Budget for Annuals for an M20C?

[fire11]

I'm wondering if anyone can give me an idea what to expect annuals to run for a manual-gear M20C in good condition?  After much counseling, I'm considering buying my own M20C and want to ensure I've budgeted enough for annuals and routine maintenance.  I've gotten quotes on insurance and hangars but annuals and routine maintenance are harder to budget.  I'd probably change my own oil and am not opposed to owner-assisted annuals…as long as I don't compromise on the quality of maintenance.  Given we live in Houston, my gut instinct would be to just take it to Maxwell's for annuals.  Any thoughts?

[TWinter]

Mine is a E, but just an idea on annuals mine typically run anywhere between $1800-2200. Most recently the variable being tires, brakes, had a gasket or two, never know..I would say 2K would be an average annual..As they say, your results may vary.  Good luck

[Mooneymite]

Wow! That's like asking what does an average dinner cost.

It depends.

However, almost certainly the first one will be high because the first time you take it to a new shop, it will discover things the previous shop missed. There will be things you care about that the previous owner did not. There will be things you want done "just because".

Be prepared for a larger than "average bill" until you, your shop and your plane settle out.

Once the first couple of annuals are done, they will settle out to some stasis. I'm just guessing the Houston area will be in the $800-$1200 range + gripes. Check with the local Mooney owners.

[BigTex]

I believe DMax's base price is $2100 for the M20C plus T&M to resolve any squawks.

[clh]

  Two things will, in my experience, really run up the bill.  Any upgrades/planned maintenance and how much I of the work I do.  When I have done the full "owner assisted annual",  the inspection part is usually only about 500-800.  

 

 I have found on my E that annuals have run everywhere from 800-13,000.  Most of the time the annual inspection and resolution of Air Worthiness items has been pretty low (500-2000).  Fuel tank reseal, landing gear biscuits, new interior, new panel, etc have made up the rest....

[captainglen]

There are so many variables but the two biggest are the propeller and your participation. An owner assisted annual can run as cheap as $500 while a shop could charge you as high as $2,000. A propeller overhaul could cost well over $1,000 and if replacement is required could be around $3,500. Failing a compression test could cost over $1,000 per failed cylinder; a C model has 4. These are some of the reasons many buyers swear by a pre purchase inspection by a good mechanic. It is unlikely that there are any AD's that have not been complied with but fuel tank leaks can add significant costs as well. In lieu of an FAA approved Minimum Equipment List everything must work including all installed avionic equipment. The weight and balance + equipment list must be current for all installed equipment. Although not technically required per the applicable appendix some inspectors will want to see a 337 for each pice of equipment installed since the aircraft was new so ask first. Since an annual from hell could cost as much as $10,000 be sure to make sure before you buy the plane that you have good compression, no fuel leaks and that a propeller overhaul is not due.

[N9405V]

Keep in mind there are three parts to the Annual Inspection.

 

1. The Inspection itself- any shop should be able to give you an estimate for what the inspection itself will cost.  This is the physical act of opening up the airframe and inspecting it.  I've been quoted between $1300 and $2000, or generally about 20 hours of shop time for my M20E.

 

2. Fixing the squawks/AD compliance- this is a variable that you do not have much control over.  Replacing tires, brake pads, shock discs, etc.  As others have said, can run a couple of hundred on up. 

 

3. "Well, while its down for the annual we might as well do........."- This is the part that really dings the checkbook.  Here is where you will get in trouble.  Oh, a new engine monitor, that sounds great! Add altitude hold to the autopilot, sure why not!  You know, I've always wanted that dual Aspen display with Garmin 750's......  This is where your check book needs to be securely in your significant others possession, you can go nuts!  I mean, you did buy an airplane so that is proof that you are crazy to begin with.  Welcome to the club!

[Hank]

I do owner-assisted on my C. Generally $600-800 plus squawks. Last year this included new biscuits all around, nose tire & tube. Biscuits = 1AMU; tire & leak stop tube ~ $500. Rent for gear compressor was another 2-3 hundred with shipping. But now she's good for the next 10-15 years.

Lots if variation year to year, the first couple were $500-600 each. It's all in what you buy, what has to be replaced and what breaks each year. At least Wet Wingologists gives a discount to MAPA members, and Cs only have 52 gallon tanks.

[Jerry 5TJ]

Depends on your plane's history, your participation in the work, and your own standards.

I've owned my "C" since 2008 and in that period completed 6 annuals, 5 of them owner-assisted (meaning my time was billed at $0). Not including upgrades the annuals have totalled around $31,000. Divide by six, that's closer to $5K each. Upgrades were additional.

This is for a plane that has been hangared continually since 1975 and always in annual since 1965. A nice plane but it is half a century old.

[larryb]

My 2 annuals so far have averaged around $5000 out-the-door. About $2000 for the inspection, then the rest. My plane has been in good condition, but there is always something. Some of those things were optional such as new SkyTech starter, Plane Power alternator. Others were needed such as nose truss work, front crank seal, new tires. new rear strobe power supply, etc. This year, the new rear strobe power supply from last year has died, so I'll probably get an LED replacement. Last year I had requested an LED replacement for the rear strobe, but it wasn't available. Apparently it is now. My point is, there is always something that is going to need doing, even on a plane in good condition.

