I thought I had found a bargain...

[human]

A couple of weeks ago, I spotted an Electrolux Silverado "with all accessories and power nozzle" that seemed to be flying well under the radar at $19.00 plus $11.15 shipping. I knew from the description that it was missing the power switch and it definitely wasn't one of those pristine Keither finds (how the heck does he do it?); in fact, it was described as "working but needs work" and missing the power switch. When I was the only bidder and got it for a few pennies over $30, I felt like I'd gotten a bargain but when it finally arrived, I was sorely disappointed. The machine was not only missing the entire switch assembly, it was missing all the wiring going to the switch as well as the plug off the end of the cord. It looks like there was a replacement cord but somebody removed it. Ironically, the cord winder does work. Worst of all, there was no power nozzle!

At best, what I got for my $30 is a parts lot consisting of a non-functioning Silverado Deluxe that may or may not have some good donor parts, an electrified hose with a handle held together by black electricians' tape (I haven't yet removed the tape to assess the condition of the handle), a pair of non-electrified wands in good condition, a two-sided floor tool in rough condition with the neck jammed onto one of the wands, and an upholstery/dusting brush combo tool in reasonably good condition. I haven't yet tested the hose but if it works and the handle isn't in too bad of condition under the tape, it would come close to being worth what I paid for the whole lot. Still, I'm kind of bummed I didn't get all that I paid for.

I've messaged the seller and hope to be able to work something out with him. One thing's for sure. I'm not shipping it back for a refund. I have a feeling grossly underestimated the actual shipping cost that he charged me and probably made little, if anything on the machine. Likewise, it would take most, if not all, of my refund to ship it back, meaning I wouldn't net anything. Ultimately, I think I'd be better off parting it out, selling what I can off of it for whatever I can get and scrapping the rest.

 

[human]

UPDATE: The hose works...

I don't know why, but as soon as I posted the previous message, I felt compelled to test the hose. It's a vinyl hose, btw, not woven. Turns out it works just fine. I hooked it up to my Diamond J and it passed a simple suction test, putting my hand over the end of the nozzle, and then I connected it to the Diamond J's wand and power nozzle, which powered up with no problems. I haven't removed the tape yet but there are some cracks on the little cover that runs across the bottom of the handle. Both screws are present on the underside of the handle, so that's a good sign.

 

[lesinutah]

Hey

Having all considered a hose alone is worth the price you paid.
Les

 

[human]

True. I'm just irritated that the seller misrepresented it. If I want to be petty about it, I guess I can take a little consolation in the fact that he most likely lost money on the deal. I've shipped enough stuff to know there's just no way he shipped a package that large and that heavy Priority Mail for just $11.15.

 

[madman]

If the ad explicitly said 'with power nozzle' the dude's obligated to either ship you a power nozzle or give you a refund. It he doesn't respond in a day or two, open a dispute with ebay.

 

[human]

Yes, the listing explicitly stated a power nozzle was included, although it was not shown in the photos. I haven't heard back from the seller yet and I do plan to follow up with eBay if he doesn't respond in a timely manner.

I also found a tiny split in the vinyl hose, just an inch or so behind where it goes into the handle. It doesn't appear to be open all the way through to the inside yet, so I'm thinking of trying to seal it with some RTV silicone. If that doesn't work, there's always duct tape.

 

[huskyvacs]

Flex seal. Just trim to fit.

 

[bnsd60m9200]

look at it it this way

for what you paid for it, you have good parts for when you do find a decent one. silveradoes are a dime a dozen still anyways, and affordable at that. just not from ebay.

 

[kloveland]

I've seen canisters advertised on eBay with the word power nozzle when it's just a straight suction tool. Doesn't sound like the vacuum you received matches the description. Shipping is expensive and shipping rates have gone up! The seller may have not made anything.

Still doesn't make it right. The vacuum sounds to be in worse condition than the seller descried.

Will is right Silverados are not uncommon .. Estate sales are a good place to look for vintage vacuums.

 

[human]

I've seen the ads for that stuff but I've never tried it. I'll have to look for it in the store.

 

[paul]

Sorry to hear about that, Edgar.

I'd just part it out unless it's a rare early version with one carrying handle; then I'd restore it.

 

[texaskirbyguy]

Hate to say but this happens often on ebay. I bought a Kirby D50 parts unit that was sold as 'motor runs'. And it did, very fast with lots of sparks; the armature had a short in it. Also poor shipping got the switch broken. Attachments looked like they went through a house fire. Hose was stiff and cracked.
I was able to bargain the seller for a half refund, as the cord, wheels, fan and headlight were good and I needed those.

Just remember that you get more bees with honey than with lemon juice, so politely asking if you were sent the wrong item can open up a successful conversation.
I wish you the best in the resolution!

 

[human]

Yeah, I'm going back and forth about whether to open a case with eBay. It would really be adding insult to injury for the seller, who has already taken a bath on this deal. At this point, he has not replied to my message, which kind of ticks me off. I guess it really comes down to a question of how much of an a-hole I want to be about it.

 

[madman]

Don't beat yourself up over it, if the seller dug himself into a hole, it's his own fault! I would open a case just based on the not-replying alone. The least he could do is apologize and say you ain't gettin' anything extra.

 

[human]

I went ahead and requested a refund. He agreed to refund the purchase price but not the shipping and I'll keep the vacuum and accessories. I think that's fair.

 

[gregvacs28]

Agreed

Even without the refund, you got a good deal.