Riccar dealer saying TOL canisters unreliable???

[DesertTortoise]

I have to make regular sojourns from my high desert redoubt to the filthy and dangerous environs of Los Angeles for medical appointments. I had to make one such journey today. Along the way are two vacuum shops that are Miele and Tacony dealers. I have gone into these shops on occasion, time permitting, hoping to see a Riccar or Simplicity canister vacuum, preferably one of their full power canisters with a powered floor brush. They never, ever, have them on hand, only their TOL uprights. The only canisters they ever have are Miele. Both shops are owned by brothers, btw.

So today in the course of conversation the owner of the shop tells me he doesn't stock Riccar or Simplicity canisters because he thinks they are not reliable, and is especially wary of their TOL canisters. He told me he doesn't like to sell them because he always sees them coming back with problems, says the electronics in the more expensive models have problems and the Mieles do not.

This is a stunning thing to hear. I have been trying for over a year to see a real live, in the flesh, well plastic, Tacony built in the US canister vacuum and here a Tacony dealer is telling me he doesn't like selling them, they're unreliable.

I cannot get over what I heard.

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

Sounds like crap to me... I have 2 aunts with Riccar TOL canisters. One has an Immaculate and the other Impeccable, neither have had the slightest bit of trouble with them and both are in use every day if not twice a day. My mom has a Simplicity S36 that is several years old and has never had an issue with it either. Though she hasn't used it much since I gifted her with an Aerus Platinum last April. The Riccar dealer here only has one model on display, the Impeccable, and if you want to buy it, he orders one. The are very expensive, comparable to Aerus, Kirby and Miele and not yet as well known so some are reluctant to buy.... I've met more than the average number of vacuum salesmen, a very small minority are what I would call totally honest, a few more are prone to some exaggeration and the majority are downright lying if their lips are moving. I've heard it all, I know what wholesale costs are, I repair vacuums as a side business - I know what the failure rates are, especially for out of warranty machines. I've seen very few Tacony products that ever need more than cosmetic repairs or replacement tools. I also work on sewing machines and sergers, and the Tacony manufatured machines (Baby Lock non computerized machines) and those made to Tacony spec by Brother, are again the machines I see the least and usually it's user error or just a cleaning that is required. Tacony has always had a very good reputation for reliability so I really have to question the motives of these dealers. I will also say that second to Kirby, Miele is the most frequently traded in vacuum followed by Dyson when I am out selling Aerus.... have only taken in one Tacony upright in and that was worn to death... they USED that machine HARD for nearly 8 years, the motor was burned up due to running with a clogged/full bag and hose for months... the bag was a rock and the dirt path from the floor nozzle to the bag was just as solidly packed with dirt and hair. It was vacuum abuse.

 

[dysonman1]

You seriously don't understand that? They make more money on the Miele. The repair parts cost for the Miele are four times as high. You only get four bags for $22 with Miele. If simplicity top-of-the-line canisters actually were breaking down, I would see them come back to the outlet store with problems. The only thing that ever happened to a top-of-the-line canister that we sold, and we have sold hundreds of them over the past six years at the outlet store, was a broken wand.

 

[DesertTortoise]

I'm not in the business, just a customer /collector. I figured there was an angle somewhere. I also figured someone where would know it. Thanks. I will also never waste my time in either shop again. Double thanks.

 

[DesertTortoise]

The bummer is I still really want to see a Riccar or Simplicity canister in the flesh, but now it looks like a two or more hour drive to maybe see one. Ah well, maybe on the next journey to Smell-Lay.