If you can hear the motor run and inspect the machine in person before buying, start the machine, and be sure to listen for any groaning, whining or strange noises in both the start up, and especially the wind down.
Open the bag door, and test the Automatic Control buy turning on the machine with the door open. The 'Check Bag" light should come on, but not the motor.
With the bag door open, press the button on the inside of the bag door. The motor should come on at full power, and the Check bag light go out.
Check the suction (with a new bag installed in the machine) with your hand over the hose end, and feel to make sure you have good strong suction, and that the hose is air tight.
Make sure the cord winder is good and strong, and lets the cord stay out and locks correctly, as well as pull back in all the way without problems. The cord winder acts like a window shade,,it should pull back in ALL the way, with a firm tug and let it go.
Check around the rim area of the vent/louvers on the top of the machine(where the chrome meets the plastic, there will be a slight rim) for carbon dust build up. If there is ALOT you can be sure the machine has had heavy use.
The hose is evidently a replacment as some point,,originally this machine would have come with a woven hose.
Also find out why it dosent come with the Power Nozzle, and because it dosent, DONT pay too much. Even in good condition, with the hose and few attachments that it does come with,,i wouldnt give over 50 dollars.
Keep in mind that Even tho the hose is a newer replacement, its stil several yrs old.
And the machine itself is at least 35 yrs old.
If the machine has been used to the point where the PN finally wore out,,you can be sure the vac motor has had heavy use.
Also, check the wheels for wear. If they are worn down, cracked or chipped, its a good sign of heavy use.
Which would bring down the price even more.
In that case,where the PN is gone, and wheels are worn out, the vac motor whines or is tired,the suction is poor,both at the hose end, and suction end of the vac itself, even with a new bag installed, and cord winder wont bring the cord in all the way, and there is a heavy build up of carbon dust around the exhaust louvers, the machine has been pretty much used up.
Keep looking! Golden Js and SuperJs are still very common, even in this day and age because they were built to last a lifetime,,if properly cared for.
