Buying a lift??? (and wheel dolly question)

[grabeb]

I think I have finally settled on the lift I wish to purchase for the garage I am having built. Advantage Lifts dx-9000xlt.

Issue is I just got concrete poured Tuesday, so obviously, can't place much weight on it for a while. That said, the prices and availability of these lifts isn't going down, well maybe the availability. They told me a few weeks ago they had 5 or 6 local to me, I can buy and pick up whenever. Builder says he'll start standing walls next week, so then we can get lift whenever and he'll work around it to hang trusses. He seems willing to maybe help me go pick it up as I need an 18' trailer(preferable) to move it.

Here's the deal, I don't mind doing that, but if he gets held up on the trusses or sheeting, how long can I plan on leaving the lift semi exposed to elements even if I leave it in the crate and tarp it? I'm not worried about it walking off, but I do worry about sitting on an unopened crate. I'll likely hold off on picking it up until he moves further along, but I also don't know how long they are actually willing to sit on it. *to add to the mix, I was referred a lift salesman through an acquaintance. I looked him up and let's just say there were tons and tons of complaints against the company he seemed to be in charge of but they were years and years ago. Still, won't use him, but it makes me a bit nervous about not immediately taking ownership and installing in case there are issues. I plan on buying through my AMEX card, so I should have some coverage if things go south. I just don't want to wait and then not being able to get the lift I want for 6 months or so and prices going up again.
Does anyone have any recent experience or feedback? Am I crazy for buying it now and waiting?

As for the wheel dolly question....I plan on buying a set of 4 dollies. I really like the ones that you slide under and jack up with foot or by hand, but curious if I should plan on getting a set of each style? Are there pros and cons on both? I've watched video of them unloading the lift with a cherry picker and a set of the standard dolly that you jack the car up on and then lower. Basically, they lift the crate up on the tongue end of trailer with the picker, slide a dolly under, then lower. They then jack up on opposite end, but slowly pull trailer out. The tongue end rolls on the dolly toward the end of trailer, then then let the crate down on the 2nd dolly, which is now on the slab. They then jack up the end still on trailer, pull out the trailer, lower down the 1st dolly which is now on the slab and you can then wheel the entire setup around for unpackaging. Should this work for the hydraulic ones? The other issue is most I see, both styles, are 1500lb capacity each. I thought I read the standard 4 post lift is 3500lbs....I'm buying the xl lift, with extra height clearance.

 

[ericm]

I was just looking at the Greg Smith web site. Holy **** lift prices really went up in since Covid. Shortages of everything including shipping have as well. I just had a piece of farm equipment delivered whose shipping cost about double what a piece that weight cost a few years ago. The general trend though is prices coming back down and shortages easing as the supply chains and shipping catch up. Chances are good lots of stuff will be cheaper and easier to get in a year. If you wait you will not be stressing about the lift and the contractor won't have to work around it.

 

[619DioFan]

For moving the lift parts around just get 4 of the hf 4 wheel dollies , add a piece of 3/4 inch plywood to the top of each and you will be good. As for the weather , there are shops around me with lifts outside for years with no issues. A friend of mine has a lift at his house , the garage was too short so they poured a slab next to it and put up the lift outside , zero issues.

 

[grabeb]

That's all good to know. I know some things coming down, some are still heading up with inflation.

It's not that i can't wait a year.... I've waited almost 50, but i don't really want to. I'm building the garage to house my stuff and to be honest 1 hail deductible would likely eat up any savings. The lift is to house my 1960 suburban and still allow the wife to park her car in garage. Too short otherwise. Plus i have some repairs that'll be much easier with said lift.

 

[finn]

No problem storing the dx 9000 xlt under a tarp.

They are packaged quite well, with a thin layer of non waterproof plywood and a lot of bubble wrap to protect against shipping damage, but the lift is well packaged and it would be simple to wrap tarps, or even visqueen around the assembly and secure with straps.

There’s really not much to damage with a little moisture.

If you are really worried, pull the powerpack and store it in your basement. The ram is under the runway, so it will stay dry unless you have a flood with three feet of standing water.

I picked mine up with a 16’ equipment trailer (+ a two foot beaver tail). Unloading was pretty easy, but I had a compact tractor plus a couple of HF dollys and an engine hoist. My assistant was my 70 year old wife, but she’s used to me getting into things like this now, after 49 years.

Unloading the bigger ss11000 was a little trickier because of the additional size and weight, plus the equipment trailer had fold up ramps that we had to work around. The tractor was most useful for maneuvering the ss lift around the trailer ramps. The engine hoist and dolly would have handled the dx.

The lighter 9000 lb lift was, relatively, a piece of cake.

 

[grabeb]

Thanks, I'll likely order this week and put pickup off a few weeks. Maybe he can get trusses by then.

 

[glentre]

In my opinion, if you hire a standard car rollback for delivery of your lift, you won't need a cherry picker or pricy dollies. Both of my four post lifts were delivered by rollback into a finished garage. They backed the trailer into the bay, tilted the bed and slowly slid the crate off (with the car winch attached) onto some 6x6 wood runners. The rest you can do by hand with an engine hoist and a cheap set of H. Freight wood dollies under $20 for the ramps and heavy components.

Consider yourself lucky to have a contractor willing to work around an assembled lift. When I bought mine several years ago, most of the manufacturers sold lifts with casters which would allow the contractor to move the lift if it gets in his way during construction.

