Kirby

[vintagerepairer]

Ah yes...

But in that respect a Kirby is like the 40 year old broom which only ever needed 3 new handles and 5 new heads during its lifetime. The price of the Kirby means an owner is almost duty-bound to get it repaired. That's another reason why so many Kirbys are still in working order.

 

[kirbymodel2c]

Umm...

<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">I see what your saying. But it's unlikely your going to need to replace anything major in the 1st 20 years. </span>


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">You could also argue the same for the older Hoovers that cost big money at the time like the 160,612 and even the 652....</span>


 


<span style="font-family: book antiqua,palatino;">James

</span>

 

[vintagerepairer]

Indeed, which is probably why so many of them have survived to the present day. Very rare to see an all-original 612 for example, but plenty which have been repaired. The presence of generic parts (usually in grey or white) is proof of that.

I think what I am really saying is that with the cheaper cleaners you can at least afford a change now and then.

 

[super-sweeper]

VintageRepairer, those heads and handles ad up! Every month you may need a new bag every 2, every 6 months you may need a new belt. every 3-5 years you may need a new brush. every 50 years you may need a new pair of carbon brushes. All machines require maintenance, only Kirby requires very little, and for little amounts of $$$$. belts are $2 or so each, so $4 a year in belts, $25 a year in bags. These little expenses keep your vacuum in great shape, much like oil and filters keep your car in great shape. as said above, pay now or later!  Drop some $$$$ on this metal war-horse that'll last you until the end of time, or drop less $$$$ on a plastic thing that'll last you a year or two.

 

[cb123]

Just think, If people could cut back on their smokes and redeye/rotgut, WHY, they could save a couple hundred a month...And that's some serious scratch I might add! They would be happier and healthier and it would be all due to their nice, brand new Kirby.....or they could just about buy anything else for that matter, because of all that freed up money they have now to spend. Before they were just burning it, and POOF....up in smoke it went! Hey, that has a lot in common with a Dyson! Don't get me wrong, I really don't hate Dyson, it's just its cheap plastic culture I can't STAND! If you ask me a lot of plastic vacs are a few Shakis short of being a full Kundalini, but that's just my humble opinion from many, many years of experience.

 

 

[vintagerepairer]

So from these comments, would I be right in thinking that in the USA the Kirby cleaner is very much a "choice" which the purchaser looks into when buying a new cleaner? Because over here it isn't. No one really says "I'm looking at either a Dyson, Hoover, or Kirby". They may look at a "Dyson, Hoover, or A N Other", but until someone comes round to show them a Kirby, it's usually the last thing on their mind.

 

[nycwriter]

Benny ...

... I would say "no".

For a great many American consumers, if it's not in front of their faces at Walmart, Target, or Bed, Bath, and Beyond, it's just not on their radar.

Most consumers do not consider Kirby unless:

-- They're familiar with the brand because a familiy member or friend has one, or

-- They're actively looking for a cut above "average" when shopping for a vacuum, and their research brings them to Kirby.[this post was last edited: 10/25/2014-09:25]

 

[vintagerepairer]

Ah thanks for this. So it's the same as it is here then, really.

 

[joshdonnell]

I was wondering is the new Kirby here?

 

[kirbyg6]

Same I am wanting to see it

 

[dysonman1]

I've had many Kirby salesmen over the years knock on my door. No one wakes up and thinks "I'm going to spend as much as a used car today on a vacuum cleaner that's heavy, outdated, doesn't have attachments on board, and that everyone I know of thinks is heavy". No one really (with the exception probably of collectors) seeks out a Kirby when it's time to buy a new sweeper. That's the whole thing. Kirby is not sold to anyone in the market for a new vacuum. You are tricked and conned into an unwise, expensive purchase. Most people who do buy a Kirby keep it for less than a decade. Yes, it's still running. They just hate it. Just yesterday, a Sentria that's 3 years old was left with me (we don't take trade ins at the Outlet Store) because they didn't want a beast any longer. I sold them a Maytag M500 that will last for at least a decade and isn't a monstrosity to push around the house.

 

[kirbyg6]

Mim sorry but a kirby isn't a monstrosity to push around the techDrive is an awesome feature

 

[turbo500]

the techDrive is an awesome feature

if it didn't have techdrive, it wouldn't need techdrive. All the machines before the G3, though heavy to lift, were still quite easy to push around (especially the pre-Classic machines) and a lot lighter to lift than the G series. Having the techdrive makes the whole machine larger and heavier. Take away that additional size and weight, and it wouldn't need it.

 

[kirbyg6]

Okay I see what you mean

 

[turbomaster1984]

pissing around

of the hundreds of machines In our collection there is only one I ever bought and promptly needed to sell because I just couldn't abide it.

That was a Kirby.

I was expecting great things and all I got was a negative experience.

Gone were the days of just whipping out a vac for a quick run around. I had to lug a heavy cumbersome thing up and down stairs. Piss around adjusting the height room to room, piss around manouvering the thing around furniture. Had to piss around getting the hose from its storage thing AND piss around attaching it to pick up a few crumbs/hairs off a sofa.

They are ok if you have time to piss around doing all this but there was no convenience which IS what consumers want.
Certainly wasn't something you could do in a 20 minute run around before visitors.

They are worth it? Just how much does that metal shell cost? Shouldn't have tooling/design costs given the same designs seen 20 odd years.

Its a metal case with a fan and motor attached to a plastic stick and bag. Theres not £150 worth there in raw materials let alone production costs.

 

[super-sweeper]

I guess some houses need push mowers, some need riding mowers, and some need tractors! 

 

[marks_here]

Or a lot of toilets

 

[sptyks]

Ouch...

My poor kidneys are sore from all that Pissing around.


 


No, really, I do own 4 different Kirbys and I love all of them. Each excells in it's own way.


 


The D50 works great at vacuuming the bathroom rug and sucking up the loose kitty litter.


 


The Heriatage II Legend worls great in the bedrooms and is easy to manuver around the beds etc.


 


The G3 and Sentria take turns in the fairly large living room and dining room.

 

[cuffs054]

Did no one go to the Kirby Gala? Surely, the new sucker is out by now?

 

[kirbyg6]

Tomorrow is hopefully the big day