Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Hello,

I'll be honest, I know nothing about vacuum cleaners except that I need one. I have 4 criteria for selection:
1) Works well
2) built well/will last me a long long time (serviceable)
3) Made in US, Japan, or Western Europe
4) Hopefully no more than $350

I think Oreck may end up being my choice since it's made in the US and I haven't found any others that aren't manufactured in south east Asia. But that's why I'm here! To tap into your brains :)

mole wrote:

Hello Mole:

Let me think on this awhile.  I can recall these feelings and thoughts when the Japanese did the same [and still as the chinese now] in the 50's and 60's.  I'm sure you can remember too.  Capitalism at its best/worse. Look at China and its earthquake devastation.  Sad.  Industrial power and didn't have a back-up plan for a natural disaster.  It's pitiful how the authorities there are handling the matter.  Like our citizens with the aftermath of Katrina.  Who weathered it well?  ORECK and helped the needy in the process.  US grown.

You've heard the expression: What goes around comes around.  Toyota for the first time in years reported a quarterly loss.  Substantial.  Why?  It geared up for alot of new truck sales right at the same time as the gas prices soared.  Result:  They ain't selling their big trucks.  One of their mainstays.  And we already talked about toyota's recent quality concern issues pushing cars to market by cutting corners and time for quality assurance.  [Sound like a foreign vacuum brand discussed here alot.]

Small business owners like yourself weather economic cycles [good/bad] better than the big dogs.  Just keep on keeping on. 

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Toyota has been in the U.S. so long that they are beginning to think like Americans.  The domestic dealers have 10 new trucks or SUV for every new car on their lot.  As for quality.  The domestic manufactures are notorious for cutting corners on quality.  Compare recall of Toyota, Honda or Nissan vs domestic autos. 

Our economy is falling in part due to ignorant home buyers combined with greedy loan institutions and building contractors.  How do we blame this on another country? 

Could you be referring to the foreign made Hoover.  Remember how they cut corners and introduced another POS every few months?  Then closed a U.S. plant.   I also find it amusing that some criticize Japanese products which are generally superior in quality, yet they praise European products.  History shows that we have been enemies to both.  If you hate one then hate the other.

Remember how poor the domestic auto quality was until Datsun invaded?  Then Honda with their superior motorcycles forced Harley Davidson to improve their quality. 

Then we have at least one Wal Mart (China's best source of income) fanboy.

Hi H.S., you know what i totally agree with every word of your post.

Carmine your right on the money,It could be the collapse of the second roman empire.

I noticed a great quote,i think you know who said it. Americans will get it right after they fail at everything else to make it right.............

MOLE

Complacency breeds failure, it's human nature and there's a huge number of people in the far east who'd like the opportunity to better their position, both individually and as a nation. I doubt the situation would be any different if the roles were reversed.

Can't be long now, until China or India are sending their respective armies over to the west, to help keep order...

Well the problem I have mentioned is that we don't trade on a level playing field... in the name of so call "Free Trade" and "Capitalism". Yet we deal with countries with protective import duties and near slave labor forces. Companies are American when it suits them and International when it suits them...damnned to the American Worker and America.



The world laughs at our trade policies. While I agree Free trade is a positive thing...there has only been one worthwile trading partner that holds to our standards...US. That we were the biggest and richest consumers for the last 50 years but couldn't sell to our OWN MARKET is outright pathetic.

HARDSELL wrote:

HS:

You can't knock their stock performance.  Up over 20 percent so far this year.  Ahead of all retailers, hands down.  Liked their founder.  Have to wonder if he would approve of the direction the company has taken.  Put alot of Mom and Pop stores out of business.  Not their finest achievement by far.

Carmine D.

mole wrote:
Mole,

The Carina costs $185 at wholesale.  When you buy more than $3000 worth of Miele products at one time you get free freight.  If you do not buy more than $3000 worth at once the cost is $9 per machine to ship.  So the dealer, even if he had to pay freight, made more than $50 profit on the Carina, has a Dirt Devil that can be rebuilt and sold for $50, and has a lock on the Miele market.  He will continue to profit for the sale of those bags as long as she keeps her machine, and a very good profit at that.  There was no reason he had to sell the machine for more than what he did. 

I would call him an HONEST retailer.  He doesn't NEED to gouge his customers, unlike some Bosch and Simplicity dealers...

-MH

M.H. I agree with you about the wholesale and shipping deals,lets just hope that he has no overhead or sells 25 to 30 machines a week, more than likely figures he will make the money on the aftermarket,

Now that even miele has cooked its own goose,and the long green train ride is over for them,lets see if the  dealers start to revolt, lets see now i put out $205.00 to make 50 bucks,this is not even worth selling or give it shop space.Did he tell that customer that the machine was made in MEXICO,sounds like what hoover did all over again. B.T.W. mieles are sold at williams-sonoma,have been for years............

  MOLE

mole wrote:

You only agree because I am primarily discussing cars.

Let's give the buyer some credit for being a smart shopper and deal maker.  As business owners and operators, sometimes you make and take $50 profit on a vacuum, sometimes a $100.  ANd sometimes even more.  You have to know your customers and business.  One price does not fit all.

As the saying goes, you have to have a willing buyer and seller.  And sometimes that buyer is a better bargainer.

Carmine D.