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Thread Number: 34211
/ Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
HORRIBLE Kirby Distributor Experience! |
[Down to Last] |  |
| Post# 370726 , Reply# 1 4/14/2017 at 18:40 (2,567 days old) by matt8808 (Teesside - North East - UK) | ||
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I'd report that dealer to the Kirby head office. They'll soon sort them out | ||
| Post# 370730 , Reply# 2 4/14/2017 at 19:05 (2,567 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA) | ||
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| Post# 370734 , Reply# 4 4/14/2017 at 19:40 (2,567 days old) by fairfax88 (Orlando, FL) | ||
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Where, in Florida do you live? I live in Down Town Orlando. ~David | ||
| Post# 370736 , Reply# 5 4/14/2017 at 19:51 (2,567 days old) by KirbyKleanKarpet (Florida ) | ||
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Summerfield. I'm right near Ocala, which is where this distributor is based. ~Tim | ||
| Post# 370739 , Reply# 6 4/14/2017 at 20:42 (2,567 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
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| Post# 370745 , Reply# 9 4/14/2017 at 21:18 (2,567 days old) by texaskirbyguy (Plano, TX) | ||
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Tim, I emailed you about the headlight trim. I have an extra red one but no more red nozzle trim. I have a lot of green though - Christmas mixup perhaps? | ||
| Post# 370748 , Reply# 10 4/14/2017 at 21:26 (2,567 days old) by KirbyKleanKarpet (Florida ) | ||
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Rob, Got the email and replied. Thanks. Regards, ~Tim | ||
| Post# 370767 , Reply# 12 4/15/2017 at 06:36 (2,567 days old) by hoover119dude (england) | ||
They should be reported to the company. They probably don't want people in the store for too long incase they actually have to do some work. They seem like they go to the shop each day and hang around the water cooler to catch up on yesterdays events and go home nice and relaxed and paid for the day after doing sweet. F.A !!! Rudeness like that should not be tolerated. REPORT THEM!!!
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| Post# 370776 , Reply# 13 4/15/2017 at 09:37 (2,567 days old) by dysonman1 (the county) | ||
There's another way to look at it:
We all know the Kirby distributor has his doors open to make money. They make money on sales of new vacuums. The parts that make the store profit, are disposable bags, belts, cords, fan, rear wheels, and brush rolls. These are the common parts carried, along with shampoo and pre-treatment chemicals, by most Kirby distributors.
In general, they probably don't care about the older machines. Older machines are to be traded in (in their minds). Again, they don't make money on older cleaners. Even the Kirby Company themselves don't REALLY care about older machines. They are only forced to keep a minimum of parts due to the lifetime rebuild warranty. I wouldn't ever go to a Kirby distributor to find a correct color nozzle bumper and headlight trim for a 1957 Kirby. I would actually expect to be laughed at. But then again, I understand how these stores work. I owned a vacuum repair shop for more than 20 years. The secretary had no idea what a 517 was, and had to look in a book that had limited information. Most likely because Kirby combined all those models into a group and only has one set of parts to fit ALL of them (from 516 - 562). The correct color makes no difference to Kirby or their distributors. The distributor would have had to order the nozzle bumper and headlight trim (most likely in black only), meaning he would have to place a SPECIAL order for those parts, as he wouldn't be expected to carry any parts further back than the Sentria. While they could certainly have been nicer, you have to remember you were an inconvenience to them. You were not buying a new cleaner, you were not buying parts or supplies they had "in stock" and within arms reach, and "to them" you were NOT like a typical customer. No one comes into a Kirby distributor (normally) armed with more knowledge than the distributor about OLD models they care nothing about. The distributor thought you were annoying him, and that's because he thought you were wasting his time on something that made him virtually no profit. Again, the goal is to sell NEW machines, everything else is secondary to that. Keep ordering on-line and save going to the distributor for anything other than 'common items' or to buy a new machine. You'll have a much happier experience. There's a Kirby distributor not far from my home. I wouldn't expect them to carry anything I would need for an older model. eBay and Amazon are my friend when it comes to older parts. | ||
| Post# 370785 , Reply# 14 4/15/2017 at 11:03 (2,567 days old) by dirtmaster37 (Ypsilanti, Michigan USA) | ||
Kirby Dist. Experience...
I have to second Tom here.
Fully. I wont re-speak all that he wrote, because the nail was hit DIRECTLY on the head. Vacuum shops, and distributors of new product rarely care about something that is now 6 decades old. It's just not even remotely on their radar. It's not personal, it's business. It's happening faster and faster now that the older guys and gals are dropping out of the business, due retirement or bouncing off the mortal coil. These persons, who were of the thinking to just "fix the old", are dying out. These were the persons, who would take care of you. Sometimes too well, and lulling you into a complacencyto keep the same old cleaner for 30 years. Those days are gone. I am not saying that the new generation SHOULDN'T try to, and we have companies who are committed to longevity, but we/ they are trained to think differently. Old bad. New good. Today, vacuum places,and assumption aside, a Kirby distributor; are becoming the most competitive ever because without selling new, they loose money, and they die. Plain and simple, we are up against the big box stores and the internet. Pressure from all sides cause even someone even like oneself, to turn away from fixing the old stuff anymore. Parts of unobtainum are part of it. But still... All that said, they did NOT, in any way shape or form, have to be rude or insulting. That isn't okay. That will kill you faster than repairing a 65 year old Kirby. Most distributors of the Big K machines are that way. Look it up, it's nothing new. Their business practices are for the most part deplorable. Just wanted to add my thought in. I'd report them. But truthfully it probably wont do any good. as long as they are kicking out the 28 lb monster at 55 easy payments of $ 29 dollars, and 95 cents (read it like Ron Popeil), the company does nothing about it. Kirby manufactures a product, and then sells to the distributor, which pretty much takes away any responsibility from the company to really care! Best of luck.. Chad | ||
| Post# 370794 , Reply# 15 4/15/2017 at 15:29 (2,566 days old) by crazykirbydude (Lexington, KY) | ||
I Kinda Disagree...
