My experience with Kirby began with the arrival of two delightful young women on my doorstep. They were all primed to give me the whoop-de-do sales pitch and exact sympathy at the same time, by telling me they were trying hard to qualify for a free vacation trip.
They worked very hard to sell their product, but I must admit they were never other than friendly and polite. I have a long history in sales and recognize all the tactics; it was fun playing the game with them, but what they did not know was that I’d been wanting a Kirby for a long time.
My mother had one and enjoyed it seemingly forever. In any event, after all the bantering was over we got down to hard negotiating, and I ended up with a new Kirby Ultimate G Diamond Edition for a very reasonable price that was far less than anything I’ve seen mentioned on the Internet, even for a reconditioned one.
There’s a lot of wiggle room in the price, and you must be polite but very firm. In addition, do not under any circumstance do a time purchase plan with them – the interest rates are outrageous. Pay by check or cash.
By the way, they tried to sell me the one used in the demonstration, and I refused, holding out for a new, packaged unit. I got it, and they threw in the shampoo accessory gratis.
I’ve had the Kirby Ultimate G Diamond vacuum cleaner for about two years now, and it is the best vacuum I’ve ever owned.
It makes short work of all the hair that accumulates in a house with a large shedding retriever and two tabbies, and the bag filtration is very effective.
The self-propulsion system is solid as a rock, far better than my self-propelled Hoover, and the power is plentiful. Using the extension wand is a bit complex, since it involves disabling the belt, but once one gets used to it it’s a breeze.
I’m handy enough to fix it myself if necessary, but I don’t expect it to need repairs for a long time to come. I love it.
Curious: I’ve had the Kirby G3 for 15 years. I have not had a problem with it at all. I am just curious as to the price you paid for the Kirby Ultimate. I might want to get another one but at a cheaper price. I paid the full price for mine then. I hope to make a better deal on the next one.
I got mine with all the attachments in excellent working condition at an online auction site (not ebay) for $23.00. Jealous????
Heavy, but superb: I own a Kirby G4 and a Kirby Ultimate Diamond (vacation house).
I have owned previously, and still do, a Simplicity series 7 that is a fine machine. The Simplicity is easier to use on the fly with its built-in attachments, but the Kirby is the best vacuum in the world in my opinion. The tech drive self propelled feature makes cleaning a breeze, and nothing I have ever used picks up more dirt. Taking it up stairs is heavy, but it cleans a room much faster than most, and I love the HEPA filtration system.
Sometimes the Simplicity leaves odors if the bag isn’t very new. My Kirbys will be around far longer than I will!
Kirby Heritage II: I’ve owned a Kirby Heritage II since 1990. Over the years the motor has held up strong and it continues to clean great. Exterior parts I’ve had to replace such as electrical cord, shampoo tanks, shampoo unit, bag assembly, and light bulbs. Replacement parts have been a bit pricy but no comparison to buying a new one. I bought it at a good price, distributor’s cost so there is a lot of wiggle room in the purchase price. Kirbys are heavy but will take excellent care of carpet and keeping your home clean.
Kirby Classic III 2cb: My mom bought a Kirby in 1977. She had it until 1993 when she gave it to my sister as a wedding gift. It one day made a noise in the motor, so she sold it for $50 in a garage sale. I found out about her selling it a few years later. I was upset because I could have fixed it for less than $5. It was most likely the brush contact in the motor. Last year (2010) I saw the same model for sale on Ebay. It was in very rough condition but it was all there. For $36 I couldn’t pass it up. I was surprised that when I plugged it in that it ran like new. I washed the bag and completely disassembled it to polished every part on a bench grinder. For less than $60 total, I have a better than new looking Kirby that I always admired as a child. By the way…My mom replaced the Kirby she gave to my sister with a newer Kirby.
Still Going: My Kirby experience started in year 2000. I was fed-up with many brands, not to mention them here. A Kirby distributor showed up at my doorstep one evening and gave a dynamic presentation, they even took away my antiquated vacuum!! I am so pleased with the Kirby vacuum, I should have owned this system years ago. Eleven years later I’ve experienced my first breakdown and desperately need a repair part. The latch on the front of the intake head that allows you to remove the brushing system is broken. I am looking to replace the latch or the entire brush head. Can someone recommend a site to purchase this item? NO! I will not sell or give my Kirby away. Sorry! Had to throw that in there. Help keep my Kirby in service… God Bless.
Kirby Ultimate G: The best way to buy a Kirby is through garage sales or, in my case, a divorce sale. This woman wanted to sell this magnificent machine and all the attachments because it reminds her of her ex! He bought it for her birthday! HA! Why fork out for jewelry when you can get a whole Kirby setup for the same money???
As for performance, the Kirby Ultimate G vacuum lives up to the hype. I actually use the attachments and the carpet shampooer. It came with a VHS video which was helpful. This Ultimate G is a quality machine and you’ll know it when you’re vacuuming. I’m sure any other Kirby model would be a wise purchase if you get lucky and find a good used one for sale.
I have had Kirby Vacuums for 41 years. I have 7 at the moment. 2 Legend IIs, 3 G5s,my original Classic III that I purchased new in 1976, and my latest purchase, an Ultimate g Diamond addition with the attachments, for $50.00 on a local sales site. They are super easy to repair and you can find parts on many sites via the internet. I purchased a used Kirby dirt Meter, and it is amazing how much dirt these vacs pick up. They are a bit heavy, but the units with tech drive, are a breeze to use. I will definitely have Kirby’s in my house forever.
Well, I”m new to Kirby’s, this year is my first actually, but I”ve really become a fan…and now a collector of them. The only reason I opened up to them is because of some youtube videos I watched….testing the air quality while running them with a HEPA filter bag ( thats the key). I bought a Sentria ( 2007-2014 years), wow, love the Techdrive system with makes it ‘automatic’ and only takes 1 lb of pressure to push or pull it!! They are relatively easy to service (watched videos on it), are very durable , thus, will last YEARS….are super converitble ie can chance from a carpet device to a hard floor device, or a dusting device, or inflating device or a shampooer! Besides all that, after speaking to 2 vacuum repair stores, they solidified my earlier readings of being so low maintenance and last a long time. Since then, I”ve purchased a 1970 model, a 1976, a 1985 and 1988 models….all run perfectly ( just replaced belts and CLEANED thoroughly). Yes, they are a bit heavy, but grab them by the lower handle vs the handle that you push/pull, and the weight largely goes away….its similar to a large grocery bag full.
Does anyone know how heavy the Kirby ultimate G series diamond edition vacuum is?