I bought a Kirby Sentria in 2004. She always did well. However, in the last few months I have noticed that it no longer picks up dirt like it used to. At first I thought about buying a new vacuum cleaner. However, I did a little research beforehand. As with most motorized items, parts wear out. I found that I only had to replace the brush and belt. It's like having a new vacuum cleaner! I realize this may be obvious to others, but it never occurred to me that the bristles wear down (and the strap stretches) over time. It appears to be an OEM part and cheaper than ordering direct from Kirby.