Thread Number: 25556
Expensive goodwill finds.
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Post# 286960   7/2/2014 at 19:28 (3,557 days old) by starryblues4u (Charlotte, NC)        

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Saw these at my local goodwill. To much for me to spend!

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Post# 286964 , Reply# 1   7/2/2014 at 19:31 (3,557 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        

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Rarity alone does not a collectible make... although it sure would've helped the Tradition you saw.

~Ben


Post# 286968 , Reply# 2   7/2/2014 at 20:01 (3,556 days old) by phoenixman2014 ()        

I rarely find cool vacuums at Goodwill or Savers. I found a blue Sanitaire once, but it was broken. I turned it on, and the motor was so loud, it did not sound normal. It was also dirty too, covered in mud. And the bag was not original. I could buy a brand new Sanitaire on ebay anytime. I also once found a Hoover Decade 80, a green one. I turned it on and it spat out a lot of dirt from the bottom. I have seen a few concepts, but those do not interest me as much. I wish I can find a Montgomery Wards made by Eureka at a Thrift store. I've searched all over my city, and not one. If I ever found a Wards with it's original bag and cord, but it was broken, I would def. fix it, because those are getting more impossible to come around now and days, especially all original. Most I've seen have generic bags, not their original bags. That, or the cord is brand new.

Post# 286969 , Reply# 3   7/2/2014 at 20:01 (3,556 days old) by FantomFan (Rochester, New York)        
Which goodwill did you go to?

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I only live about 30 minutes away from you! I have seen outrageous prices on vacuums at goodwill. YES, it is a good cause, BUT they still got them for free, and they are still NOT desirable to the GENERAL public, even though collectors will go for them. One wanted $80 for a bojacked kirby classic. It sat there for MONTHS!! Another wanted $50 for an older kenmore progressive without the powerhead! Here is the best one: A hoover flair with a missing brushroll and cracked base for $25!
I have discovered the reason why they ask for so much- I found out a year ago that one particular goodwill used ebay to price everything! Good luck selling those!


Post# 286981 , Reply# 4   7/2/2014 at 21:10 (3,556 days old) by bagintheback (Flagstaff, Arizona)        

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Wow, I have never seen prices so high! In what sort of area is this Goodwill located? I'm not sure if this is the same everywhere, but I've gone thrifting in just about every sort of town in Arizona, from rural retirement communities to Mercedes-swamped Scottsdale, and I've noticed a trend. Thrift stores in high-rent districts will tend to have more modern disposable products in poorer shape, but will take advantage of the community's wealth and charge top dollar. Lower-rent districts seem to take better care of their belongings, and thrift stores more often have older products in above-average condition, but charge reasonable prices. I always find the best stuff there. Does it seem to work this way elsewhere? 

 

 


Post# 286998 , Reply# 5   7/2/2014 at 22:39 (3,556 days old) by marks_here (_._)        
Habitat 4 Humanity

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Here has a Hoover windtunnel self-propelled bagless U6626 for $35 in excellent condition. I told them they could sell it for more, but the manager said they price things to sell fast & they do!! They had a Kenmore Progressive blue model there last week in pristine condition for $25, went back there on Mon. & it was sold.

Post# 287004 , Reply# 6   7/3/2014 at 01:05 (3,556 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)        
$59.99 for a Tradition?

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I passed on an $80 Ultimate G today!


Post# 287007 , Reply# 7   7/3/2014 at 01:54 (3,556 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

Bet if those high dollar vacuums and other things sold at those Goodwill stores don't sell-they get chucked into the compactor or dumpster in back of the store.The Goodwill and Salvation Army places closed near me-no longer around.

