I'm ready to buy...

[Bob_Belville]

10 minutes ago, ragedracer1977 said:

So, here's where we're at on a C I'm interested in. I have the logs at Savvy being looked at.  SMOH 1300 +/- hours, but 340 since bottom OH (logs show an incorrect bearing or something was used and basically the entire bottom half, including case was replaced.  New cylinders 40 hours ago.  Plane looks in very nice shape.  Leather interior.  Looks like all the 201 speed mods.  

And here's where we're at an impasse.  At least in my mind.  I told him I like to come out and look at it (I'll fly commercial).  If it's GTG, I'll put down a deposit and sign a contract contingent on a pre-buy.  Plane is in NORCAL, close to both Top Gun and LASAR.  I told him I would pay for the expenses of getting it to one of those places for a pre-buy.  He said "I won't fly the plane there.  Maybe my CFI would.  You should just have your mechanic come to me."

This being my first experience, I'm not sure what to take of that.  I understand it can be a PITA, the plane was annualled 6 months ago before he bought it.  He's not against a pre-buy at all, just not interested in taking it somewhere.  

Where to go from here?  Any good Mooney mechanics that travel for this kind of thing?  Any one you guys would recommend?  Is even doing that a bad idea? I'm not emotionally attached, but for the price I think I can get it for, with the avionics and mods, it seems a good value.  

If it were near Maxwell I'm sure he'd go get it. He ferries Mooneys all the time. Likewise AGL here in NC could arrange for a ferry pilot to fetch the plane to the shop. I think you should discuss with LASAR and/or Top Gun about their suggestions and capabilities re getting planes or working away from their shops.

[prflyer]

12 minutes ago, ragedracer1977 said:

So, here's where we're at on a C I'm interested in. I have the logs at Savvy being looked at.  SMOH 1300 +/- hours, but 340 since bottom OH (logs show an incorrect bearing or something was used and basically the entire bottom half, including case was replaced.  New cylinders 40 hours ago.  Plane looks in very nice shape.  Leather interior.  Looks like all the 201 speed mods.  

And here's where we're at an impasse.  At least in my mind.  I told him I like to come out and look at it (I'll fly commercial).  If it's GTG, I'll put down a deposit and sign a contract contingent on a pre-buy.  Plane is in NORCAL, close to both Top Gun and LASAR.  I told him I would pay for the expenses of getting it to one of those places for a pre-buy.  He said "I won't fly the plane there.  Maybe my CFI would.  You should just have your mechanic come to me."

This being my first experience, I'm not sure what to take of that.  I understand it can be a PITA, the plane was annualled 6 months ago before he bought it.  He's not against a pre-buy at all, just not interested in taking it somewhere.  

Where to go from here?  Any good Mooney mechanics that travel for this kind of thing?  Any one you guys would recommend?  Is even doing that a bad idea? I'm not emotionally attached, but for the price I think I can get it for, with the avionics and mods, it seems a good value.  

This is a red flag for me. Did he explain why he would not fly it there, but allegedly would let his CFI do it?  Mooneys are travelling machines. If you are paying for gas, I see no reason not to bring it to Top Gun or Lasar for the prebuy.  Try to talk to him some more to get a better feel for the reason he does not want to fly it there. If he is not comforable flying the airplane for some reason, I would consider paying a CFI to ferry it there.   However, If the reason does not make sense, I would pass. I want an expert to do the prebuy.

By the way, this airplane does look very nice from the pictures online.  Good luck.

[ragedracer1977]

It might be a time or other issue.  He doesn't seem averse to the concept of getting it there, just doesn't seem to want to - or isn't capable - of doing it himself.  

Edited May 12, 2017 by ragedracer1977

[prflyer]

Just now, ragedracer1977 said:

It might be a time or other issue.  He doesn't seem averse to doing it, just doesn't seem to want to - or isn't capable - of doing it himself.  

Then I would follow Bob's suggestion and see if TopGun or LASAR can send someone to pick it up and bring it to their shop. It's more expensive for you, but worth it.

[gsxrpilot]

Same situation with my C. Owner said he couldn't get it to Maxwell. Don was happy to send someone to go get it.

As others have said, check with both Top Gun and LASAR about sending someone to go get the plane.

[ragedracer1977]

The owner looks like he's turning my way.  He knows I'm not a tire kicker.  I'm flying out to look at it next Saturday.

[gsxrpilot]

We wanna see pictures.

[ragedracer1977]

I can't get my photobucket to work.  I have some more photos on my phone, but this should do for now.

[gsxrpilot]

Be sure to get us some good pictures when you see the plane next weekend.

[carusoam]

That is an incredibly updated plane...

-speed brakes

-wing tips

-cowl closure

-instrument panel

-interior

If you are committed to buying it, work out a purchasing agreement with the owner.

getting it to the PPI is part of the PPI.  MSCs know how to get Mooneys to and from the shop.

The cost are yours as the buyer.

Follow good practices of buying expensive things...

Don't over negotiate to lose the plane...

Don't take for granted all is well...

Make sure the plane is insured during the entire process...

Best regards,

-a-

Edited May 13, 2017 by carusoam

[MBDiagMan]

Great pictures!

Sorry to show my ignorance, but what is the red thing sticking up on the wing?

BTW, yes I was talking about THAT Terry Bradshaw being a cutting horse guy.

[Godfather]

17 minutes ago, MBDiagMan said:

Great pictures!

Sorry to show my ignorance, but what is the red thing sticking up on the wing?

BTW, yes I was talking about THAT Terry Bradshaw being a cutting horse guy.

