I Bought a Kirby

[nealymouse]

Return it ASAP.

I love this post because I love to vacumme. I mean I LOVE TO VACUMME !!! I am on my 2nd miele and am fed up with them. The plastic parts just dont hold up anymore. I did a search and found I am not the only one unhappy with Meile.

I had a Kirby Loved it but it was WAY to heavy. The parts take so long to attach if you dont do it all the time (like the pushy sales person who makes it look like a baby could do it)

I now have the Dyson. Under $400.00 and so far I love it.

 

[KristiKelly]

I had a Kirby salesperson come to door once and let her in, she was with her manager or somebody, after she was in the house - he left so she had no car, it was cold & raining so I couldn't just put her out on the porch - Could I . She spent about 3 hours showing me the vac. and carpet cleaner. DH came home while she was there, he came in and walked back out, there was no car he couldn't figure out where she came from, kinda funny. Anyway, I loved what it could do, but we had just built our house and had installed an Electolux Cenral Vac (which I don't really like, but DH loves), we spent close to $2,000 on that. When her manager came back to get her and give us prices, he started telling us what a bad vac. we had, blah, blah, blah. DH told him, if he could get it down to $300 he'd buy it, that wasn't happening so about 3-1/2 hours later, they left. DH said his Grandma still has hers (30+ years) and the lady that cleans for her uses it, if mine ever dies, I will consider it.

 

[Beanie]

Originally posted by IMGONNABE40!
I do not have a Kirby, but we did get a central vacuum system when we built our house. The system was $1600 and we have spent an extra $50-60 on attachemts.

That being said, I love the system! I am gald I knew about the option for vac pans. These are openings to the system at floor level where you just sweep your debris up to the opening, turn on the system (with your toe) and away goes the dirt. I think that is my favorite part of the system. I use my vac pans every day.

Just let go and enjoy it (well, as much as you can enjoy a vacuum ).

I agree with IMGONNABE40! We have a Central Vacuum as well in our house and I absolutely LOVE it! I would never trade it for anything else and the Vac Pans are just wonderful!!

IMGONNABE40, I was laughing when I read the "toe" statement...I do the same thing!!

 

[Princess_Aurora]

Actually, no, I didn't need a vacuum. I just got one last Christmas so it was only a little over a year old. It was a nice, light-weight bagless one too. I didn't have a problem with it until he asked to see it. He used it and first pointed out how dusty it was. That dust comes from the vacuum spitting dust back out. Then he vacuumed part of my floor. Then he took the Kirby and ran that over the exact same spot and so much dirt came up. I was thinking, that's not right. I actually just vacuumed the day before. But he ran that vacuum over the same place quite a few times filling up a whole lot of those little sample thingies. It really honestly did gross me out how dirty my house was.

I don't know...maybe I should just vacuum with my regular vacuum more often and give back the $1100 one. It does make me feel a little better that some of you have paid a little more than me. I was actually standing my ground and telling them no, that I really did like the vacuum but I would rather pay for it all at once. They just wouldn't take no for an answer and wouldn't leave until I signed that darn contract.

I have until 11pm tomorrow to cancel and I'm going to go ahead and do it first thing in the morning. I agree with all that talked about how heavy it was. Watching him push it around looked so easy, and it really is. But the thing is, I figured I would go ahead and vacuum up all three years of dirt in our carpet before I decided to give it back...including the stairs. I did do a good job, but my back is broke and it took me nearly a whole hour!!!

 

[stevenpensacola]

Here's what gets me: They WILL sell you the vacuum for $2200 if you're a pushover.

I've got a co-worker who used to sell and service Kirbys. He says they are a qualilty product, but the mark-up on them is outrageous. He said if you really want one, there are places that sell used/reconditioned ones where you'll pay close to their actual value.

He said the sales technique is quite a science. The person who shows up to demo the unit is not the "real" salesman. The demo person is supposed to be your best friend....to show how well the unit works....it's the guy who comes to pick them up that you have to watch out for.

again, it's the ethics of the whole high pressure sales tactics that really stinks. This is what led to my coworker getting out of this business.

 

[MeanLaureen]

Cancel the sale immediately and if this guy or any other sales person shows up in your house and won't leave - tell him to leave in the next 30 seconds or you will have the police help him leave.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Originally posted by Princess_Aurora
.....They just wouldn't take no for an answer and wouldn't leave until I signed that darn contract....

At that point, I would have either thrown them out, bodily, or I would have called the police to arrest them. It's your house.

 

[Otto's Doll]

So, did you cancel?

