Just a quick update....

I received my Polaris 280 quickly from Amazon and installed it. However, I realized after the fact that I didn't cut the hose correctly (the overall lenght was correct, but the leader hose was too short). It still seemed to work OK, but I decided to contact Polaris (Zodiac) to see if I should buy a new leader hose. I explained to the gentleman what I had done and even though it was my fault he sent me a new hose free of charge. Needless to say I'm very impressed with their customer service.

So far the 280 seems to be working well, better than my previous Hayward Viper. Not only does the 280 seem to cover the entire pool better, but it seems to do so quicker. We'll see how it goes this season.