vintagehoover
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I've been so impressed with my bargain £8 Legend II, I took the plunge and spent slightly more on something a little more powerful and modern - a G5!
My new Kirby!
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vintagehoover
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vintagehoover
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vintagehoover
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vintagehoover
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vintagehoover
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A video...
...of the G5 in all it's TechDriven glory!
...of the G5 in all it's TechDriven glory!
Hi,
That is a beautiful machine, but you may want to have the transmission (tech drive) serviced ASAP. It should not be that noisy. That loud noise is sign of dried out internal roller bearings.
I just rebuilt my sister's G4 completely and the transmission is quiet, all that is heard is the handle pivot sliding back and forth in the bearing blocks. Prior to the rebuild it was just as noisy as your machine.
Ray
That is a beautiful machine, but you may want to have the transmission (tech drive) serviced ASAP. It should not be that noisy. That loud noise is sign of dried out internal roller bearings.
I just rebuilt my sister's G4 completely and the transmission is quiet, all that is heard is the handle pivot sliding back and forth in the bearing blocks. Prior to the rebuild it was just as noisy as your machine.
Ray
hoover1060
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Thats very nice Jack
I have always thought the G5 was one of the sharpest looking Kirbys!
Now you should upgrade to the new Ultimate G brush roller, it really digs into the carpet and does a wonderful job!
I have always thought the G5 was one of the sharpest looking Kirbys!
Now you should upgrade to the new Ultimate G brush roller, it really digs into the carpet and does a wonderful job!
vintagehoover
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Ah, right -
I wondered if it was meant to be that loud! I'm not entirely happy with the machine, it's not quite as represented on the eBay listing. The shampoo system was meant to be new, but it's clearly been used at least once, the 'new' rear wheels, as you say, are used parts, and the seller charged £30 for postage - clearly excessive, and the post mark shows it only cost them £15 to ship. Given these things, I'd be willing to bet it hasn't been 'entirely stripped and serviced' as advertised; after all, most buyers wouldn't check this. However, the fan and belt pulley do look new, as does the brush roll (later G-series/Sentria type). I may have to complain to the seller...
Shame - other than the noisy Tech Drive, it seems to work fine. Is there any way I could lubricate the roller bearings myself?
I wondered if it was meant to be that loud! I'm not entirely happy with the machine, it's not quite as represented on the eBay listing. The shampoo system was meant to be new, but it's clearly been used at least once, the 'new' rear wheels, as you say, are used parts, and the seller charged £30 for postage - clearly excessive, and the post mark shows it only cost them £15 to ship. Given these things, I'd be willing to bet it hasn't been 'entirely stripped and serviced' as advertised; after all, most buyers wouldn't check this. However, the fan and belt pulley do look new, as does the brush roll (later G-series/Sentria type). I may have to complain to the seller...
Shame - other than the noisy Tech Drive, it seems to work fine. Is there any way I could lubricate the roller bearings myself?
vintagehoover
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Thanks, Jeff!
I agree, I love the styling of the G5, and I like the black cherry/polished aluminium colour scheme! The eBay trader I bought it from has already upgraded the brush roll to the later style you mentioned, and it does do a wonderful job! Pity he hasn't done quite what was promised with the rest of the machine, really
I agree, I love the styling of the G5, and I like the black cherry/polished aluminium colour scheme! The eBay trader I bought it from has already upgraded the brush roll to the later style you mentioned, and it does do a wonderful job! Pity he hasn't done quite what was promised with the rest of the machine, really
chestermikeuk
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Kirby G....s
Nice one Jack, I picked up one of these last year and had it serviced,its the nicest of the G machines IMHO, i use it as a daily driver and it really does pull the pile up with the latest brushroll....I would have a word with said seller, wheels & cord not of the model type, worth a try...
Also consider having it serviced, our local firm is doing a special for £19.99, serviced, new bag n belt complete strip down....I do it to get the returns as well, worth keeping in touch with them...Cheers, Mike
Nice one Jack, I picked up one of these last year and had it serviced,its the nicest of the G machines IMHO, i use it as a daily driver and it really does pull the pile up with the latest brushroll....I would have a word with said seller, wheels & cord not of the model type, worth a try...
