My current Polaris 180 is about 15 years old and it's time for a new one. I had decided on a 280, but then came across the newer model 3900. Does anyone have any experience with this one and how does it compare to the 280?
Polaris 3900 Vs Polaris 280
- Thread starter stev32k
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The 280 just works. Polaris keeps coming up with "new and improved" models, but I think it's mostly just a marketing gimmick. Some of the higher end models seem more prone to failure and require more expensive repair parts than the 280. My 280 doesn't leave anything behind. 8)
i have not been here in awhile, but with pool season getting to start back, here i am again. My hubby just told me that we need a new polaris bag. i seached online and saw the new 3900. i was wondering if there was anything better than the 280 yet. i'm glad i came accross this post. its true, my polaris 280 just plain works. but, i would always love to hear about anything better. i will go on and order my new polaris bag for now.
You just can't beat the 280. The 3900 Sport is quite similar to the Polaris 480 (which was an exclusive model through distribution). I believe it is chain-driven, provides more torque for climbing, has more venturi jets to provide more suction, and the bag is bigger. It also has some parts unique to it, which is not always a plus. Actually, it looks quite stylish, and does an excellent job. Please refer to my first sentence, though. 
I decided on the 280. Everyone seems very happy with its performance and there is not much experience with the 3900. Just bought one on ebay for $388.00 including shipping. My local pool store wanted $549.00 - don't know how they stay in business.
Just did a search and found this thread. I received my $225 rebate offer for the 3900 in the mail today. I have a appr 10 year old Polaris 280 that just won't die and was wondering if there was a good reason to upgrade. Apparently not.
My new 280 has been running for about 5 days now and so far it does a super job. Takes about three hours to completely clean my 20 X 40 pool. It's hard to see how anything else could do a better job.
Our Polaris 280 has been performing flawlessly in our 21x41 foot pool. If you had a 180 and liked it, you will love the 280. It's actually better then the higher priced models Polaris is bringing out. it has fewer moving parts than the 380 and therefore has fewer maintenance costs. The backup value is amazing and keeps the 280 from getting stuck on our steps.
-Doc
-Doc
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