Kirby Service Centres

[richardc1983]

2nd phone call in like 6 months from Kirby Service Centre asking me if I want my Sentria servicing highlighting how important it is that I get it serviced given that I havent had it serviced in a year.

I explained that it hasnt had a years use since it was last done and I make sure the belt and bag are changed regulary and everything like the brushroll etc is kept free from threads etc.

He said that the tech drive should be greased yearly etc. Normally its £49 for the service and metal polish with new bag and belt... they are doing an offer for £30.

When I said I wasnt interested at this time they were quite pushy... I think business must be bad.

People cant afford to go getting a vacuum serviced every year, if you look after it apart from the motor and that you shouldnt have to service it until every 3 years or so if you use it daily.

This whole concept of getting it serviced is rediculous.

Just some of my thoughts it has bugged me today.

I also asked about the new Kirby and they were not aware of anything like that.

 

[vac_whisperer]

I sure wouldnt

spend that kind of money getting my kirbys serviced. Its a lot cheaper just to do it ourselves. A new bag and belt and getting your techdrive greased isnt worth the money they want. (not sure how to convert pounds to $) And as for the metal polish, a can of NevrDull costs about $7 over here across the pond.

VW

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Hi

Hi Rich, I wouldn't worry about it. There just after your business which I'm sure you already know.
I would only realy recommend having your kirby serviced every year if you was using it in a business etc. I've never heard of having to have your techdrive greased yearly.

And I'm not supprised they don't know anything about it.
Even if they did they would not say anything till all the sentrias have been sold.

James)

 

[djtaylor]

Grease the Tech Drive???

I was a Kirby tech for several years and I was never told to 'grease' the Tech Drive. Actually, I was told to NEVER open the Tech Drive's housing. You can lube the axel and the bearings on either end of the axel, but that is all. I was told to tell people that they should have the whole vacuum serviced once a year since most people don't bother to change belts them selves.
Your local Kirby Service Center must be really slow if they are calling customers and telling them to bring their vacuums in for service. Your Tech Drive is not in need of 'grease', so ignore the calls.
Justin

 

[richardc1983]

Exactly as I thought

So I have ignored the calls, they have called daily since and dont leave a message.

The only thing I dont do with my kirby is polishing of it...

 

[bimmer740]

Kirby Service

I have a Diamond Edition that I purchased new, but I have never had it serviced. I dont use it daily but it does get used once or twice per week. The machine still looks great, and works just as well as it did when it came out of the box. I've never heard of having a Kirby serviced yearly, but is there anything that I should have done to my unit at a certain interval? Greasing the transmission was something I had never heard of doing unless it was a much older machine and was making a lot of noise while the tech drive was engaged. I have noticed that the tech drive on my machine has become a little bit louder than it used to be but it certainly doesnt sound bad. Of course, I change the bag well before they need to be changed, the belt is changed at least twice a year, and the brush roll is cleaned of any hair or threads all the time.

 

[gmerkt]

My mother has an old Kirby Model 501 or 511, I forget which. My dad inherited it from his mother when she died in 1958. My mother used it for decades, and her cleaning lady that comes in once a week now uses it. It has never gotten serviced except when it breaks. The bag has been replaced, the cord replaced a couple of times, the original gray wheels crumbled and fell apart so they were replaced, and I think the power switch has been replaced, and of course belts (but only when they break or wear out). My mother has kept it clean over the years and it still has some shine to it but it's never been polished since delivery. Of course, it doesn't have any self-propulsion gear to worry about.

In summary, the machine hasn't been neglected, but neither has it been lavished with routine, annual, preventive maintenance. The parts that have been replaced on the machine wouldn't have had their lives prolonged by an annual tune-up. This is just one experience, however.