Quote from cprohman on 04/16/07 at 4:44pm:

 
Well Carl:
 
With 500 engineers and a POS of $500 plus, I would think dyson should do much better in 8 straight years than offer "hopeful signs" for future years' reliability of their vacuums.  How many years and engineers does it take to make a decent upright vacuum worth its selling price?  Forget canisters, dyson has 2 strikes in the USA market already: DC11 and 10 times as bad the DC21 both for $499.  Dyson will be lucky if it can reach the vacuum's price in the number of sales, without reducing the price.
 
Carmine D.

Quote from HARDSELL on 04/16/07 at 8:34pm:

 
Hello HS:
 
It's nice to have your (and other dyson lovers) partial agreement on many of things stated in criticism of dyson, its products, and pricing.  In time, there will be total agreement.  But after taking 5 years for you and others to at least come into partial agreement, let's hope the rest of the agreement doesn't take quite as long.
 
My sense is that if your favorite brand were thought highly by one/more industry sources you would want others to know and would say so without being asked.  Just as the product makers/retailers do.  And if viewed negatively by these sources, and you like the product regardless, you impugn them.  That's human nature and its shortcomings.
 
Consumers are spending their own money.  This entitles them to make up their own minds with regard to industry sources of information.  And use and/or not use them with passion/prejudice as they please in their buying decisions, just like you.  
 
If and when you fork over $469 to buy a dyson DC18 lite, I'll gladly buy whatever vacuum you tell me.  But until and unless you do, I'll use my $149 plus tax to buy an ORECK XL (with no giveaways).  This will make my dear Wife very happy.  She doesn't know/care about CR ratings, CRI seals of approval, Which? Reports and ASTM testing standards.  She's used the ORECK XL many years ago and DC18 dyson-lite just recently for about the same amount of time.  And she's made up her mind that the ORECK XL is the better of the two vacuums and the right purchase to her liking.  Since she allowed me to buy the DC07 pink (against her better judgement), I figure I owe her this ORECK.  And I happen to also agree with her now.  I will add that the findings and conclusions of industry sources agree with my dear Wife too (with the DC07 and the ORECK).  And I'm more confident that my $149 will be well spent on the ORECK XL than it was on the DC07 pink, which I gifted away (as my dear Wife said I told you so).  
 
If these facts and circumstances don't agree with your opinions, then I have news for you too: That's your problem and you need to GET OVER IT!  
 
Carmine D.

Hi Carmine
 
I'm not sure on the DC21 but I would think so.  The dirt path on the DC18 would be covered by the 5 year warranty.  The same as the main hose for above floor cleaning would be covered.  The only thing I would say is not covered on the DC18 is the brushes on the brush bar and the pre-motor filter.
 
JD

Quote from Trilobite on 04/15/07 at 9:47pm:

 
Starting in the Fall of 2006, Which? Reports recommended dyson vacuums as best buys despite the concerns and failings with reliability.  Why?  According to Which? the reason is the extended dyson 5 year warranty (effective August 14, 2006) from 2 years previously.  
 
The DC15 was launched in the USA in April 2005 barely 2 years ago.  As Consumer Reports indicates vacuum reliability data require at least 4 years of usage to gauge, and additional time to measure and report.  The May 2007 CR vacuum data were based on years 2002-2006.  The DC17 Absolute Animal (launched in the USA in August 2006), DC18 Slim dyson lite and DC21 Stowaway (both in Feb 2007); all these are too recent to have firm sales and reliability data.  THere is no reliability for the DC11 in the USA.  It was pulled off the market after 9 months (which speaks volumes to the performance and pricing of the product IMHO).  BTW CR was complimentary of the DC11 right up until the time it got pulled.  And made no further mention of it again.  
 
CR also reported "tentatively" a couple of years ago that dyson was "on par" with other vacuum brands for repairs after 2 years.  And nothing unusual and/or out of the ordinary to report during the 2 years.  I call this "guarded optimism."  These CR statements comport with the Which? Reports reliability statements in April 2007.  As I would expect.
 
Carmine D.

Quote from cprohman on 04/17/07 at 12:00pm:

 
Hello Carl:
 
I do not concur with the above statement.  Why?  There is a pervasive sentiment among UK vacuum consumers that the quality of dysons deteriorated after the move of the production plant from Malmesbury to Malaysia (with the start of the DC07 models).  Why?  Mass produced dysons by contractors not employees.  And it is further believed by industry watchers that the recent losses of dyson vacuum market share in the UK in 2005 and predicted in 2006 is in large part a reflection of this sentiment.  
 
My sense is the Which? reports probably fuel some of this sentiment too, since the last 8 consecutive years of reliability of dyson vacuums is the worse in the industry according to Which? reports.  
 
I think the 5 year warranty is a dyson effort to sure up the sagging reliability reputation while raising and maintaining higher and higher retail prices (This is a point that RAT made a long time ago on the Forum and I have not seen or read anything concrete to contradict it).  And the same reason that dyson consistently publicly boasts of its 500 engineers.  As HARDSELL likes to quip:  Who cares?  It doesn't affect dyson sales.  BUt yes indeeed it does, if not in reality then in perception, which is for all intents and purposes reality in the market place of consumer opinion. With the claim that dyson is the best selling vacuum by dollar sales (not citing verifiable details), in order to counter the pros' reservations about its poor quality.  And I believe another reason dyson raises and strictly maintains the exorbitant retail prices on its old and newest models.  To make and support the sales claim.  Why?  Industry Pros will accept the claim, without question and say its the dyson $500 plus selling prices.
 
I suspect if James were the CEO of a privately held company with a record of 8 straight consecutive years as the worse product reliability in the industry, he would have been canned a long time ago.  Why?  Because he would be held accountable and the information would be a matter of public record.  Fortunately for his sake, he owns the company (thanks in large part to TWO lawsuits with substantial monetary compensations awarded to dyson) and his job and that of his Wife and son are in his hands and not a Board of Directors and public stakeholders.  He keeps the data held close to his vest.
 
Carmine D.