Earlier this week I ran across a fantastic deal, on a very interesting cleaner, a Dyson DC15 Animal. I got it for only $39.99 complete with turbo nozzle, low reach tool, near full bag of Zorb, a bottle of Dyzolve, and most if not all of the paperwork. It had a piece of paper on the handle stating it needed a belt. I got it home and nothing was wrong with it, so that was a bonus.
My impressions from using it, is that it is a fair performer, but highly over-engineered, and quite heavy and large. The Ball does not fully compensate for the excessive size of the cleaner, and I would not recommend it for small spaces. The suction is great, but the rug nozzle is a bit too light and floaty. On some cheaper carpet I tried it on it would bounce on the backstroke.
One of my favorite parts is the turbo brush design. It is the only turbo brush I have ever seen that you can turn off. Also, the dirt does not pass through the turbine, which is nice, but the dirt flow passage is too small. It is also quieter than the other turbo brush I have used.