Door to door salesman

Danger_Ranger

Danger_Ranger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2008
Location
Star NC
Had a salesman come to my house yesterday trying to sale me a Kirby vacuum. I watched him do his sales demo and waste his time, knowing I wasn't going to buy shit anyway. The one he was selling was $1,500. No way I'm paying that kinda money for a vacuum. But he made some good points about allergies and such that it helps with. So I got to looking online and found older models for less than $400. But I'm just wondering if they are really worth it. Anyone have any experience?

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But a rainbow vacuum.

Best ever and way better then Kirby.
 
I like my kirby. It's heavy and looks old. Everything is replaceable and not much plastic. Don't know how it compares or if it's worth it.
 
My moms is over 40years old, and had to deal with all the rocks, nuts, bolts, BB’s, Legos, model parts, general flotsam that a 5-20yo can manage to dribble thru childhood and a cat and a dog and sisters with long hair.

It is still alive. It’s heavy as hell, but it’s a tank. Anything else would have died a smoldering gasping death.

Having bought 2 “lesser” machines at the box stores when I had my first few places (~$200ish each over 6years), after we bought our house, I also bought a Kirby. 18years ago., and it’s been fine. $1000 over 18 years and still going, and is rebuildable, unlike pretty much everything else offered at the box stores.

Ours is a G6, has drive assist (self,propels in the direction you push, easily) and several attachments ( you don’t need the whole suite of shit, a lot of it is pretty gimmicky) there is a basic kit that it comes with, hose and a few hose attachments and extensions.

Bags and belts available on Amazon as are all the other parts you may need.

No regrets here.

When it came time to talk turkey, they put out that $1500 price, I coughed a bit, then he asked what I wanted for trade in on the POS plastic thing we had at the time $500.....trade in. Paid $1000
 
I see a lot of the G5 models on eBay and Craigslist for $300 or less. From what I gather those are around 20 years old. I will have to do some more research and see what kind of info I can find. I'd like to have a nice vacuum if it will help with allergy issues. My step daughter has breathing issues and I'm hoping it will help.

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My dad has had the same one with all the attachments for 25+ years, my mom buys a new $200 vacuum every year. I'd say it's paid itself off. Once sanded a whole fiberglass boat hull with the sander attachment when I was a kid. It's a heavy sonbitch though.
 
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I grew up with my parents and grandparents having rainbows. The newer 2spd models are super nice.

I'm still using my grandmother's old unit from the 70s. It's not the nicest but works fantastic and is a tank.

Biggest plus to owning a Kirby though, is that they've used the same parts since the beginning so they're easy to fix.
 
Purchasing a Kirby is like buying a nice Kitchenaid mixer. Both will last forever. Both will get complaints about being heavy. Neither will break often and or need replacing. Having a wife that uses either is great. Using both regularly is down right awsome!
Buying either or as a gift will net you the stink eye and reduce your chance of getting lucky! I'm a realistic sort of fella we have both and I've gotten used to going without.:(;)
 
orange150 said:
How do the Kirby’s and rainbows compare to dysons (which is what I have)
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The Dyson works fine, until it doesn’t. When it quits, can you get repair parts ? Or just toss it and buy another ?

As stated before, the Kirby’s have been around so long repair parts are readily available.....if needed.

The beater brush on a Kirby has 4 levels, as the bristles wear you reposition the brush mount to space the beater lower. Simple and effective. Belts are a wear item, buy a bundle of 9bags, usually get a belt included with them, I have yet to replace a belt out of need, it was just there so did it. Bag consumption is relative to your vacuuming habits and debris output. Beater brush, belts, bags, power cords, attachments all available on Amazon.

I suspect Rainbow is similar, I have no opinion of Rainbow, never used one, but it’s sold in a similar fashion as the Kirby, door to door.

the biggest selling point, they can be repaired. I am tired of the toss it when it’s done, have been for awhile.

 
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orange150 said:
How do the Kirby’s and rainbows compare to dysons (which is what I have)
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My wife bought a used Dyson Pet model about 10 years ago on the local FB "Buy/Sell/Trade" for 40 bucks. Still works like a champ and it'll suck the panties off an 80 year old nun. No complaints.
 
