need some advice.....

VacuumLand – Vintage & Modern Vacuum Enthusiasts

Help Support VacuumLand:

V

vacuumfreeeke

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 14, 2006
Messages
1,997
Hey everyone... lately I've been hankering for a Hoover Self Propelled Windtunnel. I have a Dial a Matic and a Concept already, but I want to add an Windtunnel to my collection. I like self propelled vacuums in general, and my Dyson is the only upright I have with on board tools and it's very handy... I'd like another one with on board tools. Big decision is whether to go with a bagless or not. I generally don't like bagless as a rule, but the bagged model of this machine doesn't have a visible ballooning bag anyway. I think I'd like to see in the dirt chamber on this one so I know what it's picking up. And, I want to have the dirt finder lights, they are pretty neat.

So, my question is what's a fair price? I think 40 dollars for a used one is reasonable... though big lots did have a pretty blue one for 99 dollars I saw today. It's bagged. It says factory refurbished which means it would almost be like new. Plus it would come with new belts and all the attachments which I would want. What do you think? It's hard to find a used one that has all the attachments or that doesn't have the bare floor slider broken off.
 
This is an excellent vac, Bobby.

Consumer Reports had it at the top of its upright ratings for years, and the new Centennial version is in the same top spot. I am not a big fan of bagless - I bought the bagged Windtunnel Self-Propelled Ultra for my parents' anniversary many years ago. It is an amazing machine and the power drive works very well once you get used to the loose handle that makes power drive mechanism engage in forward and reverse.

The suction in the on-board hose is probably the strongest suction found in any on-board upright hose on the market. This has advantages and disadvantages. The suction is so strong that the expandable hose has a tendency to pull against you as you try to extend it for cleaning anything. This causes the vac to tip over every so often. Also, the cheap upholstery nozzle has very thin edges which in combination with the strong suction can damage fabrics and stitching in upholstery. Hoover should have added a suction control valve on this model's hose, but they did not. The powerful suction works great with the dusting brush on furniture and baseboards, and with the crevice tool in corners and cars.

The brush shut off switch on this upright works very well, and makes it a breeze to move onto cleaning litter and dirt from bare floors. Though, like all uprights, this can not compete with the dirt removal ability of a canister's bare floor brush.

You can also get a longer extension hose for this Hoover which helps when cleaning stairs and cleaning high bookshelves.

Good luck!
 
Thanks Eurekaprince (Brian, right?). I agree with what you said about the power and the hose... when I sold these things at Sears we had the extra extension hose for one of the models and it was very nice. Now if I can just find a good price one one in good shape! I don't know why the bare floor slider is always broken on these things... but it looks like it's easy to move with the toe (like the one on my Concept), so I won't have to bend over. The handle on this is pretty similar to the one on the Concept as far as being loose... very different than a Kirby G series.

I remember when we sold these at Sears, customers would always complain that the short hose combined with the powerful suction made the vacuum fall over frequently... I guess that's one of the many great things about the Dyson... the hose is long and is anchored to the bottom of the machine so the vac follows instead of falls.

Thanks for your response... I'm glad to know other people like the machine I want. My new Hoover Steam Vac is getting lonely among all these antiques... he needs a modern brother to help fight the dirt with :o)
 
Windtunnel

Dont buy the bagless model! I had the TurboPower self propelled for a short time before returning it (too loud and the self propelled feature is lousy compared to my kirby) but it was an excellent machine with good suction. The brush roll is a little more aggressive than I like but it will certainly clean your carpets well. My b/f's mother had the bagless model and the suction on the hose end was awful, not to mention it was a nightmare to empty! Dyson certainly wins hands down with the most convenient dirt bin to empty. The filter in the bagless was also a horror to clean and Im sure that the suction decreased as soon as it got slightly dirty. My grandparents have the standard bagged Windtunnel and it cleans pretty well and you can use the hepa like type-Y bags in it.
 
The SP Windtunnel's Brush Roll Switch

Hi again Bobby,

You're welcome!

Just FYI - The slider switch which disengages the brush roll belt for bare floor cleaning should not really be moved by your foot. That is probably why you see so many broken ones. It is designed to be moved by hand.

If I remember correctly, the instruction manual's technique for doing this is to move the handle to the upright "stored" position and lean the handle forward toward the front of the vac, at which point it is really easy to slide the brush switch over. This also makes it easier to slide the height adjustment slider switch. You should not try to do this any other way, especially with the handle in the down "vacuuming" position - it is really hard to move when the handle is not upright, and that's probably why so many people have broken the plastic switch. The guidebook instruction manual describes how to do it properly without damaging the machine.

Most upright vacs with switches or adjustments on the lower main power head have a specific way to make their adjustments more easy. Eureka's Dial-A-Nap and Rugulator height adjusters require you to tip the machine backward and raise the motor off the carpet to more easily adjust the dial or slider. This Hoover Self-Propelled Windtunnel asks you to do the opposite to change the setting of the brush roll switch.

Another neat thing about this top-rated upright is the low profile! If you step on the handle release pedal a second time, you can lower the handle all the way to have it lie flat on the carpet and the vac easily slides right under furniture!

Let us know when you get the vac.......post some pics if you can!