My local Aerus Electrolux dealer cares immensely about older machines, and does not care if you buy a used Super J or a brand new Guardian Platinum. He has parts for all Electrolux models, even the XXX. He is also very respectful to all customers, and will happily fetch you anything for your Electrolux, old or new. I find that Electroluxes depreciate less than Kirbys do. A Kirby Sentria can be found on Craigslist for under $300. A Renaissance on Craigslist will run you about $600. I don't know why, just what I have observed. My old Kirby dealer in my area was very polite, and did not press a new machine onto you. He was more than happy to fix someone's DS50 when they brought it in. Unfortunately, he isn't as available as he used to be, and he might be shutting down. My new Kirby dealer in my area has his "shop" in a strip mall, and it's a dump. He was very rude when I needed a switch for my Heritage II. Will not be going back.
Just my two cents minus tax -Adin | ||
| Post# 370796 , Reply# 16 4/15/2017 at 15:42 (2,566 days old) by kenkart () | ||
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Maybe our old Kirby Office was rare, but Buell and Janet Pearson NEVER tried to push a new machine on a customer and they carried every kind of old part and bag you could imagine. | ||
Post# 370801 , Reply# 18 4/15/2017 at 16:35 (2,566 days old) by KirbyClassicIII  (Milwaukie, Oregon) |
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KirbyKleanKarpet
Tim,
I am very sorry to hear about your experience with your local Kirby dealer. I am sure there are others out there near you that won't tip you off that much and might have some of those discontinued parts you desperately need... I wish you good luck obtaining the correct red bumper trim for your 517 (1957-58)! ~Ben | ||
| Post# 370806 , Reply# 19 4/15/2017 at 19:20 (2,566 days old) by pr-21 (Middletown, OH) | ||
When the G4 first came out, I had a problem with mine. It ran fine at first and then after running it for 20 minutes or so, when I shut it off, it would make a high pitched noice when winding down after using the attachments. I dealt with a very large distributor in the Cincinnati, Oh. I took it in and they would turn it on and off. I told them it had to run for at least 20 minutes with the attachment hose on to make the noise. They kept the machine for a day or two and called to say it was fixed. Long story short, they obviously didn't do anything to it as it did the same thing, so I wrote the Kirby Company and complained, explaining what the machine was doing. I received a call from a man at Kirby asking me to send just the power unit directly to him and he would check it out and get back to me.
Long story short, he did just that. What had happened was whoever was on the assembly line putting on the fan did not follow procedures and did not put some grease of some sort behind the fan where the rubber gasket was, therefore the noise. He also looked at who did that job on the day mine was made and found my machine was not the only one like that, however he did say that only someone using the attachments, like I did would ever get that noise...He sent my machine back to me and sure enough it was fixed, but I was running it and then it would just shut off until you jiggled it, obviously a loose wire. Ok so where is this going, just when the last thing happened I got a call from the distributor I bought my machine from and said Kirby World Headquarters called about my letter complaining about my machine making a noise and was instructed to let me bring it back for a brand new machine. I did take it back and I even got to go to the stock room and the cocky guy that would not fix my machine to start with, let me actually pick one out of a sealed box of (I believe they were shipped in boxes of 4...) which I did. This was a huge distributor, he must have had 25 cases of 4 to a box brand new Kirby vacuums. NO MORE PROBLEMS, thank goodness. Now to the last of my story. Not all distributors of Kirby are like that. A new distributor got a franchise about 20 minutes from my house and I used to stop in and get bags and belts. They even wanted me to sell for them. I couldn't due it as I had my full time job and I also did not want to knock on doors to get referrals. I did however tell my aunt and cousins about my kirby. In the end, both of my cousins and my aunt bought new G4's from the new Kirby Distributor, unfortunately, they had to close eventually due to not meeting Kirby's sales quota's for dealerships. Those Kirby's are still running today. My one cousin actually had me send hers in for a rebuild and it came back looking brand new. Cost at the time was around $250 or so, plus shipping, since she was the original owner. There are good Kirby Distributors out there. When I decided to get the new Kirby Avalir, I bought one from another great Kirby Distributor and have been very pleased with it and the follow up after the sale. Sincerely, Bud Mattingly PR-21 | ||
| Post# 371179 , Reply# 22 4/21/2017 at 03:17 (2,561 days old) by KirbyKleanKarpet (Florida ) | ||
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Kirbyfans Kirbysthebest, I would definitely second you on Kirbyfans. He has never failed me before, plus he's very courteous. Always has a hand-written "Thank you" on the receipt, and usually has a business card with the order. Good guy. | ||
| Post# 371182 , Reply# 23 4/21/2017 at 04:13 (2,561 days old) by pr-21 (Middletown, OH) | ||
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