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Rainbow System

Rainbow System review: lifetime warranty is not free 9

M
Author of the review
7:20 pm EST
Review updated:
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I purchased a Rainbow Vacuum cleaner in 1996 with the promise of a free Lifetime Warranty. This is not true, there is no free lifetime warranty. You must pay for it. If your dealer goes out of business so does your Lifetime Warranty even if you have been paying for it. I went to an authorized Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner Dealer in SF and was given a $480 estimate to replace the burned out motor. Now what?

See message from Rainbow Vacuum Customer Service:

Subject: RE: Rainbow SE - motor burned out
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:31:01 -0500
From: [protected]@rexairllc.com
To: Me

Dear Me:

As I explained before that extended warranty was offered to you through your selling distributor and if that individual is out of business, your extended coverage has gone with him/her. If you would like to find service for your Rainbow locally, you may start by contacting the main office over the San Franciso are listed below:

Charles W. Finch
Valley Industries
1695 Abram Court, #214
San Leandro State... CA Zip Code..: 94577
US United States
Contact...:
Phone [protected] Fax [protected]

Sincerely,
Michele
Customer Relations

From: Me
Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 8:21 PM
To: Customer Service
Subject: RE: Rainbow SE - motor burned out

I live in San Francisco now - what next?

Subject: RE: Rainbow SE - motor burned out
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:21:24 -0500
From: [protected]@rexairllc.com
To: Me

Dear Me:

We are the manufacturer of the Rainbow products and the warranty that we offered on the SE model covered you for the first three years of ownership to address problems and defect. If that warranty was extended to you by your selling distributor for any amount to time beyond the three years, that contract was between you and that selling distributor's business. Since it appears that the selling distributor is out of business, the extended warranty is null and void unless, that main office in your area is able to extend coverage to you on behalf of the now absent distributor.
I'm sorry for the confusion on how the warranty coverage works-I might still suggest that you contact the two main offices in authority in the Houston area for possible assistance-

Sincerely,
Michele
Customer Relations

From: Me
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 8:59 PM
To: Customer Service
Subject: RE: Rainbow SE - motor burned out

Sorry but the product was sold with a lifetime warranty. I have moved to California and can not locate my original paperwork. Everyone I talk to has been told the same thing. Which is the Rainbow is so expensive because it has a lifetime warranty. If the lifetime warranty is not true please let me know so that I can make sure everyone knows.

Regards,
Me

Subject: RE: Rainbow SE - motor burned out
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:22:42 -0500
From: [protected]@rexairllc.com
To: Me

Dear Me;

I'm sorry but the manufacturer's warranty on the SE Rainbow covered your first three years of ownership only-
The two distributors listed below are in authority over the Houston area and they may be able to assist you if your manufacturer's warranty had been extended by your selling distributor. If you have any paperwork from your original sale-you might want to have that in front of you whenyou contact Julio and Curt-
I hope this is helpful-

Julio R. & Ana Morales
Rowest Products LLC
6903 Granger Ridge Lane

Richmond State.: TX

77469 -

[protected]
[protected]@aol.com

Curtis L. Meador & Paul Sahmel
PS & CM LLC
1702 Strawberry Rd.
Suite 400
Pasadena State.: TX

77502 -

[protected]
[protected]@swbell.net

Sincerely,
Michele
Customer Relations

From: Me
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:02 PM
To: Customer Service
Subject: Rainbow SE - motor burned out

Hello,
I am the original owner of a Rainbow SE vacuum cleaner. I purchased the unit in Houston, TX around 1995 or 1996. I took the vacuum cleaner to a repair store and they gave me an estimate of approx. $500 to replace the motor. I remember that the sales person told me Rainbow has a lifetime warrantly that is one of the reasons that I purchased the unit. Please contact me to let me know how I can get this repair/replacement motor under warranty and by who.

Regards,
Me

Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

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9 comments
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Kathyann Burrows
, US
Jan 09, 2023 12:35 am EST

If we start taking the rainbow company to court for their clients lying to us about lifetime warranty and all these other stuff that is not true about this expensive machine this problem that we are having with these burnt out machines and cannot get any help with this warranty talk would stop I paid $2,900 for this machine and can get no help the motor burnt out for some reason and no time did everything that I'm supposed to do to keep this machine up and when you call them they're telling you about $50 shipping $50 to open I thought this had a lifetime warranty just like your man came to my house but don't worry God got this because he don't like ugly.

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Blue V
, US
Apr 08, 2022 6:54 am EDT

I bought a Rainbow at 2006 from a salesman who arrived to a newly constructed homes, door to door. He sold 3-4 just in my street and he just leave the new boxes (after a quick demonstration) and we just have to wait for the financial docs by mail. and start paying after that.

He made the same lifetime warranty promise but in our case it was granted without hesitation.

This thing just stop working properly ONCE after 8yrs aprox. I started looking for a place for repair and I found one near my job. They just told me “bring it to us” without asking ANYTHING! I left it in the morning and I asked when will be ready, he told me, “you can wait for it, it will take about 30mins” I had time before work so I waited for it. It wasn’t 30mins, it was ready in 15mins and he told me they did some maintaining too.

When I asked how much it was, he said NOTHING, ma’am, you have a Rainbow, it’s an expensive investment, mainly for the lifetime warranty. As long as you have it, just bring it to us or to ANY authorized dealership here (PR) or the US and it will be repaired at no cost. You will not have to show any proof of purchase because the machine itself is the proof of purchase, ALWAYS remember that to not be scammed”

I think I don’t need to say I was in shock and I never forget it. Since then, it hadn’t needed to be repaired and still using it.

But now, I’m afraid to be told another thing after reading all that and living in the US. Can someone tell me what to expect and why so different experiences?