Eurekaprince Brian
 
What I've noticed from general experience is that regular vacuums require you to tip the machine backwards and self propelled vacuums require it to be tipped backwards. If they are Hoovers... Kirby and Eureka are different of course. The thing that surprises me about the Windtunnels is that the bare floor slide is the one that is broken off and not the height adjustment...

I'm thinking about just getting the "new" one for 99 bucks... a Christmas present to myself. At first I thought it was a lot to spend for a vacuum when I already have so many and don't need one... but I spent 125 for my used dyson that smelled like dogs and 200 for my used Kirby g5, so 99 for almost new isn't much considering!
 
I know one of Hoover secrets, (Shhh, come closer) the Tempo is a Windtunnel! There are two ways you can tell.
1. If you take the white or blue cover off (screws on the bottom on the vacuum, one is under the belt) it says Patented Windtunnel Technology like on the "real" Windtunnels.
2. Windtunnels are really a canister in an upright position with the powerhead connected. My Tempo has the same type of motor as a Buster B but bigger. But this great Windtunnel thing is a pecie of plastic the has two openings in it channel the airflow to three parts. Both my Supreme and Tempo have this thing. But one is $70 cheeper. Most of the time, the extra plastic makes no difference with sand on tile; even my Oreck does better.

So, If you need a Windtunnel get a Tempo. But I still love the bagless purple model.
 
Get a Kirby G Series:

1) They're Self Propelled
2) They last forever
3) They're the best
4) They are EXTREMELY Versatile
5) They use 48% less energy than any other vacuum cleaner
6) They're filtration filters down to .001 Microns

I rest my case

-Adam Mercer
 
I don't understand the last two responses. I said I wanted a self propelled WindTunnel and I'm told to get a Hoover Tempo which is not self propelled. I have a Kirby G5 already, which is a G series (that is listed in my profile), but a Kirby G5 is not a Hoover Self Propelled Windtunnel, which I want in addition to the machines I already have and love. It's pretty simple really!

The thing is, I wasn't asking which vacuum to buy... I was asking what a fair price for a used one would be in your opinions! Re-read my post and maybe you will be able to understand what I wanted when I typed it. I didn't think it was unclear when I wrote it, but it was the middle of the night... maybe I was ambiguous.

I don't tell people who love vacuums I don't like (like Hoover Elites or modern Dirt Devils) to buy a different machine. We all want what we want for a reason, as collectors, we have different reasons for wanting vacuums than the average person, and when you want one specific vacuum, nothing else can fill its place.
 
i got one of the green ones from big lots few years back. as stated it has been a top cleaner listed in consumer reports. it cleans very well and has good tool suction. is is on the loud side though.

what i dont like is the tools on hoovers, really crappy. dusting bursh is a joke. good to vac baseboards or grab a cobweb but thats about it.

and its bagged, dont like dumpouts except for filter queens

joe
 
Yes Bobby....I second the motion!

Go for it! USD99.00 for a refurbished Hoover SP Windtunnel bagged upright is a great deal! You may even be getting the later version which has an on-board air-driven turbo brush for stairs and upholstery and car interiors. This little turbo brush will definitely work well with the SP WT's high hose suction.

What a great Christmas/Chanuka/Kwanzaa gift for yourself.....

EPB :-)
 
I'm livid!

I left work a little early because it was slow today... Big Lots closes at 9 on Sunday so I got there at 8:40 to buy the vacuum. There weren't any employees around so I climbed the ladder myself and got the heavy box down from the top shelf. Got the machine home and I just wanted to SCREAM!

First, it's completely MISSING the crevice tool. Mind you I could buy one separately and I never use a crevice tool, but I bought it there because I didn't want to deal with missing attachments on Craig's List or something. Also, it's a silver color, not the pretty blue color like the floor model. It has the newer loop style handle (floor model didn't, it had the older kind) that is a much darker black than the rest of the machine. Also, the whole bottom front is scuffed and scratched and they marks go deep into the paint so no magic clean eraser to the rescue this time. THAT'S NOT THE WORST PART.... the machine only propels in reverse.... it WILL NOT drive forward. I took the handle off and put it back on at least 10 times and still nothing. I put a ton of these together as floor models for Sears and never had a problem like that before... I'm not a novice with these machines. So, now I have to lug the silly thing back to the store on Tuesday and try to get one that doesn't have all these problems or get a refund.

I'm going to open each one of them in store if they will let me or buy it and take it to the car and scrutinize it before driving home with it.

I need a drink! What an experience... This was supposed to be a positive experience, not a horrific one. Maybe I just got a lemon, who knows? I guess this will make it all the sweeter when I finally get a decent one.
 

Similar threads

amtraksebo1997
My childhood dream vacuums (aka my guilty pleasures)
Replies
6
Views
61
amtraksebo1997
amtraksebo1997
amtraksebo1997
RIP old Vacuumland.
2
Replies
26
Views
1K
xaxa17
X
niclonnic
New Big-Box Vacuums?
Replies
5
Views
79
suckolux
suckolux
niclonnic
Retractable cords on upright vacuums
Replies
9
Views
115
panasonicvac
panasonicvac
B
Hoover windtunnel twin chamber, plus some updates
Replies
3
Views
25
kirbylux77
kirbylux77

Latest posts

Back
Top