Ksaunders

Tomorrow I take ownership of my new 1982 M20J. The plane is all I have ever wanted. The owner has taken very good care of the plane and has upgraded her inside and out. I know just how he's going to feel when I take the keys. I hope he knows how well I intend to care for the bird and how much enjoyment me, my friends, and family will experience as we assume the responsibility. I have no experience with a Mooney but have not met anyone yet that has not said with excitement, "Man, you're going to LOVE that plane". I got my private in a rental 172 and have 240 hours (and got my instrument) in my very own 1974 Piper Cherokee PA-28-140. With close to 300 total hours I'm both excited and a little nervous to be the proud owner of a beautiful M20J. I have spent much time researching the various topics on this site to both learn about Mooney and confirm my decision to become a member of this fraternity. You all do a wonderful job educating the non-owners. I read many of the posts and the common theme is one of respect, assistance, and professionalism. Class and Character are easily found with a Mooney nearby. And I love that look in the eye of those 182 and Cherokee 6 owners when you tell them you're bringing home a new Mooney. Thanks for everything. Looking forward to many years of fun and advice. P.S. Thanks in advance Tim. I hope we'll stay in touch for many years after I pick up N23MD this weekend.

Wow! I'm working with a broker right now in MN that is helping me find my first Mooney. He seems to have found me a great plane that totally meets my expectations. He obviously listens very well. I realize he is working for the seller but how does a working stiff like me dedicate the time to search the world over looking for that perfect bird? It would take months to find, travel to, arrange inspections, etc to qualify a plane for purchase. There needs to be someone out there we can trust with a database of assets, connections, and the appropriate service people to "qualify" the machine before we "Show them the Money". We should also have a checklist (Checklists Save Lives) of items to research on our brokers and their backgrounds before we approve them as "Trusted for Hire". I am the Sales Director of a major manufacturing company. Our best asset when closing deals are satisified customer referrals. Maybe a quick check on some references before we get too deep in the sack would ease our concerns. You have all opened my eyes to the evils that want access to my hard earned cash. As a sales person myself, I am obviously too trusting of the brotherhood. So now I ask, feedback out ther good/bad/ugly on the services provided by Tim Lundquist at Strategic Aircraft?????? He seems to be outstanding.

I put a KLN89B in my plane that cost $1,650 + install. Unit does all you want for IFR......HOWEVER. Non-Precision VOR and DME approaches are not included in the database unless there is a published GPS overlay for them. Care to guess how many of those exist in the world?? AND.....Data card exchange every 28 days for a year $775/year. Want to do the PC Cable direct download instead of the card exchange? $125 for the cord, $50 for the pin adapter, and $175 to upgrade your KLN 89B internal software (and it takes an estimated 6 weeks to send it out to the shop for them to update). Just had the internal battery die after 1 year of use. (The manual says they last between 3 and 20 years). My bill for that battery replacement last week was $119. I have the IFR certified KLN 89B + a Garmin 295 and a Bendix/King AV8TOR (SWEET UNIT) in my plane. The AV8TOR does a WONDERFUL JOB for situational awareness following along with the KLN 89B + it give you terrain awareness and XM Datalink Weather. It also has a neat little mini-glass panel feature that is fun to play with. I installed the entire AV8TOR myself (15 minutes) and it cost me $1,300 total. The only install work you do is mount a receiver for the datalink weather. P.S. For Sale: One KLN 89B PC Cable + adaptor for your laptop. $800.

Need a contact/recommendation for the best financing for aircraft.

Always "Pimping" the Cherokee every chance I can get. Classic example of a bird I brough home and with lots of TLC made her into a nice little hour builder. I did a good IFR upgrade on the plane and next Tuesday I take my check ride and hopefully will join the ranks of the IFR pilots. I have the word out to sell the Cherokee knowing full well I won't get a penny back that I put into her but it's not worth the worry. Really excited looking at the M20J. Won't rush in but wow they are nice! I have my eye on N1141K in NY on Controller. I understand it is originally from Georgia. Trying to track down some previous owners to see if there is anything hiding in that airplane closet. Thanks for all the help and advice.

You all give some great advice and it is truly appreciated. I have searched all over and the M20J compliments my mission the best. Thank you.

Good to know. Always appreciate "user" advice over "seller" advice. How about the autopilot world. Any to seek and any to avoid at all costs? Can anyone give me some real world owner experience regarding M20J annuals? What is common and what should my budget be? Does anyone have any recommendations for annual service in the Atlanta, Ga area??

I have my eye on a few birds posted on Controller.com. They are at pretty remote locations where I don't have any contacts for pre-purchase inspections. I guess you just hunt them down, talk to as many as you can and select one you think you can trust and pay them the money. Maybe as I get closer I'll ask for specific recommendations for people who may be in the area. Regarding Tim Lundquist at Strategic Aircraft.....If I buy from a private individual it saves me 6% sales tax in the state of Georgia. Is Tim a Broker/Dealer or just a good help at finding you the right airplane? Let's talk 430 vs. 530. Is it worth the effort to get the 530 over the 430 if available? I heard some crazy stories about the 530 being somewhat frustrating and cumbersome to use. Should a guy settle for a 430?

I'm thinking of becoming a new M20J owner as well. I finish my IFR next Tuesday and have been buzzing around (Rather Slowly) in a 1974 Cherokee 140 for the last 265 hours of my Private Pilot career. Was hoping to get a good check list of "Things to Look For When Buying Your First Mooney M20J". I have done all the reaserch possible but want to turn to the actual owners for as much advice as possible. Lay it on me......