Fast Cash for the Right Mooney

[MooneyHunter]

Serious buyer searching for that much loved, well cared for 201-231-252.  PM me with what you have.  Not a dealer. 

[carusoam]

Serious buyer from NJ, (North Jersey)

You are aware that there are several models of Mooneys available.

You may want to be a little more specific about which model fits your desire, your mission and/or your budget.

What you requested, so far, is all well kept Mooneys between 50k and 500k (roughly).

Are you more interested in speed or efficiency?

Are you going to fly up and down the East Coast?

Are you going to be flying through Denver in February with four normal sized people on board?

Does your budget include room for updated digital instrument panels?

Is your preference digital drivers with analog displays, all digital or old style analog?

Seriously, welcome aboard, ( I'm not a dealer either

[The-sky-captain]

Pm sent

[MooneyHunter]

Quote:  You may want to be a little more specific about which model fits your desire, your mission and/or your budget.

What you requested, so far, is all well kept Mooneys between 50k and 500k (roughly).
 

Are you more interested in speed or efficiency?

 

 

Point well taken.  I would love to be in a nice Mooney for under $100K.  I have been a Bonanza driver for much of my life, just want to try something different.  Have about 30 hours in 201s and 231s from many years ago, have a lot of respect for both.  The 201 is tempting from the cost of ownership standpoint, the 231's high altitude capability is intriguing.  Getting a handle on the market is like catching a greased pig, prices seem to be across the board.  There are 231's out there for 60K, and 201's for 140K.  Possibly people with some real pigs and people with unrealistic expectations?  

 

Our mission? Take out the back seats and have a two seater with lots of luggage space.  Flying the mountain west over some pretty high terrain with high density altitude.  

 

I just sold an RV7A.  I had been looking at the market for months before I placed an ad "Looking for an exceptional RV7A".  It worked, the right plane at the right price came to me.  Hoping it will happen again, someone with an exceptional Mooney who doesn't want to go through the dealer hoops will find me.

[carusoam]

Nice way to start...

With the 100k budget, it puts you in the range of nice Js and Ks...

Next decision is NA vs Turbo...

I nice way of asking, how tight is your operational budget...?

If your ops budget is a little looser than tighter...a FIKI turbo K comes in a few technical varieties...

The tighter ops budget may be best served by a J.

A J with an IO550 engine is called a Missile. The Missile pegs the wow meter for two people.

Where do you keep your Bonanza?

We have a NJMooney group if that is of interest to you?

Best regards,

-a-

[Seth]

The Missile burns more gas than a J, especially when you want to go fast! But it can easily sustain 180-185 knots + and depending on the bird touch 190 kts. I fly mine at 170-175 most of the time to keep my fuel flow down.

Think of the Missile as a baby ovation for a lot less - 300HP engine in a mid length body. It will outrun a 231 until O2 levels.

The 231 is a turbo and keeps more power high.

I flew my Missile and former F model across the country. In the Missile, you have better power hot and high but not as much as a turbo. A J would be fine in most situations but struggle when you need it. With two people, it should be fine. The K would be better if most of your flying is out west.

If most of your flying is east coast, get the J or Missile. There is a missile with a garmin 750 for sale on controller for $109k after lowering the price. May be worth a look.

-Seth

[MooneyHunter]

I am out west, so high terrain and density altitude is a big deal.  Some of the Ovation's I think it is, with the 540, are actually pretty reasonably priced.  But as I understand it, the fuel specifics on that engine is lousy.  I have to say, having had an O-360 in my RV, that it is as trouble free as you can ask for. Both the TSIO-360 and the NA IO550 have issues making it to TBO without a top overhaul.  But of course, on a hot day, you sure appreciate that extra Oomph from the 550.  I had one in my Bonanza and it was sweet.  There is another Rocket for sale on Trade a Plane: http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/aircraft/Single+Engine+Piston/1978/Mooney/M20J+201+Missile/1740449.html  Its been on the market for a looooong time, not sure what the deal is with it.  

[LANCECASPER]

I am out west, so high terrain and density altitude is a big deal.  Some of the Ovation's I think it is, with the 540, are actually pretty reasonably priced.  But as I understand it, the fuel specifics on that engine is lousy.  I have to say, having had an O-360 in my RV, that it is as trouble free as you can ask for. Both the TSIO-360 and the NA IO550 have issues making it to TBO without a top overhaul.  But of course, on a hot day, you sure appreciate that extra Oomph from the 550.  I had one in my Bonanza and it was sweet.  There is another Rocket for sale on Trade a Plane: http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/aircraft/Single+Engine+Piston/1978/Mooney/M20J+201+Missile/1740449.html  Its been on the market for a looooong time, not sure what the deal is with it.  

