Maz

Kirby are round here right now, cleaning our bedroom carpet for us. Those machines are a nice cheap $1,900. I wonder how pleased he'll be when I tell him I'd only be interested if it's compatible with 240V, 13 amp, 60W power.

Goodacre

Ha ha, yes, I remember them. Just take the bottle of bubbly, enjoy the free housework and then say thanks, but no thanks, I say.

farmerwife

LOL That happened when I first came here too, and was not used to the ways of US sales. When I told the guy I was going back to England and about the 'lectric thing he couldn't take no for an answer. He was convinced it would work fine in the UK, that the Brit's would be happy to see such a fine US piece of equipment. He will probably try to get you to buy a tranformer for it!

- Happy with my Dyson! -

Big D

My in laws have always had them back in blighty - been impressed with them but at a price!!

Jerseygirl

They've been sold in the UK for at least 27 yrs.

TruBrit

i've got one back in the house in blighty.....bought it for £40 15 yrs ago from a neighbour moving to the USA.... brill vacuum but not at the price a new one would cost now

Jerseygirl

My friend's brother used to sell them when he was inbetween jobs. That was in 1979/80...think they were around the 400/500 GBP mark then.

My sister bought one about 20 years ago...she got the salesman to do a demo then asked if they sold any recons. Think she paid about 40 GBP for hers.

TruBrit

yep, i just edited my post ..it should have read £40 instead of $40. the guy comes every couple of yrs to give it a bit of a spit and polish and it's as good as new again

Maz

Well, he left, and now my bedroom carpet is drying off. Got him down to $700 but they had no clue about the electricity in New Zealand so they left empty-handed. To be honest, my Hoover carpet shampooer with the right cleaning solution, does just as good a job.

another bloody yank

You got him to $700 from $1900?

You're good!

Maz

*curtseys* Yep sure did! First they offered $1,200, then I said no, and they went down to $700. Almost worth it! But that was including trade-ins for my nearly 10-year old vacuum cleaner and carpet shampooer.

TruBrit

if you are interested and the price isn't right then check out their reconditioned ones that are good as new, two of my friends have bought them and had no probs

farmerwife

That sounds about right. It was in 1980 when I first arrived that I got the "Kirby sales demo". If they were introducing them in the UK around then, maybe that's why the salesman kept on trying to sell me one to take home.

texas_ranger

Not sure what 60W power has got to do with the UK....are you getting mixed up with 60Hz on TV's?
I tried to look up the tech spec of a Kirby, funnily enough I'd probably have more luck finding Lord Lucan on google

C

Maz

D'Oh! Yes, sorry, 60Hz it is in New Zealand.