Very confusing tale. First, you're 'looking' at a complete Rainbow for $40. Despite "It needs a new base - as the latches broke during a move.", it's sounding like a done deal. Then, you show extraordinarily large pictures of it and "The lady is still looking for the attachments and shampooer". 8 hours later out of the blue "nope. Too bad I cant get it. Im really po'd. But the person said no way are they selling it. Even after agreeing to meet up for it."
Perhaps you shared too much of your research with the Lady and she decided it was worth much much more with the broken latches and all. Really now - a rubber bungee strap tied across the top?
"looks like I am going to have to take apart the nozzle to clean it." That's nothing compared to the vacuum teardown you'd want to do to guarantee usability. $40? I'd offer her $10 for all the $ you'd have to put into it. With luck the latches have simply lost their hairsprings but if their plastic mounts integral to the smoked plastic body are broken off and the latches are missing...well...heaps of sadness and despair ahead :-(
Mmm, best not to count your chickens before the eggs are even laid.
My 3 Rainbows were found for free very incomplete. It took 5 years to hunt down all the correct hoses, wands, tools, sprayers, etc. to fill in the virtually empty styrofoam packing blocks, from Thrift Stores and Yard Sales.
Enjoy what you have and stay positive.
Dave, 35 year collector/partz accumulator.
