Company Longevity
Experience can also make all the difference. The longer a company has been in business, the more opportunities it has had to perfect its art and make a name for itself. The world of automotive lifts is very competitive, so the fly-by-night companies are unable stay in business long. Where does that leave all of their customers for support and parts? Don’t be caught in that trap. Take a hard look at how long the company’s doors have been open. That goes double for a car lift manufacturer.

See What Others Say
It’s also a good idea to speak with other hobbyists or shop owners who own and operate car lifts on a daily basis. Who do they buy their automotive lifts from? Why? The internet is an incredibly powerful resource and has given voice to formally silent consumers. Searching car enthusiast and mechanic message boards is a great strategy for getting first-hand information about the product, the dealer and the manufacturer.

Another solid strategy is to check out Ripoff Report to see if anyone you’re planning on doing business with has been accused of shady dealings in the past. Ripoff Report isn't a definitive source for reliable consumer information, but it may make you think twice.

In State vs. Out Of State
Sometimes you’ll find that the right dealer for you is outside of your state. Don’t be intimidated; many car lift owners have discovered that there are tangible benefits to purchasing their garage equipment out of state.

When you purchase a lift outside of your state, local sales tax no longer applies to the purchase. This can mean big savings for the consumer, especially if the dealer offers free shipping.

After Sales Support
How the dealer and manufacturer act towards you after they have your money in hand is one of the most telling signs of a company’s priorities. Find out how comprehensive their customer service is. Do they provide inspection and maintenance for their auto lifts, or do they refer you to someone else? These questions are important to ask before you decide to buy.

Without regular maintenance, your car lift will age three times as fast as a well-serviced unit. Shop owners know that when their automotive lift malfunctions, every minute is revenue lost. You need a dealer that recognizes the importance of timely, courteous support and will respond accordingly to each situation.

It should be noted that few dealers will service the equipment they sell. Instead, the car lift manufacturer should contract with local installers and service centers to make sure a qualified specialist is nearby to handle your maintenance needs.

The qualifications of the actual technicians who will be servicing and repairing your car lift are worth taking a look at. See if you can meet them before money changes hands. Make sure they are factory trained and close enough for quick-response, regardless of whether you’re going to buy your new car lift through a distributor or a manufacturer.

You can find more great tips on choosing a car lift dealer or manufacturer here.

Your Final Answer
Reputable manufacturers and dealers will provide you with nearly identical tips contained in this car lift buyer’s guide. If the information doesn’t match up, buyer beware! The car lift dealer or manufacturer should ask you about your specific automotive lifting needs, where you plan on installing your car lift and any special circumstances you might have before they give you their recommendation. Aggressive salesmen may try to upsell you on a much larger capacity car lift or hastily explain that their square peg fits all round holes. But by now you know better.

If possible, see if someone in the organization is willing to come out and inspect your proposed automobile lifting bay. Not only will this give the dealer a solid idea of what your specific situation is, but you’ll also get to meet him or her face to face.

As soon as you have narrowed down your list of manufacturers and dealers, it’s time to start gathering quotes. This is also the time to look into what is included in each proposal. Make sure you get quotes for warranties, maintenance plans, training, installation and finally delivery from each dealer. Keep organized notes, so it’s easy to compare the different prices in the next step.

Increasingly, car lifts are also becoming a more popular choice among dedicated hobbyists who prefer to maintain their own vehicles, as well as families looking to make the most out of their limited parking space. The efficiency, speed, safety and convenience a high-quality car lift provides is now an affordable option for the home user.

But finding the right car lift for home or professional use is still a challenging task for many consumers, mostly because it seems like the options, features and different applications multiply in number by the day. That's why we're here to offer comprehensive help with The Best Car Lift: A Guide from BendPak. This guide will not only give you valuable information about the different car lift styles, but also about the important role ALI / ETL certification plays in safe car lift operation, safety features, how to choose a dealer and pricing. Using this car lift buyer's guide will prepare you so that you can find the best auto lift for your home or business.

The most important thing you can do when shopping around for a new auto lift of any kind is to conduct your own car lift consumer research. Since you're reading this in-depth car lift guide, you are already on the right track.

You should get started by gaining more than a basic understanding of where the automotive lift is going to be installed. To start, this will require accurate measurements of your bay or garage, including ceiling height. Also, decide what type of car or truck the auto lift will be lifting. Use that information to choose the prospective car lift's dimensions and weight capacity.

Additional things to look out for include concrete strength and the pounds per square inch (PSI) rating, as well as the location / rating of your power and air supply. These factors will certainly affect which car lift you should invest in.

There are also other online resources you can use to fully prepare yourself for your car lift purchase and installation. Two of them are the Top 10 Guide to Car Lifts and the Study in Lift Design website.

Priced To Move
Realistically, the price you pay for your car lift will very rarely be the highest or lowest on your list. You want to find that perfect zone where cost and value are roughly equal. You do get what you pay for. Business owners know that they need to consider the overall cost of the automotive lift throughout its entire life of service. The criteria is slightly different for home users that don’t plan on earning revenue off of the purchase, but trying to save a couple hundred bucks can still mean the difference between enjoying your time in the garage and a total service nightmare.

While an expensive car lift will not always mean high-quality materials, an exceptionally low-priced automotive lift will almost certainly be cheaply made. That means undersized automobile lifting cylinders, no engineering to speak of, compromised safety systems and thinner steel. These are the kinds of things that can cost a business owner untold thousands of dollars in damage or downtime.

On the other side, home users are willing to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on their beautiful automobiles, but then senselessly cut corners on the very thing that holds them up. There’s nothing wrong with shopping around for a good price, but make sure you are willing to at least pay for the value that you hope to get out of your new auto lift.

Car Lift Pricing
A standard two-post car lift with a capacity of around 10,000 pounds will usually run anywhere between $2,000 and $3,500, which is about the same price as a lower capacity four-post auto lift. Opting for a four-post auto lifting solution in the 10,000-pound weight range will generally cost a couple hundred dollars more, but it might be worth it if you want to also stack to vehicles.

Always check to make sure that shipping and installation are included in the final quoted price for your new car lift. Standard installation should be around or under $500 for a two-post car lifting solution and under $1,000 for a four-post auto lift. As previously noted, in-ground car lifts and installations are by far the most expensive auto lifting option available, sometimes costing as much as $10,000.

Once you venture into higher capacity automotive lifts--the kind that can lift a fire truck, for instance--the pricing scales considerably. Ultra-high capacity car lifts like mobile column auto lifts and huge parallelogram-style truck lifts can easily cost over $10,000. These can both be excellent options depending on your specific needs, as long as their giant capabilities are properly utilized by equally impressive vehicle weights.

Check The Warranty
A car lift is nothing like a flat screen television or a stereo system. If there was ever a purchase that required a comprehensive warranty, an automotive lift is it.

The differences in warranty can vary considerably from one manufacturer to the other, so do not just assume everything is covered. The better warranties out there offer years of protection, but as little as three months can be sufficient to discover manufacturing flaws. Frame and construction are the strongest components of a car lift’s construction, so those are usually covered under warranty for much, much longer.

Even if the repair itself is considered under warranty, extras like labor, shipping and travel can sometimes result in unforeseen fees for the customer. Carefully read the details of each warranty when making your decision.