Just got rid of the Kirby guy, it was quite a battle of wills, but I, who said I am not interested in buying a vac. to both the woman who called and the guy who showed me the machine, was victorious and did not spend 1,200 dollars I really didn't need to. I usually never listen to a sales pitch about anything, but I thought since I told them I didn't want one and since they said they just wanted to clean my rug and introduce me to their product for the future I'd do it. Man that was a mistake! It was very high pressure, lucky I am stubborn and not easily intimidated. I do think it looked like a great product but I have lots of other things to do with 1,200 right now and I wasn't going to finance it! Anyone have one? I'd love to hear it is not all they say it is, but I did think it seemed good.

By Jewlz on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 09:09 pm:

lol about a month ago we had the same sales pitch and tho they wanted 1700 dollars from us ... tho u can buy the same kirby in ebay for 700. and as soon as they figured out that we werent going to guy one ( our demonstration was to vaccuum and wash the carpet) they said my carpet they couldnt guarantee that it would be done right cuz of a list of prewritten exscuses you could tell was spoken from a book. rolls eyes. we had three people come in and try to convince us to buy one. my daughter aggreed to it cuz her friend is the salesman. she quit the job after a week. she found another way to make more money when she saw the check she got. after workign more than 40 hours selling these ..she took home less than a hundred dollars.

By Melissa on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 09:34 pm:

He started out at 1,700 too, but kept coming down, I was going to keep him from winning some trip! Then he wanted me to give him names of friends to accost. NO I don't think so.

By Cocoabutter on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 09:35 pm:

Want a great way to get rid of those salesmen next time? Accept the purchase and the next day call and cancel it. You have 3 days to change your mind after you sign the papers.

But yes, I have a Kirby. My mom had one when I was a kid, and man, we could vacuum anything up with that sucker. I always knew I wanted one.

The first time I had one demonstrated, it was for my neighbor's son, who was just getting started. He did a great job doing the demo, but the time just wasn't right.

The second time I had one demonstrated, I didn't know the guy. I told him that I would have to talk it over with my hubby. He had the kahunas to say to me, "You mean you're a woman of the '90's and you have to talk to your HUSBAND first before you spend your own money????" I told him to pack up his vacuum and get out.

The third time, things just fell into place. My hubby saw the demonstration and actually wanted me to have one. That was in 2002. We got the newest model, the Ultimate G. We paid $1600 and financed it. I LOVE it.

By Kym on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 10:39 pm:

I too have one, timing was right I had a little extra money, a 2 year old, pregnant with #2, and had just purchase an old home with old carpet and I could tell my Hoover was not getting it clean, I noticed a huge difference whe the demo happened. That was in 1995, I still have it and LOVE it, we have had some tune ups, everything can be replaced if needed. I needed a new hose and was able to buy a used on from the local store for $5.00
Also I will add, that we replaced the carpet in 1998, the carpet was 18 years old and when they pulled it up there was no dirt underneath it, the carpet company asked if I had a Kirby, we live in AZ and they find piles of dirt under carpet usually.

By Kym on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 10:44 pm:

Also I would like to add, without offending or starting a debate That I think it's pretty "tacky" to invite a salesperson into your home and than complain about a high pressure sale, that is like asking any working person to work for 1-2 hours, do you best job and not get paid for it than leave happily without trying to get what you worked for! Even if the company said they just wanted to clean etc, you have to know the sales pitch is coming, they than hope to prove the product is great and have you buy, if you know you are not going to buy, just decline and let the salesperson take a call with the opportunity to make a living. And Lisa, even though you can cancel, it's just not a moral thing to do, you have to think about the sales person as just that a person! Those of us in sales would rather here a "No" right away than waste our time/talents, and move on.
JMHO

By Cocoabutter on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 10:49 pm:

Point well taken, Kym. I only suggested that because sometimes people don't know how to deal with high-pressure sales people.

I also understand what you are saying about "inviting" a sales person into your home. However, truth is, they invite themselves, and under false pretenses at that. The second guy that demo'd for me said the same thing that the sales guy said to Melissa (I'll just clean your carpets for ya!), and then insulted my commitment to my husband when I said I'd have to talk to him first. When I agreed to allow him to come into my home, I did NOT agree to be subjected those high-pressure insults.

By Kym on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 11:35 pm:

Lisa I completely agree with him insulting you, that was that specific fella being VERY tacky. But I stand by the invitation, you have to know that A. You are the only one to invite someone into your home, otherwise it's illegal, and 2. Nothing is free, so of course they try to get the foot in the door, but ultimately its the publics right and responsiblity to say no, or..........if you do want a freebie fine, but than don't complain about the pushiness etc. Not pointing a finger at you Lisa when I say "you" I mean anyone in the situation.

By Kym on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 11:37 pm:

Lisa I just read your profile, my nephew just graduated from UTI in AZ, for ASE certification, is your hubby in school? My nephew was debating about getting his diesel certification, but opted for a J.O.B instead, I think he's itching to not only get out of school, but start paying back some loans, it's a pricey venture!

By Cocoabutter on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 11:47 pm:

My dh isn't going to school. A position opened up a few years ago for a mechanic in his company, so he took the opportunity. He is working as a mechanic while also getting his ASE's. He's getting on the job training. In addition, the company he's working for had some special areas of fleet maintenance that they want their new mechanics to know that aren't covered on the ASE, so their lead guys supervise training in those areas as well.

By Cocoabutter on Friday, March 23, 2007 - 11:52 pm:

Oh, and I see what you are saying about the Kirby. It's just that not all people are that aware of what to expect as you and I are now. I was rather naive at that time, which made me vulnerable to the attempt the salesman made for me to allow him to "just clean the carpet" for me.