Speed brakes

[Godfather]

4 hours ago, carusoam said:

If you are committed to buying it, work out a purchasing agreement with the owner.

getting it to the PPI is part of the PPI.  MSCs know how to get Mooneys to and from the shop.

This is good advice. After savy goes over the logs you might want to work out a tentative agreement so the plane does not slip away before you see it in person. 

[Hector]

201 wind screen too


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[peevee]

15 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

. Don was happy to send someone to go get it.

 

that's a good gig there.

[Saurus]

Nice airplane!  Looks like you did come across a nice one!

 

[ragedracer1977]

2 hours ago, Godfather said:

This is good advice. After savy goes over the logs you might want to work out a tentative agreement so the plane does not slip away before you see it in person. 

Already worked out.  I already have a flight booked for next Saturday to go see it in person and look it over. 

So, the next question is.. 

What exactly should I be looking for? There's the obvious stuff off course, such as exterior corrosion, hangar rash, etc etc, but what can I look for as just a regular guy that would make you walk away?

[rbridges]

2 hours ago, Godfather said:

Speed brakes

very nice to have but pricey.  It's always better when the previous owner paid for them.  You don't see them often on the short bodies.

[Hank]

3 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Oh, and examine those shoulder harnesses. They look really nice but I have never seen any like that in a Mooney before and am curious about how they attach. 

Do let us know how these work. See if you can find the supplier in the logs, too. I'm curious . . . . 

[Marauder]

It might be a time or other issue.  He doesn't seem averse to the concept of getting it there, just doesn't seem to want to - or isn't capable - of doing it himself.  

The way I read his response is that he couldn't fly it there. He might have lost his medical. Why is he selling? He suggested his CFI which is someone he trusts. Personally I wouldn't let any potential buyer fly my plane to a pre-buy. I wouldn't regardless of how many hours they had.


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[ragedracer1977]

1 hour ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Lovely example. There are threads here about what to look for.  Look for leaking tanks (make sure that they are full first),  dented nose trusses, corrosion in the main wheel wells on the spar and under the rear seat if you can get to it. Check the dates on the gear "donuts".  Flip all of the switches and make sure that all of the avionics work. Check the engine compartment for general tidiness and obvious oil or exhaust leaks. Check the oil. Check the prop blades for damage and for streaking from leaks. Is the prop subject to the AD that requires regular eddy current inspections?  Twist the front seat backs to see if they creak, in which case they are cracked. Eyeball down all of the leading and trailing edges for trueness. Check the belly panels for unrepaired gear up damage. While you are down there see if the belly panel screws all match and are uniform or if they are a hodgepodge of different fittings.  Just a little sign of detail-oriented owner.  All of the belly panels should be perfectly true and straight.  Verify that the cowl flaps work smoothly. If they don't that might also be a sign of unrepaired belly damage from a gear up.  If the paint is older look for inspection panels with screws that are still painted over.  This to me at least is a sign of poor maintenance. Check for SB208 compliance. Most importantly, does the airplane appear to have been hangared for most if not all of its life?  If so this is a great sign because you will have far fewer corrosion and restoration issues to deal with.  You can sometimes tell by the condition of the windows if they are old and also by excessive yellowing of the interior royalite.  Just a few thoughts that come to mind but by no means a complete list. Good luck!  She appears to be a real beauty that someone has cherished. 

Jim

Tanks were resealed by Weep no more less than 2 years ago, so I hope those are still good.  Dented nose truss?  Can you elaborate? The prop serial number ends in "B" and the model number is HC-C2YK-1BF, so that means that AD is eliminated, correct?

Overall, I am really excited about this plane.  I'm trying NOT to be, so I really want to make sure I don't mentally ignore a warning sign.  It has everything I could ever want, short of a true autopilot.  It just has the Mooney ARC.  Which, according to the owner, does still function fine.  

[rdshave]

I nearly bought that plane in 2007 when it lived at KFUL, Fullerton, CA. It had been well-maintained, had 600 hours SMOH, speed brakes, fresh paint and leather interior. The panel had not been updated yet, but the owner obviously appreciated what he had. However, he wanted $60k at the time, just before the financial plunge. Here's a pic of the plane in 2007 with my granddaughter. I believe the buyer lived in the San Diego area.

[gsxrpilot]

2 hours ago, ragedracer1977 said:

Dented nose truss?  Can you elaborate?

If you turn the front wheel using a tow bar gently but all the way to the stop, then feel where the tubing above the front wheel contacts the frame. If someone has towed it wrong and turned it too tight, there will be dents on the back sides of the tubing. You can feel it with your fingers. The only reason I say turn the front wheel is so you know where to feel for the dents.

[gsxrpilot]

Regarding a CFI for a checkout... the Dean of Mooney CFI's lives right there in the Bay Area and flies a Bravo. That mean's he's no more than about 30 Bravo minutes from where that plane is.  @donkaye does Mooney instruction full time. You might reach out to him and work something out.  You could even do just a couple of hours with Don in the NorCal area and then jump in with your own CFI for the flight home to Phoenix.  Or I have no doubt Don would be willing to fly it to Phoenix with you and provide instruction the whole way.

[ragedracer1977]

45 minutes ago, rdshave said:

I nearly bought that plane in 2007 when it lived at KFUL, Fullerton, CA. It had been well-maintained, had 600 hours SMOH, speed brakes, fresh paint and leather interior. The panel had not been updated yet, but the owner obviously appreciated what he had. However, he wanted $60k at the time, just before the financial plunge. Here's a pic of the plane in 2007 with my granddaughter. I believe the buyer lived in the San Diego area.

The current owner bought it out of San Diego!

Times show it's been flown pretty regularly, it has 1370 now

Edited May 13, 2017 by ragedracer1977