most of my customers avoid new because of all electronics now fitted.
what's wrong with old style hydraulics? levers you can see what's happening! - (just one point, there are many more)
diagnostics that require laptop / main dealer support £££££
when most owners see a warning lamp lit all they think is how much is this going to cost this time!
I have a customer with 8 series Toyota gas that wont run nice for more than a week, I have so far billed him just shy of 2K and cant get to bottom of problem, (if all my time had been billed it would be more, but I feel guilty when I cant repair). Advised him to get Toyota in to look (I think its electrics) now he is 3.5K down from Toyota as well as my cost.
only thing I feel better about is Toyota cant repair their own machine either, so I don't look as bad!!
and they call this progress?

Hi, in my view its your own choice whether to pick an old forklift or buy a new one. But buying new one gives you a lot of advantages as they are in compliance with industry standards and loaded with many features. Also they're many trusted lifting equipment supplier like Bishop Lifting Services who offer quality products that are tested and certified so, its always better rather than taking a chance with second hand.

A lot of machines made in China are junk ,

I interpreted the OP stating that their new machine w/ full warrant was less expensive than a used Toyota reconditioned unit and customers opted for the higher price used Toyota
One thing we don't know is what country the OP has observed this. But I do know in the country of Japan, by law, machinery, such as forklift trucks must have all the rubber type parts (or rings, seals etc.) replaced every so often (I'm thinking it is every two years). These included all those inside the transmission, hydraulically valve etc. In other words rebuilt vs reconditioned.
Forklifts in Japan are registered just like an automobiles.
Japan seems to have strict laws on a lot of things. During my 5 visits I was yet to find a car with a cracked windshield or a fender with a "whiskey wrinkle" or two and they do have lots of vehicles on the road.- but drivers are very courteous in comparison to the US NASCAR driver wannabees.

from my own experience dealing with customers and also personally i think it's just the lower price, new machines are rather pricy :o/

1. quality
2. product support - parts and service - timely response time- service parts readily available on the dealer shelf or within a day from central parts location(s). A longer warranty doesn't mean much if one has to wait for 90+ days or so for "common" service parts. Yes I had that experience when I sold an EP battery powered low lift pallet truck years ago - the are better now but not in 2004. I lost a customer. The part was a the drive motor controller. Couldn't afford to sell another one and I didn't.
3. reputation - Toyota and other Japanese imports have been around since the late 1960s when they first showed up on the US west coast - some were even "rebuilt??" called grey market units. US brands a lot longer - people like Clark, Yale, Hyster. Easy to find references of satisfied users for established brands - hard to do when your are a new comer or a company that has changed their brand name more than once.
4. Price is important but it is not the primary reasons why people buy - Confidence in the supplier is #1 that confidence is in the area of "product support" - takes a long time to prove or lots of initial investment with hopes of a return in the future.