im a mechanic for a linde dealer in the metro ny area
as far as ive seen except for a few problems the lindes are very successful with lots of repeat buisness
they do last longer than other machines
the tag line linde uses is "this is the most expensive forklift you will ever buy" up front but they claim that extended service intervals and a better built product using top quality parts (wich is the reasoning behind the high purchase price) will in the long run save the customer substantial amounts of money over the life of the machine wich in most case is what happens (unless abuse is rampant in wich case no machine is safe)
as far as operators i have talked to many who switch from conventional to the dual pedal setup and they all say that for the 1st few days they had to get used to it but once they are they love the way the machine works
also most lindes have a single pedal option i believe though dont quote me