auto equivalents

[DanM20C]

On 10/19/2018 at 10:39 PM, DonMuncy said:

You really know how to hurt a guy  

Sorry Don,  that didn't quite come out right.

My dad passed away fairly young, he would only be 75 now.  I always thought he lived though the best time in history in terms of cars.  Before he graduated high school he had owned several MG's (TD and MGA Twin Cam) and a Austin Healy 100-6.  By the time I hit HS there wasn't much to pick from with my funds.  A Triumph Spitfire was the best I could do, it was a rusty piece of junk.

Cheers,

Dan

[Jeev]

On 10/18/2018 at 8:35 PM, Mooney-Mark said:

I would compare my 68 M20C to a Porsche or BMW. Sexy, fast, sporty but a little cramped in the rear seats. My BMW costs about the same amount to maintain as my Mooney!

Thats either really good for the Mooney or really bad for the BWM 

[Mooney-Mark]

Really bad for the BMW! Was always in the shop with $2,000-$3,000 repair bills! Fun car but felt like I was maintaining another airplane. Finally got rid of the BMW....

[M016576]

Hmm.  I think the comparison all depends on your frame of reference... are we just talking piston GA vs all of auto?  Or are we comparing all of aviation with all of auto?

Light twins have been mentionEd, but no VLJ’s or turbo props....

hard to say a Mooney is a Lamborghini, or even a Porsche, if we’re including turbo props in the comparison (check out @Yooper Rocketman ‘s if you dont’t believe me!)

my previous work jet went Mach 2.5... but only seated 1 pilot.  My current one only goes Mach 1.7...So those would be F-1 /NASCAR / Indy cars.

airliners?  Buses.

Light twins?  Micro buses / old SUV’ss

business twins/turbo props- modern SUV’s

So that leaves us with piston singles...

my mooney physically (and legally W&B wise) carries everything (standard trip luggage wise... is not bricks) I can fit in the back of my ‘14 Dodge Durango, along with me, my wife and two kids (6&8yrs old) and about 60-70 gallons of fuel. It’s cramped on the inside, but it can fit all that stuff legally.

it goes a comfortable speed for an airplane, although it’s at the upper end for a piston single. It has a nice set of features, GPS, Bluetooth music.  Leather interior.

So, given all that... I’d say the best overall comparison between a Mooney and a car, when considering the entire spectrum of aviation is probably a BMW X3 very light SUV.  Not the fastest cars out there, but good handling, can carry a bunch of stuff if need be- but will be a bit cramped. Can’t really put more than three adults in there for any extended period of time and be comfy.  A decent traveler in all conditions, too- ice, snow, rain, sun.  

Now, if we’re just using piston singles as our comps- I’d say a BMW M4 sedan- for all the same reasons as above- except now we’re a four seat *trackable* car that can match just about anything out there in speed and handling on the track while still giving you a convenient daily driver capability (with four seats). I’d still reserve the likes of a Super car for highly modified experimentals, though: super fast... maybe not the best daily driver, but fun to take out when the day is right!

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by M016576

[Yooper Rocketman]

On 10/19/2018 at 7:38 PM, gsxrpilot said:

I'm in the camp that likes to compare Mooneys to Porsches. An older air cooled, Porsche also has that really tight steering which is a lot like the heavy controls of my Mooney. 

I've always thought the Bonanza's like the F33A were more like American muscle cars. They're also fast, but big, heavy, and to hell with the gas milage.

A Cherokee 6 or Lance is the Suburban. And the Cessna Cardinal with the massive doors is like a Chrysler Minivan.

So, Paul, what do you compare this one to???  

Tom

[gsxrpilot]

14 minutes ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

So, Paul, what do you compare this one to???  

Tom

A McLaren. It does exist, but you've most likely only seen one in pictures. Anyone can drive one, but only if you have connections. And even if you are very careful, it can get away from you in a split second and destroy itself. But in the hands of a true professional, nothing performs, drives, flies, quite like it.

Oh... and it's almost impossible to insure... just like a McLaren.