Also consider having it serviced, our local firm is doing a special for £19.99, serviced, new bag n belt complete strip down....I do it to get the returns as well, worth keeping in touch with them...Cheers, Mike
vintagehoover
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Difficult choices...
...hi, Mike - interested to hear more about your local firm - would they have an outlet near where I live? I'm faced with a difficult dilemma at the moment;
I don't want to keep a £230 machine which is at risk of breaking down at any moment, but it's a hassle to return it, and the seller's refusing to refund either the return postage cost, or the missing £14.42 difference from the original £30 postage I paid. I'd end up with no Kirby, and £26.41 worse off than when I started
The seller also claims the Tech Drive bearings were greased before the machine was reassembled...
Any advice, guys?? I don't want to end up getting ripped off, and with a machine which is about to break down!
...hi, Mike - interested to hear more about your local firm - would they have an outlet near where I live? I'm faced with a difficult dilemma at the moment;
I don't want to keep a £230 machine which is at risk of breaking down at any moment, but it's a hassle to return it, and the seller's refusing to refund either the return postage cost, or the missing £14.42 difference from the original £30 postage I paid. I'd end up with no Kirby, and £26.41 worse off than when I started
The seller also claims the Tech Drive bearings were greased before the machine was reassembled...
Any advice, guys?? I don't want to end up getting ripped off, and with a machine which is about to break down!
chestermikeuk
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Kirby
Jack, its Kirby service that I use, the main agent, try a local one from your area, should be in the phone book, from what the service guy told me they dont repair the tech drives, they just swap them out and are sent back to the factory for refurb...it sounds like the forward/reverse metal & plastic guides on the techdrive need adjusting, serviceman did this on mine and it purrs,
did you pay £230 for it??is this ebayer a vac shop or just a one off seller??
The other thing to do is sign up for a service contract, one off £70 a year or £6.99 per month, and get it all repaired later on under contract... Cheers, Mike
Jack, its Kirby service that I use, the main agent, try a local one from your area, should be in the phone book, from what the service guy told me they dont repair the tech drives, they just swap them out and are sent back to the factory for refurb...it sounds like the forward/reverse metal & plastic guides on the techdrive need adjusting, serviceman did this on mine and it purrs,
did you pay £230 for it??is this ebayer a vac shop or just a one off seller??
The other thing to do is sign up for a service contract, one off £70 a year or £6.99 per month, and get it all repaired later on under contract... Cheers, Mike
vintagehoover
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Thanks for the info, Mike 
I'll certainly try and speak to someone from Kirby about the problem, there is a Kirby Customer Service Centre in Chertsey, which isn't too far away from me.
I paid £199 for it, plus a ridiculous £30 p&p (postage actually cost £15.58, and he won't refund the difference). I thought even with the crazy postage, £230 didn't seem too bad for a cleaner which would work better and last much longer than an even more expensive Dyson, for example, but it seems it wasn't such a good buy after all!
The closer I look, the more unhappy with it I am - he claims that all parts used in the reconditioning were geniune, but they're not - the bag, belt, and possibly the flex, are all cheap, inferior pattern parts - the belt is too big, doesn't have that texured pattern on the inside, and has been slipping and making a burning rubber smell. I've fitted a geniune bag and belt now, which have improved things.
So he lied about the tech drive, the replacement parts, and swindled me over the postage costs - I'm not really a happy bunny!
The seller, perhaps ironically, calls himself 'thekirbydoctor', and seems to be a shop of sorts. The link to the auction is below:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=250201580881&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=015
I'll certainly try and speak to someone from Kirby about the problem, there is a Kirby Customer Service Centre in Chertsey, which isn't too far away from me.
I paid £199 for it, plus a ridiculous £30 p&p (postage actually cost £15.58, and he won't refund the difference). I thought even with the crazy postage, £230 didn't seem too bad for a cleaner which would work better and last much longer than an even more expensive Dyson, for example, but it seems it wasn't such a good buy after all!