Glen

 

[LXCam]

Just buy and be done. You stand more chance of it getting damaged with it erected while still doing construction verses storing it under a tarp OUT OF THE WAY. I’m surprised the framer is willing to work around it, I sure know I wouldn’t.

 

[grabeb]

I'm not planning on assembling until he's finished and i might not pick it up until he's done or close to it. But if he's willing to run with me to grab it even better.

I'm only paying for dry in of building and roofed. I'll handle overhead door, electrical and siding.

 

[LXCam]

Now that makes sense. I was basing my comment on what you said but read between the lines a bit too much I suppose

“and he'll work around it to hang trusses.”

 

[grabeb]

Now that makes sense. I was basing my comment on what you said but read between the lines a bit too much I suppose

“and he'll work around it to hang trusses.”

He said he'd work around the crate. Honestly from my past experience of framing 20+ years ago, the crate doesn't look like it'd be a huge in the way item compared to all the other stuff that accumulates in a garage during a build.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

This was the temporary framing my builder used during truss installation.

Btw, there’s an Advantage DX 9000 XLT in that space now.

 

[Snip]

Grabeb, I bought the same lift and picked it up earlier this year. If you don't have that "warm fuzzy" feeling with the lift salesman you are dealing with I think you can deal directly with Advantage themselves. When I bought mine I dealt with Tony himself, met him and looked at the lift at a local Mercum auction. He had it shipped to my local freight dock and picked it up with my 18' car trailer. All went very smooth. Tony was great to deal with before and after the sale. I secured it to two of the 4 wheel furniture dollies with ratchet straps and was able to move it around the shop by myself until I was ready to assemble it. It was well packed and protected so with a tarp covering it I would would have no concerns about storing it in the elements until the shop was dried in. Even if you have to leave it on the trailer while waiting for the concrete to cure longer if you would feel better about putting any load on it. I am very happy with the lift

 

[grabeb]

This was the temporary framing my builder used during truss installation.

Btw, there’s an Advantage DX 9000 XLT in that space now.

That's crazy.

 

[grabeb]

Grabeb, I bought the same lift and picked it up earlier this year. If you don't have that "warm fuzzy" feeling with the lift salesman you are dealing with I think you can deal directly with Advantage themselves. When I bought mine I dealt with Tony himself, met him and looked at the lift at a local Mercum auction. He had it shipped to my local freight dock and picked it up with my 18' car trailer. All went very smooth. Tony was great to deal with before and after the sale. I secured it to two of the 4 wheel furniture dollies with ratchet straps and was able to move it around the shop by myself until I was ready to assemble it. It was well packed and protected so with a tarp covering it I would would have no concerns about storing it in the elements until the shop was dried in. Even if you have to leave it on the trailer while waiting for the concrete to cure longer if you would feel better about putting any load on it. I am very happy with the lift

I think I'm going to go straight through Advantage and I wonder if I didn't talk with Tony when I called prior. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[grabeb]

do you mind if I ask about what you guys spent on your lifts? Curious how much prices have gone up.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

do you mind if I ask about what you guys spent on your lifts? Curious how much prices have gone up.

Bought mine in February of this year, IIRC it was about $4300. I was going to get the 11000 to have plenty of room for my F250, but that lift went from about 4500 when I initially selected it to about 5300 I think when I was ready to place the order. I think the 9000XLT went from about $3600 when I was going to get the 11000 to the 4300 I paid. The 9000 handles my F250 just fine, it’s just a tightrope drive to keep it on the ramps.

And yes, I was glad I bought mine when I did when I saw the current price!

Edited to clarify: Lift was 4095, plus about $280 in state sales tax. Add to that another $475 for shipping to local terminal.

 

[Bad Habit]

Yeah, getting ready to get serious about one (2 post). Ouch, they've gone up 15-20% maybe more in some cases. I'm sure the shipping is a big part of that.

 

[dlwilson]

I bought my Direct Lift DL9 9000 on 6/13/2019 for $2661 out the door. I just googled, and I see it sells for $2850 now.

A friend picked it up with his trailer, and me and him and his helper were able to carry the columns into the garage where we wanted them. Maybe we used a dolly as well. I can't remember for sure, but I think I was able to get them vertical by myself with an engine lift. It was a fast process to get the lift up and running, so I don't remember details.

 

[aggie113]

I had my bendpak lift sitting on a trailer covered with a huge tarp with rocks on top to keep it in place for about 5 months. It saw lots of rain and humidity and that thing looked new when I finally got it into the garage.

 

[bradpac]

I would probably buy it now, pretty sure a year isn't going to be enough time for prices to go down, maybe in two...

 

[HoosierMark]

On the wheel dolly question. I considered the ones that you can raise with your foot but decided to go with the HF cheapos instead. My issue was wanting to store a car next to the wall on the dollies. If one failed and lowered by the wall it would be a pain to move the car. Now I just slide my floor jack under the car, jack up one side and lower it down on two dollies, repeat for the other side. The other issue is how often are you going to use them. I bought my lift used from a member on here that sold them out of chicago. It is a rotary 10K like new and was used in a test facility in detroit. He apparently has access to some now and then. Also when you run electric to it, I recommend you run an extra circuit for a plug in on each post. I use my plug ins a lot whether using the lift or not because they are so convenient

 

[nickstar]

do you mind if I ask about what you guys spent on your lifts? Curious how much prices have gone up.

Bought mine early summer 2019, AtlasPVL10 for $3,400.00, just checked the sight and they are $4,565.00. They changed the paint scheme from gray to blue, but I am pretty sure that is not what drove the price up. LOL