 

I would budget at least $5000 / year for annual and maintenance. And you should be able to afford the big one, a new engine, on a moment's notice.

 

Larry

[gsxrpilot]

I just had an annual on my C done at Maxwell's.  He charges $1895 +T&M for squawks. Mine cost that + $135.  Of course there was another $2700 in owner (me) requested work done.  I'm very happy with it and Don can expect to see 6XM again next August.

 

If you send me a PM, I'll share the details of the pre-buy that was also done at Maxwells.  It was excellent.  I believe a Don Maxwell pre-buy is the best money anyone can spend on a used Mooney.

 

Since you live in Houston, you might also consider B&D Aircraft for your annuals.  Boyd works exclusively on Mooney's and is in Houston. 

 

Paul

[Hector]

I have completed 3 annual since I purchased my 67C. All have been owner assisted and have ranged between 600-1000. I will say that the previous owner was meticulous about maintenance so my bird was in very good shape when I got it. There is really no Mooney expert on my field so I decided I would learn all I could and participate heavily on my maintenance. I follow the Mooney check list for an annual and learned to do everything in the list. That being said, If I lived that close to Max I would take my plane there. In fact, now that I have completed 3 annuals, I am strongly considering taking my C to a "Mooney expert" next year to see how well I'm really doing.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Mooneymite]

I'm noticing that CA annuals are pricey!!

[Bob_Belville]

My AI charges $1528. for my E but gives me credit for the work I do to r/r panels, change oil, remove seats. lube,etc. He mostly just has to inspect, check gear loads, compressions. clean plugs, timing, etc. This year it cost me $528. I supplied oil, filter. The plane stays in my T hanger, I have jacks, tools, supplies. I do a little more of the work each year. 

 

There was nothing to fix, I don't save maintenance for the annual but do it as it comes up. 

[rubixcube2k3]

 Since an annual from hell could cost as much as $10,000 be sure to make sure before you buy the plane that you have good compression, no fuel leaks and that a propeller overhaul is not due.

 

I'm going to say that this may be a low number for an annual from hell. Some people here know my year 1 Annual Cost based on a poorly executed prebuy, a shady broker, and a dishonest seller.

 

I am told that I currently hold the record for the most costly C Annual (and perhaps the most costly annual period) that DMax has ever performed. (Not sure if I should be proud of that or not, but he always smiles when he reminds me of it, lol - My wife and our accountant - not so much...)

 

However, I must say that my later annuals were all much more reasonable....but catching up is always a doozy...Bob has it right, and it only took me 2 years to learn. Fix it when it breaks, doesn't matter if annual is 2 weeks away or 50 weeks away.

[mike_elliott]

Abe, Jim wright had a 47AMU annual on his C, did you beat it?

[carusoam]

He went in with a C, and came out with a J?

That's what happened to my C, but it came out as an O for a few dollars more.

Best regards,

-a-

[rubixcube2k3]

Abe, Jim wright had a 47AMU annual on his C, did you beat it?

Yikes! Mine, not quiiiiiiiteeee that bad. Was that a DMax annual? My first was 20AMU, and that was me deferring another 6.5AMU until the next year for catch up.

 

Did Jim get a new engine in that cost or a new spar? or did he get bit by tubular corrosion as a result of a failed SB208?

[Bob_Belville]

I had a quickie prebuy done. 4 hours, $220. We checked for corrosion, gear, compressions, logs. I noted telltale signs of neglected maintenance of things that were not airworthiness systems and I counter offered 10% off.

 

Subsequently we had to replace exhaust and alternator. Old avionic proved unreliable, spent a couple of AMU on the Stormscope and KNS80 before deciding to replace most of the panel.

 

I can't say I was all that clever but putting the plane in "everything working and looking right" status was not very expensive. Except for the new panel. I did much of the work myself. New interior, cowl baffles seals, trim/flap indicators, LED landing lights,   

[mike_elliott]

Spar, prop oh, and a good "owner greasing ". No, not dmax, but eagle creek aviation. I helped him cry

[jetdriven]

re: the 47K annual, did the shop present a list of discrepancies and an accurate cost estimate? The annual is around 2 grand for all the inspections, lubrication, and labor. repairs are extra.  I cant see how someone would go so far down the rabbit hole on something like that.

 

my first annual was around 5K, but that was a 70 item list of things I wanted to repair, such as pulling out and refinishing all the interior plastic, rerigging the controls and landing gear, teardown inspection of the landing gear actuator, brakes, new RG-400 for the COM antennas, R&R and deletion of several antennas, battery box corrosion treatments, new concord battery, etc etc etc . owner assist goes a hell of a long way to a lower bill.

[bonal]

I knew there were some out there that surpassed my first but add 1 and 2 years and I hit 22amu this on a plane that had been hangared and "meticulously maintained" I think as for the CA annuals being higher you may find the common denominator as Lake aero they are very thorough. I am ready for a no squawk annual next time. one can dream cant one.

best of luck.

[Freight Dog]

I have an E model and keep my plane at KCXO.

I fly my plane up to Maxwell's for annuals and any major work. He's not the cheapest by any means, but he knows the plane.

Pre-buy? Go to Maxwell's... probably the best insurance money you can spend. I did.

I also get my annuals done there. Not the cheapest, but they're done right, and if you need any other work done, you're getting it done at arguably the best shop in the country.