I've had the CSI 474A version for almost a year now. With spare filter pads and shipping, it was US$132 from Circuit Specialists. I'm just a hobbiest, so I don't use it a lot, but when I do, it's great! Way easier and faster than braid, suction bulbs or spring-loaded devices, no damage to traces and pads, no damage to components that weren't already damaged. Nevermind scavenging components, the greatest single use for this is lifting a lead to test suspect components out-of-circuit!
I will note that it does take 4 or 5 minutes to get up to temperature, and it seems to be happiest at or near the highest temperature setting. Low is just way too low. Maybe the intent is to keep it idling at a warm state between uses through the day? I don't use it that much so for me it would have been far more useful to put the power switch on the front instead of the rear. Now that the warranty is long gone, I may open it up to correct that oversight...
Early in this thread there was some discussion about the heating capacity of these things: No problem at all going from component to component stripping a board. For desoldering something on a large heatsink, my Hakko 888 in one hand with this in the other is a great combination.
I have the tightly wound spring and nothing seems to get past to the filter -- haven't had to change that yet -- but it can be a bear to clean out the spring at the narrow end. A smear of MIG welder anti-spatter gel on the spring sure helps though. My tube is opaque black plastic. I clean it out pretty much after every day of use, so glass isn't necessary and the black is unbreakable.
The vacuum indicator thingy is pretty but too short to be of much use, IMHO. It's a 1/4" hole and the red marker only comes 1/2 way even when the tip is completely sealed against something. I suppose it will let you know if the gun is clogged right up, but you will probably figure that out just from the difference in sound anyway.
Also, I keep the trigger pulled for several seconds after removing the tip from the joint to make sure all solder makes it all the way to the spring before it solidifies. I haven't had a clogged passage yet.