For the past 2 years I've been searching for a forklift for my business in Iowa. When on CL I noticed a nice 1, w/ low hours in good condition from this co in Illinois. I texted the number (Sat PM) and 30 secs later rec'd a response from Mario. He then sent pix by email of the exact unit plus 3 other lifts within my budget. Now we've all heard of scams on CL so naturally I was skeptical about spending this kind of $ w/o benefit of inspecting but throughout the next few days Mario rested my concerns by answering every one of my questions quickly, completely and with pix. Ultimately I made the purchase and the unit arrived as planned, as described. Couldn't be happier. Mike @ ILE was very knowledgeable and Kristin in shipping was polite, thorough and communicative. Please, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR! If you're in the market for lift I strongly encourage you to google this company and ask for Mario. He'll be straight with you. Thanks to Kristin, Mario and Mike. You guys rock. Sam read more

I would strongly caution anyone considering purchasing used equipment from Illinois Lift to do their own independent investigation before sending them any money. We were prepared to purchase a 54-foot telehandler from Illinois Lift. We had agreed on the pricing, had photographs of the machine, and were essentially ready to complete the transaction. Illinois Lift represented the machine to us as having approximately 2,400 hours. Before purchasing it, I hired an independent professional equipment inspection company to physically inspect the machine for us. Thank God I did. When I received the inspector's photographs, I immediately questioned the stated hours. In particular, the wear on the brake pedal pad did not look remotely consistent to me with a machine having only 2,400 hours. I then compared the photographs from the independent inspection with the photographs Illinois Lift had provided and displayed of the machine. I noticed that several stickers had been removed from the machine, including a United Rentals sticker. We have a business relationship with United Rentals, so we contacted them and provided the serial number of the machine. United Rentals told us that they had sold this exact machine, identified by serial number, approximately two years earlier in Atlanta, Georgia, with approximately 5,600 hours already on it. Illinois Lift was now representing that same machine to us as having approximately 2,400 hours. Think about that. The machine supposedly lost approximately 3,200 operating hours during the two years after United Rentals sold it. I have the photographs. I have the independent inspection documentation. I have the serial number information. I have the emails concerning the transaction, including correspondence with Dave Torres, who manages Illinois Lift. When I confronted Illinois Lift with what we had discovered, I was equally disturbed by their response. In my opinion, they showed nowhere near the concern I would expect from a legitimate equipment dealer when presented with evidence of this kind of hour discrepancy. Based on the information we uncovered, I believe we were being sold a machine whose represented hours could not possibly be reconciled with its documented prior history. Had I not spent the money to independently inspect the machine and investigate its history, we could very easily have completed the purchase believing we were buying a 2,400-hour machine. Thankfully, I caught it before we sent the money. I have been in business for more than 40 years. I buy equipment. I understand used machinery. Machines get used, repaired, repainted, resold, and sometimes abused. That is part of buying used equipment. What is not acceptable is being offered a machine represented as having 2,400 hours when the previous owner tells you, by serial number, that they sold that same machine two years earlier with 5,600 hours already on it. Anyone considering doing business with Illinois Lift should independently verify the serial number, previous ownership, service history, and operating hours before purchasing anything. Based upon my experience and the documentation I have from this transaction, I would never do business with Illinois Lift again. read more

I would AVOID this 'business' like the plague. We are in the process of filing a lawsuit against them and if you have experienced something similar, please contact us at: mkousa@stonecarvingunlimited.com Our goal is to shut this company down so they can no longer defraud good hard working Americans. Here's what happened: We purchased a 2011 Toyota forklift and we were promised two weeks delivery after we paid for it but after six weeks of lying to us claiming the reason behind the delay is because they check each forklift thoroughly before they deliver it and make sure everything is in good condition. However, what we received was a piece of junk. The engine has rattling noise. The transmission is leaking. The cooling system is leaking. The breaks are extremely bad. It takes about 30 seconds to start it and the battery almost dies each time. The hydraulic system is so bad, it takes a very long time moving the forks up even with the foot all the way down on the gas pedal. MOST IMPORTANTLY, one of the pictures we asked for before purchase was of the odometer and it showed 3906.7 hours but when we got the forklift the odometer on it showed 1.8 hours only. This was the final straw for us. Attempting to defraud us with fake hours is not just morally and legally wrong, but an insult to our intelligence. We have compiled all the evidence to move forward with a case. As I've stated, we are on a mission to make sure this company can no longer defraud Americans. If you've been impacted by these fraudsters, please reach out to us and we will take it from there. This will be at NO COST to you, as we are suing them for all attorney fees as well. read more

