I got a dream Kirby!

[sharkcar19998]

Hey guys I got one of my dream kirbys today! Here's the story, so about 1 month ago I found a sentria at goodwill for the pricey sum of $200. I had $20 on me and $10 at home so I was short. I was pretty disappointed because I wanted one so bad. So yesterday I found a sentria with the Shampooer, Attachments, and Zipp brush, for $50. It looked like it was used in construction so it's dirty but it also has no scratches anywhere. All that was wrong was a broken belt. It works amazing and I'm so happy. I'll be using this and my G5 as my daily drivers.

 

[charleskirby66]

Congrats! It is always fun to find a dream machine!

 

[tolivac]

GREAT find-and with Zipbrush and shampooer to more fill the deal.How come is it that ditched Kirbys have broken belts?Did get a G6 at a yard sale a few years ago when I could still find vacuums at yard sales--No More!Still keep an eye out for vacuum handles sticking up from yard sale stuff as a drive by them.

 

[sptyks]

Nice find!


I got mine in excellent-barely used condition with all attachments including never used shampooer off ebay for $99.00.

 

[rvarley]

Never ceases to amaze me how cheaply a late model Kirby can be found for. There are always lots of them on my local Craigslist. I'm not nocking the thing, but why anyone would pay even close to full price is beyond me. Miele, on the other hand, are never cheap and very easy to sell at a high price.

 

[human]

Great find. I hear you on the belts. It seems like those machines are hard on belts. I had to put belts on two of mine as soon as I got them. Maybe some users don't understand how to properly adjust the nozzle height and end up putting too much strain on the brush roll, which shortens the belt's life. I could see where someone doing that and going through belts quickly could become frustrated and dump the machine.

 

[suckolux]

I am thinking its more regret after they have bought it/ sales pressure? Many have no clue how to use all it can do

 

[human]

That could also be true, I guess. In cases of extreme buyer's remorse, the machine itself could become a painful reminder of a perceived lapse in judgement and the owner could just want that reminder gone from the premises. While that wouldn't address the pervasiveness of broken belts on Kirbys in the second hand market, it would lend credence to the idea of a broken belt as the proverbial final straw, especially for such a remorseful buyer.

 

[suckolux]

Its only a guess? But I have talked with a few that really felt high pressure to purchase. One even called me while the salesman did a cold call at her place. Older woman, semi crippled, her bit of carpet she had was dirty due to her not caring enough to drag out her Santaire late model upright! She had that and a mighty might.I said you can't pick it up or put the hose on, Oh he showed me it weighs nothing! OH? Try unplugging it and moving it then? Well I got him down to 2 grand! When you get him to 1200, call me? She did an hour later. I said I still would not do it, you do not have a large home or much space to move it around. She didn't buy it and was SO glad days later. This is not a single time this has happened, but a version of a few.

 

[suckolux]

By the way, the reason this 70 year old, semi blind woman has the machines she does? I picked them for her, budget, lightweight and memories in mind. Her father sold Eureka and gave her an upright and canister for a wedding gift! He told her it was better to have one of each than one that doesn't do either well. That was what was stuck in her mind. She had an early Hoover bag-less, sorry to say, the quickly plugging models and hated it, kept wishing for her old ones back. Did the best I could

 

[human]

I'm glad she had you on her side...

I'm thankful to have never experienced a Kirby demo like that. I remember reading somewhere about a guy who had to show the salesman the door at gunpoint. Fortunately, the only Kirby demo I have ever experienced was more than 40 years ago and was much more tame than that. The guy was very polite and took my mom's 'no' gracefully. I guess he probably didn't stay with the company long.

 

[suckolux]

Its sad and gives the company a bad name too.

 

[KirbyCollector01]

I have experienced a Kirby demo before. In 2013 we had a very trashy green Bissell healthy home Bagless. It did a very poor job and it was in a way falling apart. My parents were impressed how the Kirbys in my collection did an outstanding job. So, they scheduled a demo for the Sentria II. They wanted their own Kirby (a brand new one). The kind demo lady came a week later. We were lucky we weren't forced. She was very kind and didn't push us at all. She let us decide if we wanted to buy it or not. We wanted it but we wanted to pay much less than $2500. She was so impressed by my knowledge about vacuums and my collection that she cut the price in half to around $1200. Then I decided to trade my Gsix to her lowering the price to $900. Not a bad deal. That is my experience with a Kirby demo

 

[suckolux]

I hope more of their sales end like that!

 

[kirby519]

It is maddening how a sales force can corrupt the reputation of a very fine product. It isn't for every one and to have it forced on you is just plain wrong.

Years ago the sales force was by far more realistic in their sales technique and could take no we are not interested as an answer. Those days are gone in this dog eat dog world. Most people I know that bought a Kirby wanted one and had no regrets. In our family we have had 6 of them over the years.