We must be vacuum saints. I have a shark from wal mart..probably 10 years old. Think it cost..89 new.

No bags, no belts, direct drive motor with a diverter chamber. Does have a heap filter that gets changed every couple years...
 
We used to have a shark. Broke a few.

Started selling Filter Queen years ago in college and it really opened my eyes to the differences between them. Kirby is nice and durable. Rainbow, no thanks. That nasty ass water... y’all can have that.

Ran a filter queen for a while and really liked it. Now we have some crazy Dyson that Bri likes and wanted. Wasn’t cheap but the house stays clean and she is happy. So I don’t really care. Now we have a roomba that is a PITA because it gets stuck on every damn kid toy that is left out.
 
Blkvoodoo said:
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He reminds me of Philip Seymour Hoffman's character Gust in Charlie Wilson's War lol.

We have a Shark. It was 150 or so IIRC and it cleans everything we need it to for now, including a mutt who is starting to shed his winter coat :rolleyes:. Been going strong for 5 years or so, we'll probably get another one when this one kicks it.

Duane
 
CLRracer said:
He reminds me of Philip Seymour Hoffman's character Gust in Charlie Wilson's War lol.
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AvE has a bunch of videos of stuff he's torn down, hilarious, interesting and just technical enough that it remains interesting but not droll. Good stuff !
 
I forgot to mention earlier.

I’ll never own another cheap vacuum. I’ve seen how I thought my house was clean. Then I broke down and got a decent vacuum and realized how dirty my house really was. It previously looked clean but after a few uses with a quality vacuum I saw how dirty the carpet really was.
 
The thing I can't figure out is, why is Kirby still relying on door to door salesmen? This isn't the 20th century anymore. If the vacuums are so awesome they should sell themselves.

We have a Dyson Animal and it works very well, but I don't like the fact that it's plastic and removing the shield under the brush roller is a PITA bc the retainer screws are plastic and the heads are getting stripped out.
When/if it dies we'll probably move up to something Kirby-like in level.
 
You fellas must vacuum a lot more than I do. I'm glad to say I have no idea what brand vacuum my wife uses. I enjoy being stuck in the 1950's :huggy:
 
awheelterd said:
You fellas must vacuum a lot more than I do. I'm glad to say I have no idea what brand vacuum my wife uses. I enjoy being stuck in the 1950's :huggy:
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Yea, sounds like the hens are in here clucking!

Stop by the garage, the men are in there!
 
rockcity said:
A real man cares that his wife has good tools too. :D
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I don't send my wife out to buy my tools for my job, why would she send me out to buy her tools? Besides that, the Gotwood household doesn't believe in carpet!
 
rockcity said:
I forgot to mention earlier.

I’ll never own another cheap vacuum. I’ve seen how I thought my house was clean. Then I broke down and got a decent vacuum and realized how dirty my house really was. It previously looked clean but after a few uses with a quality vacuum I saw how dirty the carpet really was.
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Funny thing is, I had just taken apart a cheap ass dirt devil vacuum we bought not long ago because it was clogged up. Then we used it to vacuum all the rugs in the house, so it looked really clean to us, until he used the Kirby and vacuumed up a bunch of dust and dirt from the same rugs we had just cleaned.
 
GotWood said:
I don't send my wife out to buy my tools for my job, why would she send me out to buy her tools? Besides that, the Gotwood household doesn't believe in carpet!
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You've been in mine. No carpet here either. But the floor is "too cold" so decorative rugs were a must. Plus we use the rainbow to clean the floors as well.

rockcity said:
I forgot to mention earlier.

I’ll never own another cheap vacuum. I’ve seen how I thought my house was clean. Then I broke down and got a decent vacuum and realized how dirty my house really was. It previously looked clean but after a few uses with a quality vacuum I saw how dirty the carpet really was.
Click to expand...

We have a cheaper Shark vacuum as well. Wife uses it daily on the rugs and sweeps the floors to keep the dog hair at bay. Uses the rainbow 1-2 times a week, and youd be amazed at what comes up.
 
We picked up a free Dyson Animal this weekend. It just needed a $25 part. I ordered that and a new beater brush from Amazon.

We already had one Dyson Animal and a Dyson handheld, but with three kids and two dogs, you can't have too many vacuums.
 
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