'79 231

[KLRDMD]

A guy I know has a Mooney 231 that's he's selling to move up to a Rocket. I helped him find this airplane and did his transition training into it and a flight review or two since then so I personally have a fair amount of time in it. He says it is the lowest priced 231 on the market today. The biggest drawback is that it has 1485 SMOH but it should still have a few years left for the average flyer.  I'll send you the spec sheet and link to high resolution photos if you ask for them in E-Mail:

klrdmd@gmail.com

[N201MKTurbo]

2 minutes ago, KLRDMD said:

A guy I know has a Mooney 231 that's he's selling to move up to a Rocket. I helped him find this airplane and did his transition training into it and a flight review or two since then so I personally have a fair amount of time in it. He says it is the lowest priced 231 on the market today. The biggest drawback is that it has 1485 SMOH but it should still have a few years left for the average flyer.  I'll send you the spec sheet and link to high resolution photos if you ask for them in E-Mail:

klrdmd@gmail.com

And he got a screaming deal on the JV!

[KLRDMD]

15 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

And he got a screaming deal on the JV!

I think it is fair.

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, KLRDMD said:

I think it is fair.

I suppose, but that's a lot of plane for that money. That engine will run forever.

[KLRDMD]

4 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I suppose, but that's a lot of plane for that money. That engine will run forever.

Maybe, but the multiple episodes of damage on the Rocket in a fairly short time diminishes the value a fair amount.

[N201MKTurbo]

58 minutes ago, KLRDMD said:

Maybe, but the multiple episodes of damage on the Rocket in a fairly short time diminishes the value a fair amount.

I realize that, but aside from that, it is still a lot of plane for the money. I know the buyer and seller are happy with the deal. All the damage was caused by pilot error and had nothing to do with the plane and all damaged parts were either replaced or expertly repaired.

Great paint, new interior, for all intents and purposes a new engine and prop, new panel, updated avionics. I have about 20 hours in that plane including a trip to Denver one morning. It is a great 2 seat airplane.

[KLRDMD]

He put it on T-A-P today.

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?listing_id=2357467

[TCC]

Wow.

[Cody Stallings]

On 4/15/2019 at 3:19 PM, N201MKTurbo said:

I realize that, but aside from that, it is still a lot of plane for the money. I know the buyer and seller are happy with the deal. All the damage was caused by pilot error and had nothing to do with the plane and all damaged parts were either replaced or expertly repaired.

Great paint, new interior, for all intents and purposes a new engine and prop, new panel, updated avionics. I have about 20 hours in that plane including a trip to Denver one morning. It is a great 2 seat airplane.

HAHA!!!!

Great two seat airplane!!...lol.

Yes the Right seat is for the Pilots Cell Phone an 1 paper chart!!

[Dan208]

On 4/16/2019 at 5:03 PM, KLRDMD said:

He put it on T-A-P today.

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?listing_id=2357467

That is an awesome airplane.  I really love the K model . I just need to get my CPA to stop telling me we will be looking for an E model. I think i need to hire about 3 more employees and get moving.  This website is great for motivating me .

[Dan208]

On 4/16/2019 at 5:03 PM, KLRDMD said:

 

 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Dan208

[bradp]

Why would you sell a 231 with a UAT on preorder.  Just let the new owner decide whether he wants to take her above Fl180...?

[KLRDMD]

2 hours ago, bradp said:

Why would you sell a 231 with a UAT on preorder.  Just let the new owner decide whether he wants to take her above Fl180...?

He was planning to keep the airplane but then this Rocket popped up for sale.

[Chopper Dog]

Here's my story...

OK, so being a Mooney newbie (ie I am not very knowledgeable about Mooney's) this looks like a pretty good deal. I was thinking an F model but this is a newer air frame for not a whole lot more  AMU's. Seems like you get a faster ride than an F and if fuel consumption is an issue the you throttle back and get the reduced fuel burn..

The engine has 1485 hrs and from the research I have done TBO is 1800. Overhaul should be ~40K give or take.

