This thread started in 2005 so the unit was only 5 years old then.
But I still agree with your thought pattern - hour meter reading often do not reflect the true operational hours. In the days of those round Hobbs & Hobbs look a like hour meters, they were readily replaced & done cheaply or easily disconnected for various reasons. Some hour meters were designed to record key on time, some when oil pressure was sensed or drive circuit was engaged or other way. Seem to recall that Crown had 3 hour meter reading on their NA equipment. Many LT manufacturers have their own way some were done the same way.

I think the more important factor is who the supplier is. How confident are you or the supplier that the Daewoo has only 1400 hours? Sounds odd for a 19 year old truck.

good tire is so important for trucks. if you need tires.let me know.

Couldn't agree more stam, people read too much into hours. It's the same with cars/trucks.
It's the care and maintenance it's received through its life that really counts.
I've had trucks with 4000hrs and 3 years old that were beyond economical repair due to neglect but looked after machines 15 years old with 16k hrs plus and still run like a Swiss watch and capable of working all day every day because they have been maintained properly, to excess even.

**** only just noticed the original post date! Holy thread revival...

8000 hours isn't a whole lot for a forklift really.
Dealers seem to push the whole 10000 hours and it's trash bs way too much.
I have hyster toyota and daewoo products I look after with excess of 20000 hours. Run daily still.

Put a timing belt in that Hyster and run the crap out of it for a few more thousand hours. Keep the oil changed and transmission serviced.

An 8000 hour machine is pushing the limits of a rebuild. Do your self a favor and go with less hours!!

Pick, I think we are blowing in the wind here because the guy how posted the original question seems to have never looked at the responses.

Please do not put Daewoo in the catagory of a Tailift or Worldlift, nor a light user. With a 5 year 10,000 hour brake warranty, and a GM 3.0L engine with cast iron head, thicker mast channels, frame etc. dual element air cleaners, and Woodward fuel systems, you only wish we were in those catagories! We are here to stay, and will compete heads up with any one of those household name brands you mention! We have the dealer and parts support.

I don't believe that there are many people other than Daewoo Dealers who would compare a Daewoo to a Hyster, Nissan, Toyota or Yale in dependability or back up. "even" with lift trucks you "get what you pay for". Our experence with that product in forklifts and industrial equipment is that they are in the same class as Tailift, Worldlift, etc... "for light users only.

I am General Manager of Product Support at Daewoo America in Cleveland, and worked for Cat for 19 years. If you want the straight scoop, call me with the serial number of the Daewoo. I would not buy a truck with 8100 hours, Hyster or otherwise. You can do much better. What is said in many of the replies are opinions and many items are simply false. Daewoo is a rugged product, and may be the last true industrial lift truck made. My number is 216-595-5626.

Definately the Hyster, I've seen them with 15k+ hours on them and still going strong. Depending on your application (hrs/wk used, driving conditions) that will make you a good machine, GM or Mazda engine.

Keep shopping. The Hyster is better, but has too many hours. Typical gas truck engine is good for 10 or 12 K hours. There are exceptions. I have seen some wear out at 4000 and some at 15000, but 10 to 12 k is tyupical.

Stay as far away from the Daewoo as possible. My dealer sold Daewoos and Kmatsus. We dropped the Daewoos for leaks, maily from the trensmisssion. They have has varios other problems. I would agee that the -2 truck is more relieable, but still problematic. As a dealer tech, my Daewoo techinal bulletion file is huge! Does that tell you anything. I would avoid the Hercules engine. The vibrate like a Harley and Hercules is bankrupt. The
GM or Mitsubishe engines are better choices. The Mazda engine in the Hyster is also good.

I would suggest a Daewoo if and ONLY IF the model number ends in a "-2" Like GC25S-2. The -3 (later trucks) has a ZF transmission which is very problematic. The Hecules Daewoo engine is rugged and reliable. (Vibrates like a Harley) The GM engine in the later trucks suffers vapor lock. I think the Hyster you are looking at is well worn at 8100 hours.