We purchased a Slim Line (no ball) from Woot in 2008. We used it daily in a small one bedroom apartment. We have pets, and I had very long hair at the time. It died in 2010, but I didn't realize we only had a 6mo warranty on it, because it was refurbished. We called Dyson to ask what to do, and spoke to a "less than helpful" (okay, down right mean rep), who basically said, "That's why you buy them new." We were shocked, and didn't think to call back to talk to someone else about authorized repair shops or anything like that.
Having read so many positive reviews about their customer service since then, I think we just ended up with a bad apple. I desperately want the Purple Dyson animal (now pets and a toddler). My husband desperately wants a Dyson Ball vacuum. He does all of the cleaning, because I'm disabled, so what he wants is important. Due to the positive experiences people have had, and the longevity they've had with theirs, this is extremely tempting.
I've had people tell me that there is actually no difference in the amount of suction between the vacuums, just the attachments that come with it. That said, I'm no engineer, so I don't know if that's accurate or not.
That Slim Line was THE best vacuum we'd ever owned. We had a very high quality one before it, and were totally shocked by how much the Slim Line picked up after it.
To the folks who had to repair at a shop, was it very expensive? For the folks who received parts out of warranty, were they expensive, or did they send them for free?
Thank you all for your input in this thread and previous Dyson Refurb threads. We are seriously looking into this one now. If not this one, then maybe a purple one in the future.
Holy Heck, how do I change my user avatar? Wow! Sorry, first post. Lol!