Pros newer air frame, faster plane.

Cons Useful load looks smaller than F model (fuel tanks are larger?), somewhat more expensive and will need an overhaul in ~3 years.

Can I get some thoughts from the more experienced members? Is the maintenance for a K going to be substantially more than an F? What else should I be thinking about?

Thx,

ChopperDog

[KLRDMD]

6 minutes ago, Chopper Dog said:

OK, so being a Mooney newbie (ie I am not very knowledgeable about Mooney's) this looks like a pretty good deal. I was thinking an F model but this is a newer air frame for not a whole lot more  AMU's. Seems like you get a faster ride than an F and if fuel consumption is an issue the you throttle back and get the reduced fuel burn.. The engine has 1485 hrs and from the research I have done TBO is 1800. Overhaul should be ~40K give or take. Pros newer air frame, faster plane. Cons Useful load looks smaller than F model (fuel tanks are larger?), somewhat more expensive and will need an overhaul in ~3 years. Can I get some thoughts from the more experienced members? Is the maintenance for a K going to be substantially more than an F? What else should I be thinking about?

As I wrote, I personally know and have flown this airplane. Someone from MS contacted me about it and here is a slightly edited version of what I told him.

----------------------------------------------------------

I think it its a good solid airplane. The engine time is high and will need an overhaul at some point. That may be two years or it may be five or more years. Some of that is luck and some how you run it. My shop uses Jewell for overhauls and has only received great overhauls from them for a number of years.

http://www.jewellaviation.com/pdf/Price-Sheet-2019-Engines.pdf

Figure $27.5k for the overhaul including removal, shipping and reinstallation. Add in overhauling accessories as needed ($5k). You can probably get by with $32.5k. I don’t recall the prop time but I’m sure it is in the logs. I always fly LOP in cruise and in my previous 231 I got +/- 155 KTAS at 9.0 GPH. At 10,000 ft.

This airplane just got out of annual. The 430 is not WAAS but it has decent avionics including engine monitoring. This does have the Merlyn waste gate so it helps with engine management a bit (and of course it has intercoolers and GAMIs). The photos make the airplane look better than it does. His assessment of 7 exterior and 5 interior are correct.

[Mike A]

On 4/18/2019 at 8:05 AM, bradp said:

Why would you sell a 231 with a UAT on preorder.  Just let the new owner decide whether he wants to take her above Fl180...?

Per another thread, I’m pretty sure that the UAvionix TailBeacon can’t be used on the plane since it has no strobe and the 231 has enclosed wing strobes therefore requiring a tail strobe.

 

May want to tell the seller to research and cancel the order. 

[carusoam]

CD,

If you are not familiar with KLR and his machine buying skills....

He is an experienced MSer with a couple of dozen plane purchases under his belt...

and... not in the business of buying and selling planes.  

His last Mooney was a K(?)... probably a 252? 

I tried valiantly to send him to try a Long Body on for size...

He had to try on a few other things before getting back to an Acclaim...  (one of these days)

Best regards,

-a-

 

[KLRDMD]

1 hour ago, carusoam said:

If you are not familiar with KLR and his machine buying skills.... He is an experienced MSer with a couple of dozen plane purchases under his belt...and... not in the business of buying and selling planes.   His last Mooney was a K(?)... probably a 252?  I tried valiantly to send him to try a Long Body on for size... He had to try on a few other things before getting back to an Acclaim...  (one of these days)

I'm on my 16th airplane. My last Mooney was a 231, one of the last of the 231s made. A good friend really wanted it so I sold it to him. He loves it, and why not, it is a fantastic airplane. My second Mooney (of four) was a known ice Bravo so I have done the long body thing. I'm currently in a S35 Bonanza and I gotta say it is one of the best GA airplanes ever made.  It surprised me how good it is. Not quite as efficient as a Mooney, I admit but I need greater useful load than any Mooney could provide for the money I have in the Bonanza. I have plans to put A/C in the Bonanza next month and have it painted this summer so this may be one that sticks around a while, who knows ???