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Blue V
, US
Apr 08, 2022 6:54 am EDT

I bought a Rainbow at 2006 from a salesman who arrived to a newly constructed homes, door to door. He sold 3-4 just in my street and he just leave the new boxes (after a quick demonstration) and we just have to wait for the financial docs by mail. and start paying after that.

He made the same lifetime warranty promise but in our case it was granted without hesitation.

This thing just stop working properly ONCE after 8yrs aprox. I started looking for a place for repair and I found one near my job. They just told me “bring it to us” without asking ANYTHING! I left it in the morning and I asked when will be ready, he told me, “you can wait for it, it will take about 30mins” I had time before work so I waited for it. It wasn’t 30mins, it was ready in 15mins and he told me they did some maintaining too.

When I asked how much it was, he said NOTHING, ma’am, you have a Rainbow, it’s an expensive investment, mainly for the lifetime warranty. As long as you have it, just bring it to us or to ANY authorized dealership here (PR) or the US and it will be repaired at no cost. You will not have to show any proof of purchase because the machine itself is the proof of purchase, ALWAYS remember that to not be scammed”

I think I don’t need to say I was in shock and I never forget it. Since then, it hadn’t needed to be repaired and still using it.

But now, I’m afraid to be told another thing after reading all that and living in the US. Can someone tell me what to expect and why so different experiences?

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LindaLee1221
Houghton Lake, US
Dec 29, 2014 8:57 pm EST

We are going through the same thing with our rainbow. The motor burned out and they want $400.00 to fix the problem. Our vacuum is only 8 years old with good care. I will never buy another one, recommend one or put another dime in this one. My next vacuum will be a Kirby

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Laura youngblood
, US
Nov 12, 2013 6:17 pm EST

Well my parents purchased a $2000 vacuum by rainbow with a lifetime warranty which is the only reason that they bought it in 1998. The motor has burned out. I have read this happening alot. So far what I have read is what customer service CANNOT do to help all the people who have bought into this misrepresentation. What will you do to help because it sure sounds like there needs to be a class action law suit.

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Beenliedtoo
, US
Jun 02, 2019 2:40 am EDT

I agree. Also they left me the demo they used in my house and I ended up paying 3, 800 because of interest and nothing down. Pretty expensive for a used vacuum cleaner! 😡

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Tdybear774
Croydon, US
Jan 19, 2013 9:36 am EST

I agree, I fell for this whole scam ... hook, line and sinker. I answered an ad in the paper for employment. Come to find out it was to sell the Rainbow System. Of course I went through numerous elimination days, where 30 of us were reduced to 5... as we were chosen to represent the company and sell the vacuum through home sales. Informed we would have to pressure all of our family, friends and neighbors to get started with the sales should of been clue #1 this was a scam. Pressured to buy my own system within my first week of employment should of been clue #2, I did so against my husband's wishes... seeming it was a good purchase WITH the Lifetime Warranty ($2000.00 / 21 yrs = $95.24 per year, which is what a so/so vacuum would cost roughly.. so a great a vacuum for this price would be amazing) . So we thought. Let me say I do love the performance of the actual vacuum, it does clean quite well and has superior suction, and the cherry on top is that the air filter works extremely well also. That is... WHEN IT WORKS, if it doesn't work, or cannot be fixed to work within this timeframe as promised; the whole idea goes down the drain. So back to working for the company selling these vacuums... two weeks into my employment and purchasing my Rainbow, I apparently win a Rainbow (however there is no warranty on this one! .. Imagine that!) So after a month of not getting any bites on someone to purchase a vacuum, I left the company with both my vacuums in toe. Now life goes on...I use my Rainbow every day for years.. pieces fall off of it... but nothing that stops its performance, so I do not challenge the warranty... My daughter goes to college and I give her the first Rainbow and start using the second one... well low and behold the power button breaks a year into it and I can not use the vacuum any longer. I go look up my warranty to find out, that it is no good and I can't get this vacuum fixed under warranty. Now for all you nay sayers .. I was not extremely knowledgeable about the 3 Step Limited Warranty as I never got to sell one to get to that point, nor where we trained on the issues of the warranty to inform the customer of it. I find the Rainbow Cleaning System a dud for the money spent! It would only get my vote for performance, again this depends on actually being able to use it!

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Rainbowuser
mcallen, US
Oct 16, 2011 9:45 pm EDT

You are selling a vacuum thats sold for $2000 and then selling a warranty through your dealer which is representing you in the market, who is your face in the market. Then when he's out of business, you claim that the warranty he sold for your product is void, null. This type of behavious maybe accepted for a "Dollar shop", but certainly not acceptable for a company that claims to be one of the leaders in its industry. I am using a E2 at home and a couple of times I have received calls for the new model but certainly not gonna buy it.
The performance of the machine ? 10/10 but the people and the customer service behind this machine ? In my eye, barely 5/10... Sorry, but you should focus more on customer satisfaction. Loss of one new client costs you much more than the cost of repair of an single item. Please look at how the customer relations work in Europe.

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DARLA 2011
Houston, US
Jul 18, 2011 11:16 pm EDT

Julio Morales and a sales person Aron was referred by a friend, to purchase a Rainbow vac ...I was pleased with the product and wanted to purchase one back in May, 2011.. I wrote a check for $300.00 for a deposit.. To my surprise they told me I DID NOT get approved... I have called several times and the wife tells me lies and Julio tells me my check is in the mail for a full refund... To this day [protected] I still have NOT received my $300.00 back ..I have wasted valuable time messing with these people, and will have to take them to civil court for them STEALING $300.00 of MY MONEY! SO IF YOUR THINKING ABOUT PURCHASING A RAINBOW FROM THESE THIEVES ******I ASK YOU NOT TO DO SO! THERE LIERS & THIEVES