My needs are laminate floors and rugs large and small, wool and synthetic, carpeted stairs and all carpets upstairs. (I haven't tried car washing yet, I have no doubt it will be a success.) Firstly, this machine has excellent suction power. I've been using it for a week and there is a lever on the top that you can push to provide airflow for front and rear suction or just airflow for direct suction and it gets the job done. So much suction is created around it that it's even covered with wool carpet fibers or dog hair that didn't get inside. I don't even have to go back twice, the suction is that good. Be prepared, it feels incredibly light, maybe even cheap. I thought how can this thing be done well? But he does everything I need. The light factor is great for vacuuming any carpeted staircase and pulling up and down the stairs. So that's actually a big plus. There are 2 pipes that you connect lengthwise when you vacuum the floor. On the stairs I take out a pipe and the length is perfect. The head is wide enough to vacuum effectively (again, one sweep is enough for my short rugs), but it's shallow enough to fit under anything - low chairs, sofas, etc. When I push the lever on the head down, I don't. I can move it back and forth easily (the suction is too strong) but it's flat so I can slide it back under the sofas and get the dust that's so hard to reach without closing the sofas move. For me that's a big plus. The tubes are all friction connected by simply sliding them against each other. They sometimes pop out if you snag something and pull too hard, but my last vacuum ($450) (which was heavier but I liked it) broke beyond repair when the connector broke on the head where the locking mechanism used to be was this part is now discontinued. So frustrating! So that little vacuum seems less likely to "break" somewhere because the parts come loose under pressure. I hope so. My son assembled the device and I used it straight away. I forgot to add a bag and was very upset - but the bag is already in! Well done Eureka! The downside to this machine, as far as I can tell after using it many times in the first week, is the lack of an automatic cord winder. But the cord is longer than my last car - if I turn it on in the middle of the house, it goes to the ends on either side of the house. Of course this depends on your home, but my other vacuum cleaner was only a few feet away from you. Then I can also vacuum the whole stairwell and then move the cord 1 time to clean the whole house. I don't like coiling up the cord so it goes in a heap if its too lazy. It's worth it because you don't have to move the cable! This is not a self-driving vehicle. You have to push the vacuum cleaner, it is not "moved" by the rotating brush. There is a brush but not motorized. I'm a pretty strong woman in my 40s and would love to push, but if you have health issues and can't push it might be more physical work. I expect vacuuming to be a job so I'm fine with that and find the low cost well worth it. I believe this is also due to the lower weight of the machine and its tools. I hope this review is thorough and helpful to those making the decision. I never buy warranties but given the light weight of this machine I would consider it. I paid $81 after tax for this car. I can definitely be described as frugal and frugal. Given the mixed reviews and the high cost of other budget machines, I'm very happy with my purchase! I don't write reviews very often, but I want other consumers to know the pros and cons so they can make an informed decision.