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When buying a lift, look beyond steel and hydraulics to consider the company that built it

When in the market for a new car, truck or bus lift, it’s important to look past the lift equipment itself to the company that builds and stands behind it. Sure, evaluating capacity, footprint and certification is important but, if you stop there, your money may not go as far as it could.

“Product functionality tends to drive lift purchase decisions – ensuring the lift does what you need it to do, looks good, fits in the space you have and so on,” says Doug Spiller, Rotary Lift director of heavy duty product management. “However, there’s so much more that goes into a solid purchasing decision, like the manufacturer’s reputation so you know what to expect from initial inquiry all the way to product delivery. Digging into the ‘who’ you’re buying from and not just the ‘what’ can help you feel secure in the decision you make now and in any future purchase decisions.”

Before committing to a specific brand of vehicle lift, consider these 10 factors to ensure maximum performance, support and, most importantly, success:

1. Reputation: word-of-mouth is the best way to determine a company’s reputation. Talk to your colleagues about their experiences and ask your manufacturer’s rep for a list of references.
2. Financial Stability: lift manufacturers that have been in business for decades and continue to invest in new and innovative products will likely be in business for the life of your lift.
3. Company Breadth & Depth: look for a manufacturer that offers a variety of lift types and models and can recommend those that are best suited for your needs.
4. Commitment to Quality: manufacturers that make a commitment to quality significantly outperform the competition. At minimum, look for ISO 9001 certification and membership in the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI).
5. Facility Planning: a committed lift manufacturer will help you maximize shop productivity by providing custom architectural layouts, CAD blocks and specifications.
6. Engineering & Design: look for a manufacturer with expertise to design and engineer its lifts in-house and to cycle test them to the equivalent of at least 10 years of real-world use.
7. Qualified Local Partners: a reputable manufacturer will offer its lifts through qualified, factory-trained distributors who can provide local installation, service and inspection.
8. Factory Support: a good manufacturer will always be available to help you with online and phone support conducted by trained specialists in North America.
9. Parts Availability: downtime means lost revenue and productivity, so be sure your lift manufacturer has genuine OE replacement parts available immediately from a local distributor or shipped within 24 hours.
10. Warranty: cover yourself for the long term with a warranty that clearly states which components are covered and under which conditions, what labor costs are included, and whether local authorized service and extended warranties are available.

Rotary has been building lifts in America longer than anyone else. To learn more about Rotary and its full line of lifts, visit www.rotarysolutions.com, contact your local Rotary Lift distributor or call (800) 640-5438. You can also find out more about the team behind the brand on Facebook, facebook.com/RotaryLift, Twitter, twitter.com/RotaryLift, at The Blueprint blog, blog.rotarysolutions.com, and at www.rotarysolutions.com/raised-in-madison/.