Like most, if not all of the production companies, Kimber had a period of less-reliable guns but heck, I remember years ago when most Colts wouldn't always work right out of the box and everyone expected it.
Kimber turned the 1911 world on its ear a little over a decade ago when they came out, and their Custom Shop guns were even more fantastic.
A few years ago the Type II Kimbers replaced all their models, and they had the dang external extractor on the right side of the slide, along with a firing pin safety block being added (ala the Series 80 Colts). It was about this time that the problems really began and that quality and customer service nose dived too.
HOWEVER . . . Kimber seems to have responded to the critics by eliminating the external extractor AND fixing the sorry customer service!
Today's Series II autos again have RETURNED to the internal extractor that John Browning designed and all is well. I've heard some very good things about the latest guns. So, just avoid the external extractor guns and you should be ok.
BOTTOM LINE? I surely wouldn't fear buying a new Kimber, as a matter of fact, it would be on my short list to check out.
I LOVE MY "PRE-SERIES II" KIMBER CDP ULTRA. Here's a six round, 10-yard freestanding target, just before I drifted the rear sight to zero in this new (for me) load:
It eats every round I "feed" it . . . and craps brass like a goose. Plus, it is very accurate for an Officer's sized 1911. Mine works flawlessly with it's original magazines plus my extra full-size ones by Wilsons, McCormack and Mec-Gar.
T.