Post# 287056 , Reply# 8   7/3/2014 at 11:48 (3,556 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)        

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No offense guys, but I am not having any sympathy for your complaints of high prices not one bit! The city I live in, which is pretty small- only 36,000 people- has a Value Village, Goodwill & Sally Ann. The Value Village we got just 1 1/2 years ago, & had fought to get one here for decades. Very seldom do you see vacs at any of the thrift stores, & when you do they are cheap disposable Hoovers, Eurekas, Dirt Devil, Shark, etc. And a lot of the time they are broken or well-used with lots of scuffs & scrapes, or need expensive replacement parts that make the vacuum not worth it. Case in point....about a year ago, Goodwill had a Shark Infinity upright vacuum, one of the first Dyson multi-cyclonic knockoffs....the vacuum itself was in good shape, but it was missing all it's tools & the brushroll was BARE....no bristles at all. It was priced at $20 dollars, but to get new tools & brushroll from Shark would have cost easily $50 dollars, so $70 dollars into a used disposable vacuum is not worth it. I would gladly pay the high prices they ask for DTD brands or high-end vac shop brands.

Rob


Post# 287091 , Reply# 9   7/3/2014 at 15:36 (3,556 days old) by FantomFan (Rochester, New York)        
HEY!

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That Oreck Steamer was there 6 months ago!
I remember it there!


Post# 287112 , Reply# 10   7/3/2014 at 17:25 (3,556 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Our city has about 27,000 residents and the whole valley maybe 35,000. Last weekend in the local Goodwill store there was a pretty nice, as in dirty but no obvious damage, no big battle scars, Kenmore Progressive vacuum with a good hose and Powermate for a hefty $25. That's a steal. The Powermate alone is worth more than that and the hose alone ought to fetch $50. Since it was Sunday the Salvation Army store was closed but the other thrift shop had a Kirby G Series in good condition, really all it needed was some detailing and some elbow grease on the aluminum polish for $10. Ten bucks for a Kirby! Yesterday I saw an identical Kirby in the same condition for $135 at the little vacuum shop I frequent.


Post# 287118 , Reply# 11   7/3/2014 at 18:01 (3,556 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)        
there's still good deals out there!

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My Chrome-Dome Osterizer was $5! It makes the best Shakes!

Post# 287128 , Reply# 12   7/3/2014 at 19:45 (3,555 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)        

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.
.

That does seem high for the Electrolux but I think $60 is reasonable for the Tradition. It's all-original and appears to be very clean. A couple of hours on the buffing wheel and it'd be gorgeous.


Post# 287168 , Reply# 13   7/4/2014 at 02:41 (3,555 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

Back to the 'Lux and Tradition--does the 'Lux come with ALL of its tools?does the Kirby come with ALL of its tools and the hose-tool case?If not, WON'T pay those prices!The Kirby appeared to be pretty dusty-they should at least clean it up!Yes,the polishing would be something I wouldn't expect the swap shop to do.

Post# 287185 , Reply# 14   7/4/2014 at 05:40 (3,555 days old) by starryblues4u (Charlotte, NC)        
Well....

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Went back yesterday and the lux is marked down to $34.99. The lux had a hose, Wands, and old style bare floor tool. The Kirby had no tools.

Post# 287191 , Reply# 15   7/4/2014 at 08:33 (3,555 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)        

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Habitat lately here lately has few vacuums. I have about stopped going to the Salvation Army, it's always the same stuff! I don't know why but since they remodeled the store they have a lot less donations it seems.

Post# 287201 , Reply# 16   7/4/2014 at 10:29 (3,555 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Funny thing with the Salvation Army. Joan Kroc put an awful lot of her fortune into them, starting with a huge modern new complex in downtown San Diego. Really beautiful and it helped their outreach to the poor immeasurably. She has funded a lot of good things for them. But I have a hunch that when donors make choices, nice digs at a Salvation Army store might make people think they need donations a lot less than someone else down the street. Just a hunch with nothing to back it. Also consider that local conditions might have an effect. Which thrift store is more willing to pick stuff up at your home or makes that part of the deal easier? If I am clearing stuff out and don't have a pick-em-up truck to haul it away, the thrift store that will gets the goods.

Having said that, the big Salvation Army thrift store in Lancaster CA puts the two Goodwill stores combined to shame in terms of selection, and always in every case has lower prices than any Goodwill store. Ditto in Ridgecrest where I live. My co-workers get a giggle out of my $3 Salvation Army coffee pot and $5 DART thrift store toaster in the coffee mess at work. Desert Tortoise is a cheap a__ , heh, heh, heh. Saves money for motorcycles and now vacuums. Gotta have your priorities.


