1994 Hoover Turbopower Boost Autoflex U2718

[alexhoovers94]

I just got this about two weeks ago and I love it to pieces. it has cleaned up well and is in really good condition, it is in a very nice colour, which Hoover call "Deep Ocean Blue Metalic". I have given it a new genuine fan and a headlight bulb, then cleaned between the metal strip things on the armature (I know, technical term) as they had big clumps of dust in them and was causing the machine to vibrate.

If you have a Turbopower that vibrates it will be one of five things or a couple of the five.... 1. Loose headlight lense, 2. Damaged or chewed up fan, 3. Clumps of dirt build up on the cooling fan, 4. Dust build up between the metal strips on the armature and 5.worn bearings.

Check any of those and your Turbopower 1 should not vibrate. People say that these were common for vibrating but if everything is how it should be then it will not vibrate, non of my other Turbopowers vibrate.

Anyway, after that little education lesson, here it is and yes, the Autoflex works.

 

[alexhoovers94]

This is a later example of model U2718 earlier versions would of had five lilac little dots under the "Turbo" lettering and a little lilac square between the "r" and "b" letters of Turbopower and boost. But apart from that it is exactly the same.

 

[alexhoovers94]

Royal appointment and Autoflex lettering

Also notice the fabulous glittery metalic finish!

 

[alexhoovers94]

Air Freshener

 

[alexhoovers94]

Hoover Lettering On The Door Release

Again on the earlier models it would have little lilac dots under the lettering. No idea why these details were removed?

 

[alexhoovers94]

bag Full Indicator Light and Autoflex Rewind Button

 

[alexhoovers94]

Hoover Medallion On The Handle

 

[alexhoovers94]

Inside The Bag Compartment

You can see the Autoflex cover which houses the cord real and of course the fill tube and air freshener compartment can also be seen.

 

[alexhoovers94]

6M Of Cord With Moulded Plug

 

[alexhoovers94]

Blanking Piece As There Is No Need For A Cord Hook

 

[alexhoovers94]

Onboard Tools

Which consists of a triple stretch attachment hose, extension wand, crevice tool, dusting brush and upholstery nozzle. To achieve suction at the hose end, the height adjustment knob must be moved all the way to the right into the tool setting.

 

[alexhoovers94]

interestingly, the base plate is also metalic, lol

Also it has the famous Turbopower Activator brushroll.

 

[alexhoovers94]

Here is the rating sticker, it was made in December 1994, 3 months after I was born. It says made in E.C But I would guarantee it was made in Cabuslang U.K.

 

[alexhoovers94]

Finally...

Here is the pointless two speed switch...I really don't know what Hoover were thinking with this because you have to keep your finger on the switch while using the high speed, making it almost impossible to use the tools. But it is easy enough to hold the switch in boost while using it as an upright for "stubborn dirt".

 

[sebo_fan]

Well it was called "Boost" wasn't it? One would assume then that the short lived non locking boost button was precisely that. Nice finish on that TP though; I like the glitter look.

 

[alexhoovers94]

Well it was not THAT short lived really, it was originally a non onboard tool model sold exclusively to Currys and was called the "Turboboost" in around 1988 and of course there was a white version called the "Turbopower Boost" with onboard tools and of course the version photographed here so it stopped around 95. So a 7 year run.

I agree it is a nice coulour and finish.

 

[sebo_fan]

7 years of having to keep your finger on the higher speed? I dont recall my red Turbopower doing that.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Alex, this model would have very long in the tooth for December 1994, so that is quite a find you have there. In all my time spent fixing these cleaners, never do I recall seeing an autoflex version with a moulded plug. Again a good find UK law changed in January 1995, meaning that all none-fixed appliances sold here had to have a factory fitted 3-pin fused plug.

But this had been on the cards for a good deal of years, so many manufacturers began doing this in plenty of time, and Hoover began in the summer of 1992, when the Turbopower 2 and Turbopower 1000 were first introduced. They did not fit plugs across the entire range though, as many of the cheaper models didn't have plugs fitted for a while. From memory, I think a moulded plug would have interfered with the factory assembly procedures of the autoflex models, which would explain why I didn't see all that many. Added to which the Autoflex facility was being phased out considerably on the upright models.

I can't be sure as to why the lilac lettering is missing on you cleaner hood, but being a late model, and seeing how that colour was not used again, it is very likely that Hoover used up all the supplies of the ink and didn't want to invest in more. As for the bag-door release pad, few of the cleaners which carried on after this had much more than "Hoover" printed on the pad, and this would have saved money & assembly time too, if one part fitted all.

When one looks at a range of anything and sees a similar product but with numerous variations, each variation will have mots of added costs associated to it. When a product is new and is able to command the retail price needed to cover the costs, all is well. As a product ages, so it is necessary to keep costs down, if it is that the manufacturer wishes to keep that style in production.

 

[alexhoovers94]

I too was surprised to see it with a moulded plug, never have I seen an Autoflex with a moulded plug before. I had a U2798 from 1995 a while back (red single speed total system) and that also had the dots missing on the cleaner head and bag door release pad, needless to say, that too had a moulded plug.