My Rainbow D4 Se Performance Edition Vacuum-My Favorite!

[rainbowguy17]

Around the age of three or four I attended the preschool program at the school my aunt worked at. Sometimes after school, she would take me home with her while my parents were at work still. As soon as we got to her house, I would run straight to her hall closet and get her Rainbow out. She had wall to wall carpet in her entire house. It was super thick carpet and she vacuumed daily. Once she had children and her children got a small dog to go inside, she ripped her carpet up and laid hardwood flooring in the entire house. She ever used her rainbow anymore because she thought her power nozzle was broken and she had lost the hardwood floor poles and attachment. She had set the rainbow out in the garage. It had set there for 5 or 6 years. One day while I was at her house before this last CHRISTmas, I had the greatest thought come to mind! Every year she asks us what we want and I jokingly told her she should just give me her rainbow since she never used it. She agreed! I was ecstatic! I brought it home, took it apart, cleaned it, the power nozzle and bought all of the needed attachments and another wet/dry hose for it. One of the latches was broken so I had to repair it and later the other latch broke so I had to recently repair it also. This vacuum runs like brand new and I treat it like it's gold! It's my go to vacuum for everything and I'll never own any other brand! On a funny side note, she has always called this vacuum "Ol Bess." So every time I call her, I always refer to it as Ol Bess. Lol

 

[mark40511]

Looks great

She must have taken care of it those years. May I ask if the inside was very dirty when you took it apart?

I love Rainbow vacuums

 

[williamr1248]

My Rainbow D4 Performance Edition,my favorite

I had one like that for about 18 years. Not one problem or service in all those years. However I hated messing with the 2 hose set up and was more than happy to get the new model. I was a very good product. Not even a hose break in all those years.
Your's is a beauty.
I had NO PROBLEM selling that old Rainbow on Craig's List for $400.00 and more than one person wanted to buy it. I wish I could say the same for my new Hoover's I have been trying to sell. Can't sell on Craig's list and now trying to sell on ebay with no luck.

 

[eurekastar]

Louisa, Kentucky!!!

My Mom was born and raised there!

 

[jmurray01]

I love that trim it has, is it marble/stone effect?  Beautiful!

 

[s31463221]

Louisa, Kentucky???????

THAT'S MY HOMETOWN!!

 

[rainbowguy17]

Yes, good ole Louisa, KY!

I am new to this site, so please forgive me if I don't post something correctly or post it in the wrong place. LOL! I have lived in Louisa my whole life! When I got the rainbow, it was pretty clean. She did take care of it very well but after setting in the garage for several
Years, it was just very dusty! The separator was kind of dirty but not too bad. I just cleaned it very well and cleaned the power nozzle very well inside and out. I've looked on eBay and these models have no problem going for $400 to $500, so I know that I got an awesome deal on it since it was given to me and I have less than $100 in repairs. I just don't know if I could sell it because I've been attached to this machine for over 10 years. Lol I would love to have a new machine but can't purchase one right now. I hope to have one within the next year or so though. Thanks everyone for the nice comments and kind words! What are your parent's names Eurekastar? I may know them!

 

[rainbowguy17]

On a side note...

I spot cleaned my area rug in my bedroom today. This was the result. I had just vacuumed it before too. I want the Rainbow SE aquamate!

 

[eurekastar]

I really like that Rainbow model.  They are very easy to rebuild.  I've got 4 or 5 of them sitting around the house that I've rebuilt.  One of these days, I'll put the extras on Ebay.  They're great machines!


 


You can also get the extra large water basin for the model too.  I really like mine, because I vacuum up a LOT of dog hair!  Take good care of it.  It will give you many years of trouble free service!


 


My Mom's immediate family left Louisa in the early 50s and moved to Texas.  I may have some relatives who are still there.  Not sure.  I've been there a few times.  I don't remember the name of the river that flows through there, but it is HUGE by Texas standards.

 

[s31463221]

Bill

I believe you're referring to the Big Sandy River?

 

[rainbowguy17]

Yes, that's the one!

The Big Sandy River is correct! I love this model! It's probably my favorite! My grandma has the newer Rainbow e2 blue series. She likes it but I usually vacuum her house because it's so hard for her to use it. She had Polio when she was younger. She likes the way it makes her house smell and feel so clean after using it. I do take excellent care of it. I want it to last as long as possible! I have an old model c Rexair vac, a model D3C that is currently in the shop with a possible burnt up motor(I'm hoping and praying it's not, but it's possible) and I ordered a Rainbow D2 offline the other day. It's the later chocolate brown colored one. It comes with the original power nozzle made by eureka and the original hose and cording. Also comes with the original hardwood floor attachment, poles, and wet/dry hose. I can't wait for it to arrive. I have $56 in it and the listed stated that it worked, so fingers crossed! Either way, it's still an awesome collectors model and I probably won't be using it much. Thanks everyone! -Gage

 

[marks_here]

Gage

Welcome to Vacuumland!!! Best of luck with everything. I have a dark brown chrome dome, D4SE, E series 1 speed, E2 2 speed blue in storage, and a E2 gold 2 speed I gave to my neighbor because she line rainbows but couldn't afford one. They are great machines and don't break down unless abused. The only reason they are in storage with my other machines is because I got a central vacuum for my house & love it!!! Again best of luck, cheers!! Mark D.

 

[rainbowguy17]

Mark, thanks for the welcome!

Thanks for welcoming me to Vacuum Land! I already love it and everyone has helped me fit right in! I hope to get pictures of my other machines posted on a new thread in "Vintage" as soon as I return from our stay in TN. I am hoping to stop by some thrift stores while I am down there to see if I can pick me up some more vacuum cleaners. I've already told my mom that if I find one, I will be bringing it back home no matter what. We are taking a 2013 Chevrolet Impala, and there isn't a lot of room to bring things back, but if I go down and score and awesome vintage vacuum, or even better for me, a Rainbow, I will definitely be hauling it back! Lol

 

[man114]

My E Series single speed was a thrift store find, was still current at the time, looked brand new. I saw it, saw $19.96 on the top, picked it up and immediately walked to the register, paid for it and put it in my trunk before going back in and checking the rest of the store.

I do have the Aquamate for my D4 but the new one is really far superior. It's actually easier to use than many standalone carpet cleaners. It gets the job done though. All the current accessories are fairly easily adapted to anything from the single speed E Series, requiring the hose and upright wands at most.

 

[marks_here]

Gage you might also try

The Habitat stores here in TN usually have decent vacuums. I posted on the vintage sight that here they gad a Kenmore Progressive blue for $25 I passed on it but going back tomorrow to see if it's still there. Have gun here & enjoy!! Mark D.

 

[marks_here]

My iPad is having issues with spell check

 

[Gr8DaneDad]

Wondered about why you mentioned a gun.. then my brain caught up. BTW - Love the El Dorado in your avatar! Nice car

 

[floor-a-matic]

U can use the new AquaMate with your D4SE; U will need the stainless steel PN wand & a hose cord

http://www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?16801