What can i say, other than i should have done my research before buying from these guys. I've never dealt with a group of people more full of ..... like these guys. I financed a forklift from them, paid the deposit and signed the papers, One month later I still don't have my forklift and they keep giving me the run down that their "service department" is getting the forklift ready. Which raises the question, if their forklifts aren't in sellable conditions why even list them? These guys are scammers and I am currently working with other people/Companies who have gone through the same scenario with these guys to put a lawsuit against them. They have met their match!!, I will spend whatever I need to spend too to make an example out of these guys! read more

I buy equipment on a large scale and made a mistake purchasing a forklift from them. It was supposed to be a "standard Prep" machine and it took them 3+ months longer than it was supposed to to deliver. Then they delivered a non running forklift. Once we got it started it could not lift anything without dying. I filed a warranty claim since it had a power train warranty for 30 days and they offered to cover 1/4 of the cost, or i could ship it back to them at my cost which would have been more than the repair round trip. They are not honest and do not deliver when or what they say. Do yourself a favor and do not buy from them. read more

Illinois Lift Equipment - you can see the smoke from the engine. I wish i could do a video of this "standard Prep" - Machine & Tool Rental Near Me - Cary, Illinois

Stay away from this company! They want all the money up front and then proceed to give you excuse after excuse for why the forklift was not ready yet. Took nearly 7 weeks to finally receive the forklift. Immediately was having issues and the lift would not hardly even stay running. They gave me the run around about how it would not be covered under warranty. The lift was down for 3 more weeks after I finally did receive it and had to put another $3k into it to just get it running again. Will never deal with this company again. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else! read more

Took 48000 and won't deliver the equipment holds my money for 45 days and now forcing me to sign a waver from any lawsuit or complaint also asking me to sign a false statement claiming that I have seen inspected and accepted the machine that I have never seen and truly don't believe it exists. I should have searched reviews prior to paying money that's my only mistake read more

I made the mistake of buying a 2018 Toyota 8FGCU25 from Illinois Lift Equipment from out of state. It was an easy process until our full deposit was received and then the waiting began, and the uneasiness started. After threatening to cancel my order due to the excessive lead time to get the lift inspected / ready for shipment it finally arrived. However, there was damage to the new paint job in the rear due to packaging, which was marked on the bill of lading. Further, upon starting it up for the first-time hydraulic fluid was pouring out of a fitting on the mast (see picture attached to this review). I believe the unit was never sent thru their pre-inspection process for the $399 we paid to have it done. After speaking with them about the issue and seeking reimbursement for the 1 hour service call we paid out of pocket to have the leak fixed they refused to take care of the expense. When you pay $28,200 for a used lift that has only been in your possession for less than 24 hours and the seller won't honor a small claim worth less than half of 1 percent then you are certainly disappointed and feel obligated to warn others. Hiding behind "The warranty offered with the unit is a 30 day powertrain which covers internal part failures within the engine and transmission" just shows that Illinois Lift Equipment is not reputable. read more

Illinois Lift Equipment - Hydraulic fluid just pouring out. - Machine & Tool Rental Near Me - Cary, Illinois

Review of 1 star is being generous. Deplorable experience/customer service through the entire proces, from deposit to delivery (3 month time span). They also didn't call prior to delivery, didn't deliver where they were instructed. They delivered to the neighbors and we found out 6 days later. Do not purchase from them. Illinois Lift assumes NO responsibility at all, their deficits are always the customers fault. Check out other reviews for the same feedback. You'll be sorry if you conduct business with them. read more

****BUYER BEWARE: They sell refurbished forklifts that are nothing but trouble. We bought one, and it broke down in less than four months. Their support is non-existent. This company is not to be trusted! SCAMMERS!!!!!! read more

Absolutely horrendous experience--if I could give zero stars, I would. I bought a lift from this company a year ago, and it's been a nightmare from day one. The lift has acceleration problems, all but one cylinder leaks hydraulic fluid, and the filters were caked with dirt from the start, proving there was zero quality control during their months-long "prepping" period. I notified them immediately, but nothing was resolved. Fast forward a year, I'm $50,000 in the hole with an inoperable lift and have been bounced between three different managers, each more dismissive than the last. It's obvious they don't care about their customers once the equipment leaves their yard. This company is the epitome of unprofessionalism, selling shoddy products with nonexistent customer service. Save your money and buy local from someone who actually values their customers--these guys are a complete joke. Stay away unless you enjoy wasting money and endless frustration. read more

The worst company to do business with. Promises made were not kept...the most frustrating part is they won't even return a communique.

