Wow!
$349 is a great price! The cheapest DC24 I saw was $409 and they were charging $50 more for the Animal. You got a steal!
Please drop me a message after you use it. I know Dysons are the best on the market but I don't know anyone who has actually has one. 
Thanks in advance!
I have had an older model DC15 for about 5 years, it does have it's issues.
First be prepared to thoroughly clean the vacuum head and the tank, at least once every year, the plastic can build up a layer of scum that's not easy to get off. The filter needs to be replaced once every two years, sooner if you use it a lot. But these are problems you'll incounter with other vacuums.
Specific to the Dyson though, the damn hose for the telescopic wand is a real b*tch to use, the tension and restrictiveness of the hose forces you to fight it when in use, not a good experience. The DC15 is also heavy, my mom tried it and hated how heavy it is, not just lifting it but the weight also effects how you maneuver it since all the weight is in the ball. The ball isn't easy to transition from hard floor onto a rug, this is more of an inconvenience.
The biggest issue was a major wiring design flaw, the vacuum wouldn't turn on one day, after looking for answers online, I discovered there's a bunch of wires from a wiring harness that transitions through a joint that's a problem on all DC15 vacuums. They made a few of the wires too short and after much use, the wires stretched wore and broke. It was an easy fix for me, all I did was add more of the same type of wire, soldered them in and wrapped with heat shrink, works just like new. However if I didn't know what to do, a job that cost me $3, would've cost me $100+ to get someone else to fix.
It's still a nice vacuum, no bags and it does pick up what other vacuums leave behind. But just a little too expensive (about $550). Mine was a gift from my boss, otherwise I wouldn't have bought one myself.
I'm sure the newer ones have improvements, but it just goes to show you there's some hype associated with the Dyson vacuum.
