Bought a $600 Miele in 1995 and it still works (and looks) as new today. When you open it up to remove the multiple redundant layers of air filtration disposables: bags, membranes, HEPA unit, etc, the guts and ductwork of the machine look brand new. Sure, the disposable bags are expensive, but worth every penny. Last I checked, Miele will provide you with replacement parts (e.g, motor) if they go bad.