A solid pre purchase checklist is the difference between landing a lift that runs for another fifteen years and hauling home a hydraulic headache. We get calls almost every week from Iowa shop owners and home garage guys who bought a used lift off a classified ad, only to find out the columns are twisted, the cables are frayed, or the unit was never rated for what they actually need. Auto Lift Services installs and services lifts across the state, and we’ve seen every version of “it looked fine in the pictures.” Before you hand over cash for any two post, four post, or scissor lift, run through a real pre purchase checklist first.
Not sure if a used lift’s cables, arms, or hydraulic unit are still available? We stock replacement parts for every major brand and can help you verify fit before you commit.
Why a Pre Purchase Checklist Matters More Than the Sticker Price
Everybody focuses on the number scrawled on the sticky note in the seller’s shop. That’s the wrong starting point. A lift that’s a few hundred dollars cheaper but missing a safety lock mechanism, running worn cables, or built for 9,000 lbs when you need 12,000 lbs isn’t a deal — it’s a liability sitting on your shop floor. A proper pre purchase checklist forces you to look past the price and into the actual condition and capacity of the machine.
We’ve installed lifts for Iowa shops that saved a little money buying used, and we’ve also had to turn away installs because the equipment showed up structurally unsound. The difference almost always traces back to whether the buyer did their homework beforehand. Following a pre purchase checklist isn’t about being paranoid — it’s about protecting your vehicles, your techs, and your investment. If you skip this step, you’re gambling with equipment that will be lifting cars, trucks, and possibly farm equipment over your head or your customer’s head. That’s not a place to cut corners, and it’s exactly why we tell every caller to slow down before they wire money to a stranger for a used unit.
Confirm the Capacity Actually Matches Your Work
Every lift has a rated capacity, usually stamped on a data plate near the base or control box. The first item on any pre purchase checklist should be matching that number against what you actually intend to lift. A lot of Iowa shops work on everything from compact cars to full-size pickups and even light farm equipment, and it’s shockingly common to find sellers advertising a 9,000 lb lift as suitable for “anything,” which simply isn’t true.
If you’re planning to lift dually trucks, service trucks with plows, or heavier ag equipment, you need a lift rated well above your heaviest vehicle, not right at the edge. Undersized lifts get overloaded eventually — someone forgets, or a new tech doesn’t know the limit — and that’s when accidents happen. Ask the seller directly for the data plate photo or model number before you even go look at it in person. If the data plate is missing or painted over, that’s a red flag worth noting on your pre purchase checklist. A reputable seller will have no trouble giving you the exact model and rated capacity in writing.
Inspect Cables, Arms, and Hydraulic Cylinders Up Close
Once capacity checks out, get physical with the equipment. This is where most buyers skip steps because they don’t know what “bad” looks like. Cables should be free of fraying, kinks, or rust pitting — any of those are signs the lift needs new cables before it’s safe to run again. Arms should extend and retract smoothly without grinding, and the swing arm restraints (the locks that keep arms from swinging under load) need to function properly.
For hydraulic units, ask to see the lift actually cycle up and down if at all possible. Watch for slow drift once it’s raised — that points to a leaking cylinder or worn seals. Check the base plates and columns for cracks, weld repairs, or bowing, especially on lifts that have sat outside or in an unheated pole building through Iowa winters. Rust is nearly universal on older used lifts around here, but surface rust on the frame is very different from rust that’s eaten into structural steel. Bring a flashlight and actually get under the unit. This physical inspection step is the heart of any real pre purchase checklist, and it’s the part sellers most hope you’ll skip.
Ask About Age, Service History, and Certification
Lifts don’t come with a Carfax, but a good seller should still be able to tell you roughly how old the unit is, whether it’s ever been serviced, and whether it carries ALI (Automotive Lift Institute) certification. Older lifts built before certain safety standards took effect may lack certain safety features that newer models have as standard, like proper locking mechanisms or arm restraints.
If the seller genuinely doesn’t know anything about the lift’s history — no idea when it was installed, no idea if it’s ever leaked, no idea who serviced it last — treat that as missing information rather than a dealbreaker, but weigh it heavily. A pre purchase checklist should include specific questions: how many years has it been in service, has it ever failed an inspection, has it been relocated (which can stress components), and does it come with the original manual or install documentation. We’ve walked buyers through this conversation over the phone before they ever saw the lift in person, and it’s saved more than one of them from a bad purchase.
Factor In Installation, Power, and Floor Requirements
A pre purchase checklist doesn’t end when the lift changes hands — it has to include what it takes to actually get the thing running in your space. Two post lifts typically need a specific concrete slab thickness and cure time, which older shop floors may not meet. Four post lifts are more forgiving on floor requirements but need enough clear height and floor space to accommodate the ramps and vehicle length.
Check your electrical setup too. Most lifts run on 220-volt single phase, but some commercial units need three phase power, which not every rural Iowa shop or home garage has readily available. Moving a used lift also means factoring in professional installation costs, which vary based on whether you need new anchors, electrical work, or a full disassembly and reassembly if it’s coming from another building. We handle installs across Iowa and can tell you upfront, based on photos and a floor plan, whether a used lift you’re considering will drop into your space without surprises.
Get the Paperwork and Serial Number Before You Pay
Before any money changes hands, get the model and serial number and run it past a lift professional if you can. This step on your pre purchase checklist protects you from buying a unit with a recalled part, a discontinued cylinder that’s impossible to source parts for, or one that’s actually a different capacity than advertised. We field calls regularly from people who found a lift online and want to know if we can still get cables, arms, or hydraulic parts for it before they commit to buying.
It’s also worth asking for a bill of sale that includes the serial number, in case you ever need to establish ownership history or warranty eligibility down the line. Some manufacturers will register a lift under a new owner if it’s a recent enough model, which can matter if something fails early. Treat this documentation step as non-negotiable — a seller unwilling to provide a serial number or basic paperwork is telling you something about how transparent the rest of the transaction is going to be.
Bring in a Professional Before You Finalize the Deal
The last item on our pre purchase checklist is the one people skip most often because it costs a little time and sometimes a small inspection fee: get a lift professional to look at the equipment before you finalize the purchase, especially for anything over a few thousand dollars in value. We’ve done pre-purchase inspections for Iowa buyers looking at used two post, four post, and scissor lifts, and it’s saved people from bad deals more times than we can count.
A trained eye catches things a general buyer won’t — subtle column misalignment, a cylinder that’s about to fail, a control box with wiring that doesn’t match factory specs after a sketchy repair. If you’re comparing a used lift against buying new, factor the inspection cost into your decision; it’s a small price against the risk of installing a lift that fails inspection or, worse, fails under a vehicle. For more detail on what our inspectors specifically check, take a look at our pre purchase lift checklist and our breakdown for two post lift buyers if that’s the style you’re considering.
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