Buying a Toilet? How to Decide Between New and Used

If you’re in the market for a portable toilet but can’t decide between purchasing a brand-new portable toilet or a second-hand one, we’re here to help.

While a second-hand portable toilet might seem attractive because of its price tag, they can often turn out to be more expensive in the long-run if repairs are needed and spare parts are not easily accessible.

It is a common misconception that all portable toilet spare parts (regardless of where they are bought from) will fit any portable toilet. This is often not the case with most spare parts unique to the brand of the toilet. It is important to note that if you are considering purchasing a second-hand portable toilet from an overseas brand, you may not even be able to get spare parts, or you may pay exorbitant fees in importing the required components.

Therefore, there are several questions to consider before committing to purchasing a second-hand portable toilet. We recommend asking the seller the below questions:

  • What is the brand of the portable toilet and where is the manufacturer based?
  • What is the serial number of the portable toilet?
  • How old is the portable toilet?
  • What condition is the portable toilet in?
  • Does the portable toilet need repairs? Either externally or internally? How much would these repairs cost?
  • Where can you get spare parts for the portable toilet?
  • Is the portable toilet easy to service?

If you decide to purchase a brand-new portable toilet from a reputable Australian company, you will not need to ask these questions. Australian Portable Toilets is proud to offer a two-year warranty on all portable toilets and a one-year guarantee on all accessories and parts to give you reliability and peace of mind. You will also receive many other benefits including:

  • Ease of purchase – you deal with us directly from start to finish.
  • Choose exactly what type of portable toilet you want – choose the model type (waste tank vs. sewer connect), what colour you’d like the toilet to be and what accessories you want to add.
  • Cleanliness – no one else has used the portable toilet, it’s brand-spanking new.
  • Longevity – our portable toilets have been manufactured and designed to last 10-15 years.

When calculating the cost per year, a brand-new portable toilet equates to $140 per year over 15 years. If you purchase a second-hand portable toilet for $1000 and it has approx. 5 years of life left it, it will cost you $200 per year. This excludes the cost of any spare parts needed to keep the portable toilet in perfect working order. It is, therefore, best to purchase a brand-new portable toilet.

However, if you do decide to purchase a second-hand portable toilet, please give us a call on 1800 POO WEE. We are more than happy to help you assess your purchase and provide any insights on the condition and longevity of the toilet and potential spare parts costings.