The closer I look, the more unhappy with it I am - he claims that all parts used in the reconditioning were geniune, but they're not - the bag, belt, and possibly the flex, are all cheap, inferior pattern parts - the belt is too big, doesn't have that texured pattern on the inside, and has been slipping and making a burning rubber smell. I've fitted a geniune bag and belt now, which have improved things.
So he lied about the tech drive, the replacement parts, and swindled me over the postage costs - I'm not really a happy bunny!
The seller, perhaps ironically, calls himself 'thekirbydoctor', and seems to be a shop of sorts. The link to the auction is below:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....m=250201580881&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=015
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
vintagehoover
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Latest development...
... am I correct in thinking that in the UK, metal-bodied cleaners, such as a Kirby, need to be earthed to meet safety standards? The grey flex that my G5 is fitted with is only 2-core :S
... am I correct in thinking that in the UK, metal-bodied cleaners, such as a Kirby, need to be earthed to meet safety standards? The grey flex that my G5 is fitted with is only 2-core :S
kirbymodel2c
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Kirby G5
Hi Jack its the first time I'v really spoke to you.
Ummm to be honest I think you might have over paid for it slightly for the condition it is in. (Just my thoughts)
I'm sure You could get a better Kirby G5 than that,
To say the cord is not to the G5 nor the rear wheel hubs.
The back plate looks a diffrent colour to that of the G5 as well??
Did you get the rest of the tools & if so do they match the same colour as the G5?
Is the G5 shampooer in the Gsix box?
Sorry for all the question but I'm mainly a kirby collector, So kirby is my baby like Hoover is yours)
Take care
james
Hi Jack its the first time I'v really spoke to you.
Ummm to be honest I think you might have over paid for it slightly for the condition it is in. (Just my thoughts)
I'm sure You could get a better Kirby G5 than that,
To say the cord is not to the G5 nor the rear wheel hubs.
The back plate looks a diffrent colour to that of the G5 as well??
Did you get the rest of the tools & if so do they match the same colour as the G5?
Is the G5 shampooer in the Gsix box?
Sorry for all the question but I'm mainly a kirby collector, So kirby is my baby like Hoover is yours
)Take care
james
vintagehoover
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Hi James,
yes, I probably have overpaid for the condition the machine's in, because the seller totally misrepresented it in the auction - if you look at the link I posted above, he makes it sound like it's been totally rebuilt, when in fact he's just swapped around a few used parts, and combined it with cheap pattern spares. A pretty face hiding many sins!
I was even more annoyed to find the seller has just sold another G5, complete with all of its tools and accessories, for just £30 more than I paid for mine. I wonder if he took the best bits for that one, and the one I ended up with was the collection of left-over bits :S
The only tool it came with was the hose. This seems to be the correct colour.
The shampooer is a G6 shampooer, in a G6 box. He's still claiming it's brand new, but the tank is scuffed and has traces of dirty water marks inside. The rest of it all looks like new, though.
I'm pretty sure the back plate is the correct one, as is one of the wheels - it's just one wheel hub which is from a G3.
You have a beautiful collection, btw - must have cost you a fortune to ship all that stuff over here, though?
yes, I probably have overpaid for the condition the machine's in, because the seller totally misrepresented it in the auction - if you look at the link I posted above, he makes it sound like it's been totally rebuilt, when in fact he's just swapped around a few used parts, and combined it with cheap pattern spares. A pretty face hiding many sins!
I was even more annoyed to find the seller has just sold another G5, complete with all of its tools and accessories, for just £30 more than I paid for mine. I wonder if he took the best bits for that one, and the one I ended up with was the collection of left-over bits :S
The only tool it came with was the hose. This seems to be the correct colour.
The shampooer is a G6 shampooer, in a G6 box. He's still claiming it's brand new, but the tank is scuffed and has traces of dirty water marks inside. The rest of it all looks like new, though.
I'm pretty sure the back plate is the correct one, as is one of the wheels - it's just one wheel hub which is from a G3.
You have a beautiful collection, btw - must have cost you a fortune to ship all that stuff over here, though?
vintagehoover
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Just emailed the seller:
He had offered to refund the purchase cost, but not the postage, which would total £41.99 in total:
Hi there, thanks for your prompt response.
