decent machine for household use?

Hello everyone! I am by no means a professional, and am not trying to get into the carpet cleaning business, so please don't flame me!

I am considering the purchase of a machine that will work well for household use. We have two children, you know how that can be! Also, we have two rental properties and will likely use the machine for those as well. I have been looking at retired rental units on eBay like the Rug Doctor r-40. There are also several Rinsenvac models on there as well. Some of the model #'s for the Rinsenvac's are  RV-85, MBU-1R, and MBU-1. Does anyone know anything about these machines? I would like to know which would be the better choice. I have searched everywhere online and cannot seem to find anything about any of these machines. I am new here and am not aware of the site rules about posting links or I would include links directly to the machines.

I would just like to make an informed decision. I want a machine that is of higher quality than the department store "throw-aways" but would like to stay in the 300-400 price range. I have a good friend in the carpet cleaning business (truck-mounted equipment) and will likely still have him do some of our cleaning, but I would like a machine to maintain the carpets in between.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can help.

Ask your friend that has the truckmount..........what are friends for..........we're not your friends.....we're in business to make money you fool

Well after reading several of your other posts I have come to the conclusion that you are of no assistance to anyone on this message board. It appears that you visit this site just to sing your own praises and put others down. I read little posts that could be helpful to anyone, maybe 1 out of 20. Others were just you being a prick. 

Again, you have proven my point. You have nothing useful to offer. You just enjoy name calling and putting others down. Yet in one of your posts you talk about how others put people down to make themselves feel good. And you put someone else down for posting on several different boards daily, yet you have 4.500+ posts on this one. The pot calling the kettle black maybe? Sorry that I have wasted so much of your valuable time. If your time was as valuable as you make it out to be, you would not have even bothered.

And for the record, I can (and have) fix anything that is wrong with a toilet as well as most any home improvement project. Since I have experience with that, I would not need to consult a professional. Because I have limited experience with carpet cleaning machines, I thought that I would ask on a message board. Maybe I'll find a professional elsewhere who is not as much of a prick.

No I don't think anyone would pay a dime for that garbage. If you put half of the time into actually posting something useful and helping people out (which is the purpose of message boards by the way) as you do proving what an arrogant douche-bag you are, then you might be a decent guy. 

O.K Mr. Steamer.....Sorry

Thank you so much for your dignified response. That is actually what I have been considering is a retired rental machine. What I have to decide on is which one. An old Rug Doctor R-40 or a Rinsenvac RV85. Again, I thank you for your response.