Now that I am older and wiser, I wouldn't let that happen again and, as you said, complain about the guy actually trying to sell me something once he got into my house.

So, more or less, we agree. It's like, "DUH. He's a SALESMAN. Hello!" But not everyone is as savvy.

By Kym on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 12:01 am:

Sometimes I foget how much more Savvy I am now that I am old

By Boxzgrl on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 12:11 am:

I have one. Not worth the money, imo. Nice vacuum. Very nice! Just not worth what was paid. And i've never used the shampooer. I still prefer my steam vac.

By Melissa on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 06:21 am:

I agree I should have known better but I really felt I was very clear to the woman on the phone I do not want to buy a vacuum. To me I guess, if I tell you up front I am not going to buy it and you still come - what did you expect was going to happen? The part I should have realized is they don't know me and they convince a lot of people who thought they weren't buying one. I felt I was fair b/c I told them more than once before he came and when he got there I'm not going to be buying one.

By Cocoabutter on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 11:24 am:

I totally understand. You had no idea how pushy they were going to be. Unfortunately, this is the way many Kirby salesman seem to be.

The one we bought mine from was very easy going and polite. We felt comfortable with him, which was one of the reasons why we went ahead with the deal.

By Bellajoe on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 02:38 pm:

Both my sister and my brother have the Kirby. I was shocked to hear my sister bought one because she is always very tight with her money. That must have been one heck of a salesman!

Wasn't surprosed at all about my brother since he is the opposite of my sister. They do love their Kirbys' though. My brother's wife said it was so strong that the dog's shedded fur came down teh hall and around the corner and into the vacuum LOL

I personally don't believe any vacuum cleaner can be worth $1700. It killed me to pay $399 for my Dyson.....although it was well worth that money.

By Jewlz on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 04:28 pm:

my dyson picked up more than the demo kirby did. I hadnt vaccuuemed in about ten days ( yeah I know it was in the shop for a check up) and so they came out and demoed thiers and then i picked up my vaccuum cleaner up and it picked up still alot of dirt that shouldnt have been there after they vaccuumed .... but ive always said my dyson is worth the money that was paid for it.

By Tripletmom on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 05:31 pm:

Ditto Bellajoe, $1700.00 is ALOT for a vacuum.I have a Phantom I REALLY like it.It was around $400.00.I just bought a Bissel carpet cleaner and I LOVE it (it doesn't take much to excite me lol)

By Yjja123 on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 05:37 pm:

Had a Kirby and hated it. We gave it away.

By Hol on Saturday, March 24, 2007 - 10:02 pm:

I have always heard that Kirbys are very heavy to drag around. I, too, would never spend that much for a vaccuum. I have a Dirt Devil. It isn't great, but it does the job.

I am very resistant to sales people. If I feel, too, that you are not respecting me by taking no for an answer, I will get REALLY stubborn! And Kym, I'm afraid that it is a part of being in sales to spend time trying to sell, and not getting the sale. If you don't understand that, (I don't mean, you, personally) then you need to find another line of work. I think you have to have very thick skin to be in sales. That's why I couldn't do it.

Over the years, in our travels with the military, we have had friends try to get us to buy: Amway, NuSkin, some kind of air cleaner system, and some vitamin/health food supplement products that it seemed like everyone in our church was selling. They were all pyramid schemes and very high pressure. Not for me!

Does anyone have an ORECK vaccuum cleaner? Do you like it? I recently had my sewing machine repaired and the guy also repairs vaccuums. He said, in his opinion, Oreck was one of the worst. He says he gets a lot of them in the shop for repair. I don't know. That's why I'm asking.

By Sandysmom on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 12:49 am:

I used to have a Rainbow vac and that was a total train wreck. I got so sick & tired of having to clean out the vacuum every time I used it and the water never came out all the way so I always had to go up under the rim with a paper towel. Now I just have a cheapie until we get our tax return back.

By Karen~admin on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 09:01 am:

20+ years ago we got suckered into the same thing and my X insisted we buy it - $1300 and financed the darn thing. Guess the prices have actually gone DOWN???


Anyway, it was the hugest waste of money. All bags/parts, etc. have to be bought from an officical Kirby dealer, and there was only one in our entire area - the sutff is NOT cheap.

And it wasn't that great in the first place. And HEAVY! I hated it. I stopped using it over 10 years ago because it was too heavy for me. We *just* gave it to the Good Will store 2 months ago.

Never again. We will be getting some new rugs this year, and will need a new vacuum, and we *might* look at Dysons.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 01:10 pm:

I was stupid enough to let ONE Kirby person in my house, to "clean my carpet!" She was there from 7:30pm until midnight and I had to work the next day. I probably should have thrown her out, but I was in my mid-20s at the time and stupid. She went on and on and on!

I remember her asking if my electric bill went up $20/month, would I be able to afford that? LOL!

No, I didn't buy one. I think one other time, Gary and I had one come over and we didn't buy then, either. Since then, I have just said no and not let them in my house. It is too much pressure.

My parents had one, when I was a kid and liked it a lot. I don't think anyone in my family has one now.

By Amecmom on Sunday, March 25, 2007 - 01:48 pm:

My parents bought one when I was a kid. We had it for 20 years, and I loved it. It was heavy, but it could suck up anything! It was nice to have the floor vac with the attachment hose for dusting.
Now, I have a Miele - which I also love. Great power and very quiet. Time for a new on soon ...
Ame