Mike A

@malyce7 Hey there! I was that gent! Glad you are continuing your search. If you want to meander over to MQY sometime soon I’m happy to get you up for a flight.

+1 on a turbo section!

I’m not sure I buy that cost difference based on age of those three examples. I would be willing to bet if you took an average 231, 252, and Encore in the fleet today and looked at the airframe only you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart based on condition alone. I really doubt the maintenance costs are that much more based on calendar years since the production year spread is so small compared to the overall age of airframes in the K family. Side note: I have a pretty much stock 231 with an -LB engine and love every second of flying it. You will not regret getting anything in the K lineup.

On my last commercial flight for the foreseeable future as we speak. Thank God for the ability we have to transport ourselves with almost the same effectiveness as the big boys.

John Tune Airport just to the northwest of Nashville

@252Turbski I had the exact same issue with my 231 as you described. Had to keep it alive with the primer and electric boost pump until it “got warm”. Once it “caught” it was good to go. You could start and stop it at will while it was warm. Changed out mechanical fuel pumps, ran fuel system checks, the whole 9 yards looking for it. Ended up being the fuel spider. Had that overhauled for like $700 and now she starts every time with zero issues.

+1 for Cole Aviation

Tennessee is awesome, but heads up they expect to collect their 10% sales tax regardless of how long ago or where you lived when you purchased the plane. They do give you credit for tax paid, but that was still a extra AMU that we didn't account for. And you need to have proof of tax paid or you're on the hook for the full 10%. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/revenue/documents/taxguides/salesanduse.pdf

Since I assume your numbers were based upon your retail costs, there is also sustainable profit built into every component of the build pricing you gave and this number goes up even more. Or that $400k price can come down more....

Isn't that exactly what they did with the Encores?

I don’t think the 70% standard would apply in a CPO J or K, but if you get more in the 50% arena a $400k highly upgraded Mooney-factory restored and backed plane becomes a very intriguing option. I would be all over it if they would factory convert all the K’s to the Encore spec (or better) mechanically or give some other nice upgrade that is most easily certified at a factory.

I may be able to help as well. I need to snag my plane from Joey here in the near future.

+1 On the other side of that coin I’d stay away from OAS. Nothing but problems.

Try twisting the throttle. Mine (1980 K) goes off periodically and a quick 1/4 to 1/8 twist of the throttle does the trick (it’s not a veneer type).

I went through this exact situation about a month ago. The shop that installed my GTX345 really screwed up my pitot static check and blew my airspeed switch. The manufacturer won’t work on anything over like 10 years old. Search eBay for the part. I was able to source one. Try to find ones that let you return. The first switch I bought was failed by my mechanic because it went off at 40 kts and I had to buy a second. Spent a total of $400 on the two. I still have the first one that my mechanic didn’t like if you would like a shot at getting it to work. PM me if your interested.

I’m glad I brought up social media. Another thing that Mooney needs to do is drop only having dealers promote and demo the planes. Both Cirrus and Textron have field sales managers that are very active on social media. They do demo flights and travel around the country showing the planes off. While they are flying they post videos of various features of the planes and some of the cool things that GA allows them to do. It’s a huge boost to the brand awareness and Cirrus has even managed to get me interested in what they can offer. I know what they are showing isn’t really different than what a Mooney can do, but the exposure does wonder for their brands.

I agree. I remember one of the first years they were back at SNF earlier this decade I was ready, cash and hand, to buy them out of any and all gear they may have had on site. That cost me $0 because they didn’t even bring anything to sell. They had an Acclaim mockup and a tent with a TV (That only displayed the Mooney logo) and a couch. I ungracefully let the ONLY person working the booth my displeasure at the absolute lack of swag to which she begrudgingly offered me a free hat that they were giving out to prospective customers. Meanwhile Piper, Cirrus, and the Textron companies had racks and racks of everything imaginable to buy. It’s stupid stuff like that that drives away prospective buyers/upgraders. Plus it’s literally getting paid to get the name out there. People stop me all the time about that hat (still) and I take the opportunity to talk the planes up. Imagine if there was a contingent of people wearing branded shirts, hats, bags, etc. Their ads are also crap. We understand that it’s a fast plane, that’s one of the reasons why we buy them. I have yet to see one that gives any other benefits of the line besides that. I’d do their marketing for free and would probably quadruple the units moved with a basic print and social media campaign that was halfway competent.

It was 10 years on the rebuild limit.

Update: my mechanic found one on eBay for $150 that accepted returns. Got it and it works. Side note: I now have an extra airspeed switch that apparently goes off at 40 kts instead of 60 if anyone is in need of one.

My airspeed switch in my K has decided to quit working. Found another on Ebay from a J and bought it, however, I am being told that the activiation speed is only 40 mph and my mechanic won't release it like that. He said they tried to adjust the set point with no luck. Now our options are either to try and have it overhauled or buy a new one from Mooney for $1k+. Any thoughts or ideas would be most appreciated.

I am having leaks on my less than 1 year and 50 hr overhauled prop as well. My trusted mechanic said to wipe it off and see if it wasn’t just the blades settling, which I did and my leak on the front of the blade seems to have gone away, but there is still a small one on the back of the blade throwing grease on my cowl and windshield. What is the reality of really fully cycling the prop? I always was told, for example, not to let the RPMs drop below 1500 on the run up cycle. Is there really going to be any damage of my letting it sit in full low RPM pitch for a couple min on the ground? Any suggestions on how to cycle it to see if it will reseat or reseal before I go and have it repaired?

Yes. They did the necessary ADS-B certification tests, just not a full IFR recert.

No IFR cert during the transponder install (not due till 4/2020) We seemed to get a wide range of speeds at which the gear started retracting (up to 100 kts), but that was also very unscientific and involved someone blowing in the pitot tube while someone else looked at the airspeed indicator and estimating when the gear movement started. The dual "gear safe" and "gear unsafe" indications at the same time were throwing everyone off I don't believe in coincidences and think the install has something to do with it. The new transponder coax cable runs right in the same area as the up limit switch. I am less inclined to believe its the handle as every time you move it it does something, even if its just changing the annunciation light from gear locked to gear unsafe and back, but will keep that up my sleeve.

I had a Garmin GTX345 transponder installed in my M20K last week and after getting it back the gear would not retract on the first attempt or without pushing the override button Initially when the gear handle was put in the "up" position the "Gear Not Safe" light would illuminate and the "Gear Locked" (or whatever it says) would go out. Recycling the handle would put the gear back down in the locked position then moving it back up would retract the gear, however, it has progressed to when the gear handle is put "up" both the "gear locked" and "gear not safe" lights would illuminate but the gear would not have moved. Pushing the override button would make the gear retract without incident. I went to my MSC to have them try and do a diagnosis during an oil change and they could not figure it out either. They are going to look deeper during my annual in July but I wanted to try and get some ideas from those who may have seen this before. Any thoughts? I think that something happened during the transponder install because the gear worked perfectly before. Swinging the gear in the shop took between 60 and 100 kts on the airspeed indicator to get them to move (sometimes). Is this an up limit switch issue or a airspeed switch issue or something else. The actuator is in good shape, retracts smoothly and has been ruled out as the issue (so far).

Per another thread, I’m pretty sure that the UAvionix TailBeacon can’t be used on the plane since it has no strobe and the 231 has enclosed wing strobes therefore requiring a tail strobe. May want to tell the seller to research and cancel the order.