2012 Sentria - What do I need to be careful about?

[got2bjennyg]

I'm going to look at a Sentria 1 built in 2012 that is for sale locally. Other than the obvious things that a person would look at when buying a used item, is there anything in particular I should be concerned about?

If the vacuum is in decent cosmetic condition and appears to operate normally, is $125 a reasonable amount to pay for it? It includes the original box, attachment set and shampoo system (I will probably never use the shampoo system since I have a Bissell big green upright extractor).

Thanks in advance for your guidance.

 

[rugsucker]

"--be careful about?--"

You might want to be careful about waiting to long and being told it is sold!If you are familiar with and like Kirby(a great & quality vac)and want one at a HUGE saving from new price with many more years use left this might be a very good deal.If when you see it if it has been abused or not working well you should turn and leave.You could also offer a lesser amount as the attitude of the seller is often'don't like,don't know how or want to learn how to use,don't want,need to be rid of'.

 

[got2bjennyg]

I just went to look at it. It had a good deal of oxidation and was pretty filthy, and there was no opportunity to hear it run before purchasing. I decided to pass on it.

 

[huskyvacs]

I got my Sentria for $40 on eBay, but that was a once in a lifetime fluke deal. I would recommend going to pawn shops and seeing what they have for sale as far as Kirbys. Kirbys for whatever reason are a heavily pawned vacuum, and I believe some pawn shops will let you make monthly/weekly payments on it. Unless you really love the Sentria, you should see if they have any Avalirs in there for that price range, those are very nice looking.

 

[got2bjennyg]

There is a Sentria for $50 about 30 miles away. I drove out there, took one look at the neighborhood and house and left. Some deals just aren't worth it LOL.

I'm headed out this am to look at these. It's a retired guy hat says he's worked on hundreds of Kirby's. His price is very fair IMHO. $200 for the Sentria II and $250 for the Avalir (no shampoo system).

 

[got2bjennyg]

I picked up the Avalir. I actually prefer the aesthetics/colors of the Sentria II, but the tech drive on this avalir seemed to perform better than the one on this particular Sentria.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[got2bjennyg]

So excited. Lol

 

[madman]

Noice!

 

[vacuumdevil]

The price is right .

I would check the self propel Dr leaver. Dump out the mini emptier in front of them and inspect the fan with a flashlight.
Then use that as part of the negotiation
As a preemptive measure I personally would just change the brush roller and start fresh. And also doesn't hurt to launder the outer vacuum

Here's a playlist of Kirby maintenance videos on such.
Good luck !

Kirby Vacuum Reviews & Repairs:

 

[broomvac]

After reading your original post but before reading your fourth, I was going to advise you to keep an eye out for tech drive issues. More commonly than they wear out, tech drive systems can be knocked out of adjustment. One symptom of this is that the vacuum will propel itself more readily in one direction than the other. Almost always, the cure is an adjustment of the attachment point between the handle pivot and the slide block underneath. It wouldn’t cost you anything to do it yourself, but it would be a pain.

I digress. The great thing is, you already picked one which drives well.

Thanks for sharing!