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Looking for honest feed back on first pls e purchase


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2 hours ago, Diver721 said:

1963 Mooney M20C, Newport Beach CA - - Aerotrader.com
https://www.aerotrader.com/listing/1963-Mooney-M20C-5001639198/?zmc=leadReceipts-adDetail

 

 

This is the other that has really caught my eye

Looks nice, I wouldn't put much stock in his speed claims. I'm sure he's talking mph but even at that I don't believe he's going 175 mph TAS. 

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44 minutes ago, David Herman said:

152 (knots) x 1.15 = 174.8 (mph) ... it’s possible if it is rigged perfectly ... which he claims ... and it does have a cowl mod, wing flap hinge covers (I’m guessing?) and gap seals ... possible ... but ... 

Possible... Not probable judging from his flight to Vegas a couple weeks ago. Looks like a headwind one way and tailwind a couple days later where he touched 151 knots GS. 

If we're using tailwinds I'm going to advertise my plane using numbers from my flight home from AZ a couple weeks ago, saw GS over 160 knots. :D

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2 hours ago, carusoam said:

Buying something from the West Coast is a challenge in itself, from the East Coast...  :)

How much extra free time and extra free dough do you have?

Both get used up pretty quick, just by adding distance.

Best regards,

-a-

Bought mine 63c from Idaho and flew it back to Lancaster pa. I took a chance and brought a mechanic with me close the deal and fly away within 3 hr.

Edited by CDO
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Can you post the spec sheet here? That will allow for a more accurate assessment.

If there's no autopilot, I'd keep looking. Although $45K for an airworthy E with a mid time engine would be a good price. I'm not saying this on is... we don't have enough info.

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CDO,

How much free dough or free time did you need?

I got stuck overnight bringing my plane home. (Commercial plane overan the runway end...closed the only runway) Took an extra day and two hotel rooms that I didn’t have in the original plan.

i used a trip to go see the plane before committing to a PPI.

I used a couple of days doing transition training.  Lots of time and money that could be saved if the plane were closer to home....

 

When I bought my C, it was already at my home drome. Getting it inspected required flying to the mechanic at the neighboring airport.

It didn’t stick a valve for a few more hours...  :)

 

There are a couple of ways to get the job done.  One costs more, the other has higher risk...

If I bought my C on the west coast, and flew a few hours towards home. Then got the same stuck valve somewhere in between.... that would have required a ton of time and a ton of dough...

See what I mean?

Why did you bring a mechanic?  With a stuck valve on climb out, I had a CFI on board.  Great for getting back to the airport or deciding to land straight ahead.  I didn’t need the mechanic for a few more minutes.... :)

Best regards,

-a-

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Brought the mechanic to do PPI :) . It was the first time we see the plane in person too :)

Lucky me, things worked out well. No mechanical issuses so far( knock on the wood). We stopped and rest in Red Oak IA made it home late afternoon next day. 

Before that I sent a different C model to PPI too but  just after about 2 hr into it my mechanic didnt want to look at anymore. And this C model  just got the annual done by MSC too.

Edited by CDO
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16 hours ago, Diver721 said:

My main mission will be weekend trips from upstate Ny to Va and Nc. I will also be getting my IFR rating and have been holding out to learn in the plane i purchase. This price is mid range of where i wanted to be.

My advice with spending your money:. Get one that already has an autopilot and certified GPS. They cost a ton but can be bought already installed for 30% of the original owner's cost. It makes long cross country flights easier. Make sure it's on a good frame. All the avionics in the world can't save a corroded plane. Check tanks for leaks.  Bladders and reseals are options but cost $$. BTW, I have a '65. It's a great plane for me and the wife, but rear space is limited. 

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That and whether the aircraft will retain its utility for any length of time is questionable.  Were it me, Mrs. Steingar and our spawn a short bodied Mooney would b a permanent aircraft, we're dwarfs and fit just fine.  If the OP is a more normal sized American that may not be the case.

I feel pretty differently from most.  Unfortunately, you get what you pay for.  You may find an E with updated avionics and a good autopilot in good shape, but it won't be for sale very long.  I might ask for 5K off for the recent damage, but if that's the money to spend I think its actually a good example.  You can get good, fast and cheap, just can't get all three.

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1 hour ago, rbridges said:

My advice with spending your money:. Get one that already has an autopilot and certified GPS. They cost a ton but can be bought already installed for 30% of the original owner's cost. It makes long cross country flights easier. Make sure it's on a good frame. All the avionics in the world can't save a corroded plane. Check tanks for leaks.  Bladders and reseals are options but cost $$. BTW, I have a '65. It's a great plane for me and the wife, but rear space is limited. 

I have a 65 as well and while the space is limited it is usable. @Bob_Belville posts a pic every now and then of four adults in his "E". My wife and I are both 5' 10" and we made a trip from Salt Lake home to Southern CA last summer with my 13yo (average size) and her 17 yo 5' 8" in the back seat. They didn't complain at all, I did have to go with only 40 gallons of fuel after you added bodies and bags to the plane, but a short fuel stop in St George for everyone to stretch their legs was appreciated.

Grainy picture, not enough light taking off just before sunrise.

IMAG0828.thumb.jpg.65c77d89900c7922faf92e248becce1b.jpg

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17 hours ago, cliffy said:

Corrosion is always the issue. Many here have been caught by its insidious nature. 

My rule for buying airplanes- NEVER BUY THE FIRST ONE YOU LOOK AT NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT LOOKS, you don't know enough yet.

My ex resembled those remarks...

(sorry)

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4 hours ago, Diver721 said:

It's a challenge for sure. Seems like there are a lot of planes out there that fit one area well but lack in others. I don' mind upping the budget for a better plane. I may just sit back and keep looking.

If you can afford more then go for it.  I would have lept at that E myself, there weren't many in my price range, and those that were didn't look like that.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Lots of pilots on Mooneyspace will tell you an autopilot is really important.  I'm not one of them.  Remember, most classics come with the PC.

I like to fly my plane and already fly way too many autopilot hours at work.

The other factor is that I'm speculating better/cheaper autopilots are on the way over from the experimental world that are going to be easier to maintain than the STEC's, etc. of yesteryear.

Buy a sound, corrosion free airframe with adequate avionics (WAAS GPS and ADS-B).  Enjoy flying your plane.

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