I'm afraid the solution you've proposed is not fair or acceptable.
Whilst the TechDrive system does function, it should be silent in operation, and on this machine it’s loud and whiney. The roller bearings are worn, and I'm not willing to accept this because if it breaks, I'll have an expensive service/parts charge to pay.
In addition to the other problems I’ve mentioned, you claimed ‘all parts are genuine Kirby parts’, and neither the inner dustbag, nor the flex or drive belt, are genuine Kirby parts. Kirby parts are always clearly marked as genuine, and neither of these have any markings on them at all. They are non-genuine, inferior quality pattern spares. The flex isn't even 3-core. The belt has been slipping in use, causing a burning smell, even when the height is correctly adjusted.
You haven't addressed the issue of the missing postage money – this needs to be refunded. You claimed postage cost £30 due to the weight, but this is obviously untrue, since you shipped it for £15.58. £14.43 is unaccounted for. This is a considerable difference – it’s not just a matter of a few pence. It's against eBay policy to profit by over-inflating postages charges.
I wouldn’t expect a seller to refund return postage costs on a return item if the problem with it was my fault. However, the cleaner was – whether intentionally or unintentionally - misrepresented in the listing, since it didn’t mention the noise made by the worn roller bearings. I wouldn’t have bought the machine if I thought it had this fault, since I know this is indicative of a problem with the bearings, and would lead to an expensive repair charge. Whether or not they were greased, you claimed that any worn parts would be replaced, which they weren’t. Therefore, you are liable for any costs incurred in return postage fees.
You claim ‘WE GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED’. I am disappointed, and I’m not willing to spend £230 on a machine which is at risk of breaking down at any point. Nor am I willing to end up without a Kirby, and £41.99 worse off than before I bought it.
The machine was not accurately represented in the auction, and if you don’t refund the entire cost, including refunding both the original and return postage – a total of £241.99 - I will have to make an official complaint to eBay, and negative feedback will be left.
Regards,
Jack Copp
He had offered to refund the purchase cost, but not the postage, which would total £41.99 in total:
Hi there, thanks for your prompt response.
I'm afraid the solution you've proposed is not fair or acceptable.
Whilst the TechDrive system does function, it should be silent in operation, and on this machine it’s loud and whiney. The roller bearings are worn, and I'm not willing to accept this because if it breaks, I'll have an expensive service/parts charge to pay.
In addition to the other problems I’ve mentioned, you claimed ‘all parts are genuine Kirby parts’, and neither the inner dustbag, nor the flex or drive belt, are genuine Kirby parts. Kirby parts are always clearly marked as genuine, and neither of these have any markings on them at all. They are non-genuine, inferior quality pattern spares. The flex isn't even 3-core. The belt has been slipping in use, causing a burning smell, even when the height is correctly adjusted.
You haven't addressed the issue of the missing postage money – this needs to be refunded. You claimed postage cost £30 due to the weight, but this is obviously untrue, since you shipped it for £15.58. £14.43 is unaccounted for. This is a considerable difference – it’s not just a matter of a few pence. It's against eBay policy to profit by over-inflating postages charges.
I wouldn’t expect a seller to refund return postage costs on a return item if the problem with it was my fault. However, the cleaner was – whether intentionally or unintentionally - misrepresented in the listing, since it didn’t mention the noise made by the worn roller bearings. I wouldn’t have bought the machine if I thought it had this fault, since I know this is indicative of a problem with the bearings, and would lead to an expensive repair charge. Whether or not they were greased, you claimed that any worn parts would be replaced, which they weren’t. Therefore, you are liable for any costs incurred in return postage fees.
You claim ‘WE GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED’. I am disappointed, and I’m not willing to spend £230 on a machine which is at risk of breaking down at any point. Nor am I willing to end up without a Kirby, and £41.99 worse off than before I bought it.
The machine was not accurately represented in the auction, and if you don’t refund the entire cost, including refunding both the original and return postage – a total of £241.99 - I will have to make an official complaint to eBay, and negative feedback will be left.
Regards,
Jack Copp
