I guess when you remember something from new or seeing it on sale they are not really significant or collectible to you.
for me, although I was around when these were being made, I was too young to remember and also they were not sold here makes them pretty collectible to me.
I love how retro, yet modern they look, I think that is what really draws me too them...I have been obsessed with Elites since I saw Mrs Doubtfire, I always remember wanting "that vacuum" as a kid, specifically the model I saw in the film and I feel really lucky to own that model now! (as sad as it sounds!)
A shame we didn't get more Turbolite models. We already had the Turbopower and Turbomaster and then the Turbopower 2, so I guess Hoover saw no market for more models of the Elite type cleaners.