Buying Advice - Used Kirby Sentria 1 or New Kirby Sentria II

[pglover19]

Hello,

I have an opportunity to purchase a used Kirby Sentria 1 for $125.00 or a new Kirby Sentria II for $575. The price for the Sentria II includes the zipp brush and carpet shampoo kit. Both units has no warranty. The used unit needs some polishing and cleaning, but works great.

Please help me decide.. I want to purchase this weekend.

 

[kirby519]

The only difference between them besides the price is the color scheme. I would lookdthem both over carefully and run them and then purchace the one in the best condition.

 

[pglover19]

The Sentria II is brand new, in the original packaging. It has never been used..

Attached is a photo of the used Sentria. Just need some help in deciding...

 

[pglover19]

Attached is the photo of the brand new Sentria II.

Is $575 a good price for a brand new Sentria II with the zipp brush and shampoo kit but no warranty?

 

[jfalberti]

I'd be leery of them

That price for the Sentria II is too good to be true. How well do you know the person selling them? They could be stolen, in which case you'd be receiving stolen property. If it is legit, that is a steal for the Sentria II. True, it won't have any warranty from Kirby, so if something is wrong, you would have to pay full cost for the repair. If it were me, and I trusted the seller, and had the money, I'd go for the Sentria II.

Joe

 

[pglover19]

I trust the seller 100% percent....

 

[bagintheback]

One thing I might look into doing is first buy the Sentria I, restore it(polish, new belt, bag ect.) and resell it on eBay. You should get enough to recoup the initial cost plus another $100-$150 to put towards the Sentria II.  If that doesn't intrest you, I'd go with the Sentria II. Since it is NIB, it's guaranteed to work at it's best, plus it is always nice to have a current model. The Sentria II should have a greater resale value down the road as well. 

 

[pglover19]

So is $575 a good price for a brand new Sentria II with the zipp brush and shampoo kit but no warranty?

 

[bagintheback]

So is $575 a good price?

I hear if you really wear down a Kirby salesmen, you can get a new Kirby for around $900. I could be wrong however. The cheapest Sentria II I see on eBay tonight (June 22, 2013) is $600. $575 is a great price. 

 

[madabouthoovers]

I would say that it all depends how much use the Sentria 1 has had, and whether its been stored in a damp outhouse or shed to get tarnished like that. If its not been used much and just gathered dust in a cupboard or attic, then I'd go with the Sentria 1, and get it polished up. There is absolutely no difference between the 2 models except for a smaller emptor design and the colours of bag and trim.
I'd want to test out the older model first though to check it worked properly and the tech drive was OK.
Kirby have been using this platform now for 23 years and its long overdue a change, so you could buy the Sentria 2 and in a year or so, for 2014 and Kirby's 100'th birthday, a brand new platform could be launched, thus rendering the Sentria 2 as old hat and yesterday's news.
I would never buy a brand new model that's at the end of the production lifeline, as you will probably be a little miffed when you see the all new Kirby and wished you'd waited till it was launched.
This probably applied to those who bought the Legend 2 models, and then few months later the G3 came out and they wished they had one of them instead.

So, for me, its a no brainer, if the Sentria 1 runs well, I'd get that one and save a few hundred bucks - after all, they are the same cleaner with the same performance.

 

[pglover19]

I was told that the Sentria I has been in storage for 2 years... You guys are making this a tough decision....

 

[madabouthoovers]

Where abouts has the Sentria 1 been stored? Do you know how much it was used before being stored, and why was it stored away in the first place?
Usually its a case of someone elderly gets pressured into buying a Kirby by the salesman, and when they get it and realise that they cant cope with the weight of it, they store it away and buy a cheaper but lighter vac.
They then realise a few years down the line that the Kirby is just wasted in storage and try to sell it for much less than they paid for it. This is where we get bargains from. It may well need buffing up, but essentially it will have a good motor and brushroll, probably only needing a new belt and bag, with the outer bag needing a wash. I have bought 3 old Kirbys now - each one costing less than $75 in your money, and when polished up, they have been brilliant.

Do you really consider that having the latest bag and trim color is worth paying an extra 400 bucks for? You say that the new model has no warranty - that in itself is not good news. It may well be worth the asking price, and it depends how well off you are, but in this economic climate, My money would be on the cheaper model.

 

[Miss Mercy]

By far and by all means

The Kirby Sentria II. Trust me! I love mine

 

[pr-21]

Which one?

I have the Sentria II and really like it. I wanted the last in the series just in case the new 100th anniversary was a disappointment. I really like the brown and teal blue color scheme.

PR-21 If that is truly NIB, that is a great deal.

 

[pglover19]

Yes... It is new in the box, never used... So, what is the typical price on the market today for a Sentria II with the accesories I mentioned above?

 

[pglover19]

Ok... I got some more information on the used Sentria I from the seller this morning. The vacuum was stored on an enclosed back porch for the last 6 months before moving it inside in May 2013. The vacuum was purchased 6 yrs ago and was used in the home on a regular basis for approximately 4 yrs. The seller had 2 small dogs.

So now, which one would you buy?

 

[dysondestijl]

Go for the sentria one and get it a new belt/bag

 

[ultimatevacman]

I'd go for the Sentria I, but it's totally up to you, and how much you want to spend.

Joe

 

[bagintheback]

The fact that the Sentria I was stored outside is not good news. We have no idea what it has been exposed to. Vacuums used in homes with dogs always tend to hold onto their odor, which means a good restoration is in order. The choice is clear; go with the Sentria II.