 

[MelessaG]

Princess Aurora-
I feel your pain. Our pushy (and yet incredibly stupid) sales lady was for Rainbow vacuums. She wore tight pants and a crop top sweater and bent over a lot duing her endless demo. It was so obvious my DH was actually offended rather than intrigued. We actually had a hand-me-down Kirby from my mom (who got it as a wedding gift, put up with it forever, then pawned it off on me as soon as I got married,) It was funny to watch her try her demo using our Kirby. She tried the "hold the light up to the back of the bag" trick, only the Kirby doesn't lose much dust from the bag and it didn't work. Finally, she completely unzipped the bag to show us how much dust I filled the living room with while vacuuming. (Told you she wasn't very smart, people often vacuum with the bag unzipped ) Long story short-she read the presentation to us from her book verbatim (except she had trouble with the big words) and we didn't buy the vacuum. She got her manager on the phone and DH told him we had a Kirby and they couldn't possibly match what it was worth on a trade-in. (it was an older Kirby, but he wasn't there to see it.) He said that was true, so how about we sell it on Ebay or in a garage sale and apply the $$ we get towards our future Rainbow vacuum payments. Nice. DH pretty much told him to stick it and she left-getting lost on her way to the highway and calling us on the cell phone for futher directions. Did I mention we lived about 5 blocks from the highway?
Anyway, I hate high-pressure sales people and keep a 'no soliciting' sign on my door. I am grateful to know that, while heavy and ancient, my vacuum at least held its own against another over-priced model-but I would cancel the sale if I were you. I didn't pay for mine. Just got the urge to share my annoying vacuum story after reading yours. I hope it made you smile and I hope you got that sale canceled.

 

[dianeschlicht]

It sounds from reading this thread, that vacuum salesmen really suck!

We had a Kirby that we won in a give-away. I already had a very old one from my mother. They have great suction, and are great for carpets, but they are WAY TOO HEAVY, and the plastic parts break easily. I now have an Oreck that is so easy to use on the stairs. Our new log home will not have any carpets, so our central vac will be all we need there. Here I only use the central vac for the non-carpeted rooms.

 

[stevenpensacola]

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/in_home/kirby_demo.html

click here to read about other folk's experiences with dealing with Kirby salesmen (oops salespersons).

 

[Lanshark]

Let us know how it goes.

I don't know your situation but will you have someone with you when this guy shows up. Again, make sure you are well before your deadline and that you have all the documentation necessary to show that you turned it back in before the deadline. I might even call Kirby and ask them what documents you should have to prove you were within the 3 day limit and you turned over the unit to the salesman.

 

[Princess_Aurora]

Well, I canceled the sale yesterday. I had to mail them my contract and sign the part that says, "I wish to terminate this sale." bla bla bla. It had to be sent out by midnight tonight. I sent it out yesterday, certified mail/return reciet. I made sure the postmaster stamped yesterday's date on it where it could be read. They are suppose to schedule a time to come pick it up within 10 days. Hopefully they won't give me any problems. I've done everything they've asked.

 

[my3kids]

Have a neighbor or friend at the house at the appointed time. Let them hand it off. You'll be in a bedroom hiding in case they demand your signature or something, but otherwise, you are UNAVAILABLE! I think it is ingrained in us to be nice and polite, not be rude, etc. Some instances call for a firm stance. If that salesman tries any coersion tactics again, just say no! Don't even allow your friend to let them in. They can accept the package through the door!

 

[nancy679]

My experience with Kirby salesmen was the same. We were supposed to get a free steam clean for one room in return for a demonstation. 20 minutes turned into 3 hours. I said no and he finally left but then I kept getting phone calls from another Kirby salesman. An d he was bad mouthing the guy that had come to my house and trying to get the sale for himself!!!

If you put a paper towel between the hose and bag on your vacuum and vacuum very slowly, you may find the same results that you would find with Kirby ( the dirt and dust that collects on the paper)

I personally have an Electrolux, which I paid $600 for and I love it.

 

[tar heel]

I'm really glad you cancelled. If you had done payments for 36 months, you wouldn't have paid $1,100 -- you would have paid $1,440.

 

[cruisnfamily]

I had these guys at my house too! They were really, really, pushy and you're right, it's the guy who comes to pick them up that's the bad one....he acted like I was really stupid for not buying his vacuum! I didn't buy it but it was tough to get them out the door.

I have an Oreck that I love ! It's one of the ones they sell for $400 but I got it reconditioned for $170 or so. It's so light and easy to use. The only thing I miss is I'd like some kind of attachment to get the dirt out of my sliding door tracks and vacuum the sofa but I make do. Orecks are great!

 

[JoNo]

Myself, I have a $70 bagless Bissell. Works wonders. At a place I used to work in, they had an old kirby. Wouldn't pick up anything at all & it was difficult to push around. It got on my nerves so bad I would bring in my old vaccuum to clean & it did a better job!