the more likely it is to develop positive customer relationships. Having mastered customer satisfaction strategies, established companies are likely to honor warranties, replace parts and be there when you need anything.
4. Know your shop
It’s important to know what dimensions you are working with before getting carried away with the purchasing process. While car lifts alterations are sometimes possible, they can be very costly. Therefore, always check and double-check so you don’t deal with anticipated blunders when installing your car lift. Ensure you measure your ceiling height; know where your electrical outlets are and the concrete thickness.
It all comes down to being familiar with your auto shop.
Also, check with your local installers to know the minimum space required to fit your preferred car lift.
5. Cost
While this is an obvious one, it’s still worth mentioning. Ensure that your car lift’s value matches the cash you are paying for. It would be helpful to shop around for the best deals as long as you get your essentials list.
Also, keep in mind that the best auto lift for you doesn’t necessarily have to be the most costly or the cheapest. It’s all about cost meeting the benefit.
6. Features you need
This consideration heavily lies in you.
If a car lift doesn’t have the features you want, why on earth should you buy it in the first place!
Not only will you have to determine the heaviest thing the product will be lifting, but you will also need to choose the largest and smallest cars you will be lifting and if you will want to move the auto lift around quickly.
Find out from the prospect company if they offer various model versions to fit your auto lifting needs.
7. Confirm the lift is ALI certified
You will need to confirm that the lift is ALI certified. Do this by checking for the ALI Gold Certification Label.
ALI Certified Lifts have been tested by a nationally accredited testing lab [NRTLs] and met the requirements of applicable electrical and mechanical safety standards.
Conclusion
While choosing a lift for your shop can be daunting, it doesn’t have to be. Keep your customers, safety, and features at the top of mind, and you can be sure to reap the most significant ROI. Take time, compare, research, and do due diligence, and you won’t have to worry about ending up with the wrong auto lift.