 

Ovations all have Continental IO-550.

 

Bravos have Lycoming TIO-540-AF1B.

 

231's have Continental TSIO-360-GB or  -LB

 

252's have Continental TSIO-360-MB

 

Encores have Continental TSIO-360-SB

 

All engines have trouble making TBO without a top overhaul if the CHT's, EGT's or TIT's are run too high.

[Houman]

I am out west, so high terrain and density altitude is a big deal. Some of the Ovation's I think it is, with the 540, are actually pretty reasonably priced. But as I understand it, the fuel specifics on that engine is lousy. I have to say, having had an O-360 in my RV, that it is as trouble free as you can ask for. Both the TSIO-360 and the NA IO550 have issues making it to TBO without a top overhaul. But of course, on a hot day, you sure appreciate that extra Oomph from the 550. I had one in my Bonanza and it was sweet. There is another Rocket for sale on Trade a Plane: http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/aircraft/Single+Engine+Piston/1978/Mooney/M20J+201+Missile/1740449.html Its been on the market for a looooong time, not sure what the deal is with it.

As a Rocket owner, I would say it Rocks, it is very similar to Seth's J Missle, but in a K body with turbo and dual interchangers, so works as good in flight levels... Density altitude is less of an issue when you got the turbo,

But price wise, it is more expensive, turbo adds complexity and high fuel consumption, but somehow I don't care about that when I see 200 kias on or 237 GS ( my best )... It is alot of plane though, and depending on your budget, maybe having it with a partner might be worth looking into it...

[carusoam]

Having a high performance aircraft makes you want to have an IR, doesn't it?

Poking my Houman friend out loud,

[Bravoman]

Although a TLS Bravo would be hard to find in the budget range you speak of, Mooney and lycoming really got it right with the Bravo engine. Very smooth running and with the oil distribution system it is my understanding that TBO is easily attainable with proper engine management. Fuel consumption is very reasonable given the speed and high altitude capability IMO as well.

[MooneyHunter]

Ok, so need some advice.  I have found a really nice 252.  It's got everything I am after, the one sticking point is it has damage history.  It had a really hard landing, real hard.  I have reviewed the logs, it was repaired by Beegles, is extremely documented, a lot of the tail section was repaired, landing gear, flaps, engine teardown, new prop.  I know Beegles, they do fabulous work, I have confidence the plane was repaired properly.  But how does the market perceive this?  In the world of Bonanza's, it's a death sentence.  But lots of Mooneys have damage history and seem to keep on going.  The damage was almost 10 years ago, so it's been flown a lot since.  How much of a deduction for the prior history?

[mike_elliott]

Ok, so need some advice.  I have found a really nice 252.  It's got everything I am after, the one sticking point is it has damage history.  It had a really hard landing, real hard.  I have reviewed the logs, it was repaired by Beegles, is extremely documented, a lot of the tail section was repaired, landing gear, flaps, engine teardown, new prop.  I know Beegles, they do fabulous work, I have confidence the plane was repaired properly.  But how does the market perceive this?  In the world of Bonanza's, it's a death sentence.  But lots of Mooneys have damage history and seem to keep on going.  The damage was almost 10 years ago, so it's been flown a lot since.  How much of a deduction for the prior history?

The question is more what is the plane worth to you? If it is already priced as if it had major damage history, and you know it has been repaired properly, verified by 10 years of continuous duty afterwards, It is no longer a question of how much deduction for prior history, but what is the plane worth to you. Would you pass on this one to find a similar one without the damage history for considerably more? if so, then pass. If this one already is low enough priced (typically what attracts one in the first place) is the price low enough to compensate for the correctly repaired damage?

Your call..not ours Good luck in finding your perfect mistress!

[MooneyHunter]

Good way of looking at it! 

[MooneyHunter]

Another plane:  has the GB engine with intercooler and merlyn wastegate.  Has 842 hrs SMOH.  Is the GB engine safe to operate with these modifications?

[KSMooniac]

Mike's comments are spot-on, and I can only ad that if/when you decide to sell a plane with damage history, the pool of potential buyers is smaller.  Of course you bought it on a discount, and you'll have to sell it on a discount as well.  The good news is that the stigma of damage history fades with time, and 10 years/hundreds of hours of post-damage use is a good vote of confidence.  I'd be more concerned with corrosion vs. correctly-repaired damage.

 

The 252 is great, and will have the 2+2 seat configuration that is wonderful.  If you run out of useful load, you can do an Encore conversion for relatively modest money to get +10 HP and +230 lb gross weight.