If there was a 0 star, they wouldn't deserve it. STAY AWAY, the absolutely worse company I have ever dealt with in 34 years in business. Bought a forklift that took over 6 months to get ready. " in final inspection" it took so long I wanted to cancel and they said read the back of contract,, which said no obligation for delivery etc... so read it, its all they care about... customer satisfaction and communication is not their concern after they get your money. Fast forward 6 months, forklift was just delivered and mechanics now ordered $45,000 in parts. I am not sure what "final inspection" means but it has nothing to do with the operation of the unit. They are terrible, their units are terrible and customer care is terrible. DO NOT BUY FROM HERE read more

i will start off like the rest of the reveiws. i made the mistake of buying from them. i wish i could leave no stars at all. when we got the forklift it leaked every fluid it had in it on the floor and continues to do so and they won't do a thing about it. have been messaging them and they won't respond anymore. DO NOT BUY FROM THEM!!!!! read more

The worst company ever. Do not even buy forklifts from them if they are not finished and ready to go!!! Waiting for my forklift for over 2.5 months now. Everyday is another promise and promise. I should of read their reviews before I even went to them. Look around Chicago area. There is many companies who is also selling forklifts which are in stock all fixed if needed and ready to go read more

Purchasing a lift from these folks was among the worse mistakes we've made in a LONG time. They delayed the delivery for months after receiving full payment, delivered a lift that had leaked oil all over the trailer, then claimed we ruined it by running it. We called them immediately reporting the leak and the fact the dip stick would not stay in the machine. They assured us it had all been gone over and was in working condition. It didn't run 100 hours for us before the engine sieved at which time they wanted a 'leak down' test - which requires a running machine. We had a lawyer go over the facts in detail and their warranty is so slippery, we didn't stand much of a chance of prevailing. We really hated letting them off the hook, but we didn't want to invest another $40-50,000 in litigation - after buying the lift and replacing the engine - with no certainty of winning. This review is my only recourse. These guys are AWFUL - DO NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING FROM THEM!!! read more

I've purchased used forklifts before so this wasn't my first "used" forklift. Illinois Lift have been THE WORST I have ever dealt with. First, they were over a month late in delivering the forklift and every time I contacted them, I was either met with no reply. When I did get a reply, it always seems to be "getting ready" for the "inspection" or "paint". Once I finally got the forklift, there were issues right from the start. The forklift is used so I understand there will be wear/tear. However, I'd expect the forklift to be functioning without safety concerns. 3 major issues with the lift I purchased: 1. HUGE gouge in one of the tires which can't be missed unless you're blind. (Sent me two new/after market tires. But I had to flip the bill for labor.) 2. One of the break is bad so you can feel the forklift "slip" when breaking. (Illinois Lift's response: they were "working" when tested at their facility. Will sent parts to fix but again, won't pay for labor.) 3. The lifting/tilting randomly lags and jerks. (The problem was with the hose which has a crack along the entire length and needs to be replaced. Illinois Lift wouldn't even respond back about this issue.) The estimated bill to fix the breaks and the lift/tilt is roughly $3,650.00. Their offer was to send the parts for the breaks which costs about $736.00. When I responded back proposing we split the difference, the answer was a no. I've wasted so much time/energy with them that I just want it to go away so I've grudging took their offer. STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

This was my worst business transaction I have ever been apart of. As almost everyone has said, They want all the money up front, That would have been OK if they would have delivered it in a timely manner. It took weeks to get it delivered, Once it was delivered, They didn't include the forks, I will never do business with them ever again and I hope this will save someone else the pain of dealing with these people. And the sales rep was about the most worthless individual person I have ever dealt with. read more

Caveat emptor. Mario is knowledgeable but the information he provided me which I relied upon to make my purchase decision, left out several important details about how they categorize their lifts and what that means in regards to the quality and condition of the lift. My mistake was not asking the proper questions before buying. I was told, after the lift was received, "we sold this wholesale which is why you have some of the minor issues with your lift". I spent over $3000 to bring the unit to a condition I thought Illinois would be delivering to me. Mario did try to arrive at a compromise. He said he would send me a pair of forks to replace the bent forks that arrived with the lift. 7 months later, I'm still waiting on their arrival. while I should have hounded them to do what they promised, instead I chalked this up to lessons learned, using the time for more productive endeavors. If you decide to work with this group, do you homework and ask thoughtful questions about the equipment you're buying. That will better ensure you of a no surprise transaction. read more