Post# 287232 , Reply# 17   7/4/2014 at 13:00 (3,555 days old) by portapower (BRUNSWICK)        
Expensive finds

You can always talk to the manager and make an offer. Most times they will dicker just to get rid of product. Next time try it. You got nothing to loose. Also, with Goodwill if you donate anything they will give you a 20% off coupon on your next purchase.

Post# 287237 , Reply# 18   7/4/2014 at 13:49 (3,555 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

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Wow like I have said elsewere on the forum I would consider those prices cheap. If  it would not cost so much to ship here I would buy that Electroux in a heartbeat 


Post# 287240 , Reply# 19   7/4/2014 at 14:48 (3,555 days old) by super-sweeper (KSSRC Refurbishment Center)        
the Ultimate G i saw,

super-sweeper's profile picture
Had not a SINGLE tool with it! You're right, if it had all the tools, $80 wouldn't seem as bad! That thrift store I go to sees 'Kirby' and thinks '$$$$$'!

Post# 287287 , Reply# 20   7/5/2014 at 04:36 (3,554 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

Another thought for donations to Salvation Army or Goodwill-could it be that folks are now trying to sell those higher dollar Kirbys,Filter Queens,Rainbows,'Luxes and other high end vacuums on EBay and Craigslist rather than donating them to those above places.And often vacuums are donated to the owners church when they buy a new one.Seems like this happens a lot with Kirbys.

Post# 287293 , Reply# 21   7/5/2014 at 05:20 (3,554 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

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Why donate your old worn out vacuum to your church for them to use, why not buy them a new one and donate that. Just saying 


Post# 287380 , Reply# 22   7/5/2014 at 21:31 (3,553 days old) by kirbylux77 (London, Ontario, Canada)        

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Gareth, why would someone buy & donate a new vacuum with all the garbage being sold today?! You can easily spend $500 & still get a vacuum that's poorly made, Kenmore canisters are a perfect example of this. It would be much better in my opinion to donate a good old Electrolux or Kirby that has lots of life left in it, & won't break easily from abuse.

Rob


Post# 287424 , Reply# 23   7/6/2014 at 06:45 (3,553 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

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I do understand that though you can get a good Sanitaire for S500.00. I just dont know why you would donate your old vacuum ( which you would have replaced for a reason ) to the church when it was the reason you bought a new one. Seems a bit of a cheek to me. Just my opinion 


Post# 287431 , Reply# 24   7/6/2014 at 07:51 (3,553 days old) by Gr8DaneDad ()        

Well sometimes the 'reason' is that you can't push it any longer or you ripped up all the carpeting and put down hard wood/laminate/tile and went from an upright to a canister, it was a gift that you just didn't care for, it's too big for your very small apartment or maybe it doesn't match the decor. To assume that the replaced vacuum was a poor performer or otherwise inferior may be so far from the truth as to be rather humorous. But you are right in that donating a broken or demonstrably inferior vacuum is indeed cheeky.


Post# 287433 , Reply# 25   7/6/2014 at 08:31 (3,553 days old) by gsheen (Cape Town South Africa)        

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Yes it was a bit presumptuous of me to assume that But then again most people will only replace a vacuum when its not working well or deemed to old for them. 


Post# 287443 , Reply# 26   7/6/2014 at 11:44 (3,553 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Of course no one ever buys a new vacuum just to have "newer, better" and maybe snazzier then parks a still perfectly serviceable old mare in the closet because it's old and boring, or maybe not as ergonomically perfect as some newer thing. Or the owner simply does not know how to change filter materials and the machine finally loads up with dirt and starts blowing dirt out the back. Still a good machine but the owner(s) don't know how to take care of their belongings. Heck, I have to beg my fiancée to let me change the oil on her car, doesn't see the value in it.

As I am finding out there are an awful lot of good running vacuums being discarded. They are ugly and filthy, having been used and abused for a couple of decades, but despite the abuse still run fine.



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