Fantom Crosswind eBay DISHONEST SELLER

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fantomlightning

Well-known member
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Mar 25, 2012
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Ohio
Just wanted to make people aware of this. A Fantom Crosswind 200XL popped up on eBay yesterday for $230 + $50 shipping. I've always wanted to pick one up so I hopped on it pretty quickly.

The seller cancelled my order saying it was out of stock or damaged. I didn't really think too much of it or care, until I got an alert that it had been re-listed for $500 + shipping today.

I've filed a complaint with eBay but I don't want to see anyone else get screwed on here that enjoys Fantom.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/fantom-vacuum/113297651556?hash=item1a6110f764:g:nCMAAOSw8sBburGe:rk:2:pf:0
 
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It's another case of a moron that doesn't know how to use eBay and put an auction up with a reserve price, and also a moron for over-valuing what their items are worth.

He/she listed it for $230+$50 S&H on October 8th at 7:04, and then he/she put it back up for $800+$50 S&H on October 8th at 18:04 and then cancelled it.

This seller needs to stick to selling $20 cosmetics.
 
For some reason their listing in between that you saw for $500 doesn't show in their ended auctions history, but it's funny how their mind works. $230, $500, $800....no Bob Barker, this price is definitely NOT right!
 
I remember those machines when they were new on the market. Having repaired a good number of them, I'm actually surprised any example is still left. I always say "there will be no 10 year old sharks", I really never expected any Crosswind to be around more than a couple (2) years or so. They used a pre-motor filter very similar to the aluminum mesh you find on range hood filters. The pet hair got in there and you could never get that filter clean. I'm sure there will be, tucked away in some lonely closet, a Crosswinds that the original owner hated enough not to use - so "never say never" I guess.

I don't think Fantom believed that Mr. Dyson wouldn't sign a second license agreement with them in 2001. In his autobiography, Mr. Dyson said he wasn't happy with Fantom at all - remember they 'poo pooed' his MEMA filters which Dyson spent so much time and effort on. "We are in the BUSINESS of SELLING Hepa filters" they told him. He names several other factors, one being that he thought their Fantom design was ugly. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder (I think Thunders are cool looking).

So Fantom had to get something out that wasn't dual cyclonic, almost immediately. I can't believe the Wildcat and Crosswinds designs were ever tested for durability, just cobbled together to get something on the market. I have all my Fantom service books from back then (my vac shop was an authorized Fantom service center) and have no parts books for the Crosswinds or Wildcat models. I don't think Fantom ever had a chance to send them out, before they were out of business.
 
I am fortunate enough to own a Crosswind 600XL...

I purchased it last summer for a decent amount of money, although nowhere near $500. This is the "Crosswind" version of the Fantom Cyclone XT. It appears to have hardly been used at all. One thing to note, when I bought it, it came with a dust bin from a Cyclone XT in it. Luckily, I had a parts Crosswind that I took the dust bin out of. It's definitely fragile and easy to clog up, I don't plan on using it very much at all. It actually cleans very well and has a lot of airflow. My guess is that the single cyclone isn't as constricting on the motor as the dual cyclone, when it's not clogged, that is.

 
What's most interesting about the Fantom Fury, Lightning, and Cyclone XT is the fact that they (Fantom) used a very narrow passageway for the air to enter the high efficiency cyclone - restricting the airflow severely. The interesting part comes in the design of the corresponding Dyson models - and how large the tangential opening was in those machines. For example, the Fantom Lightning has low airflow for a canister vacuum - but the Dyson DC02 on which it's based actually uses two openings for the air to flow into the high efficiency cyclone. Resulting in tremendous airflow and suction.

When the Crosswind single cyclone design came out, there sure was more airflow (for a moment, until the metal mesh filter was coated in dog hair).

Let yourself imagine where Fantom would be today had they accurately made Fantom machines to be as efficient as Dysons and had embraced the washable filter technology. Had that happened, I have no doubt that no one (except me and a few others) in America would even know the name Dyson today. "The Fantom Cinetic" - On the Ball? Maybe even 'self propelled'?
 
It's fascinating to me

Literally everyone has seen a Dyson commercial. Fantom didn't do too badly with commercials back then either. I just purchased an 11 Amp "Fantom" brand new in the box, from 1994. It was meant to be sold at "Electric Avenue" for $329.99- not cheap in 1994/1995. It will not be leaving the box.
 

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