best method for finding the right mooney

[bmcconnaha]

hi all.  I am looking for an M20j or K.  ive been through TAP, controller, barnstormers etc... I have owned three planes so far.  two ( a Cherokee 180 and a 182) kind of just fell into my lap.  weren't really advertised anywhere.  The third, a cirrus sr22TN i purchased from a broker.  has anyone ever sent letters to the local and kind of local owners of aircraft they were interested in?  not sure how people would respond to getting a letter asking if their aircraft would be for sale for the right price? 

[toto]

Not directly answering your question, but many on this board recommend contacting Jimmy Garrison at All American Aircraft for this sort of thing.

https://www.allamericanaircraft.com/

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I immediately trash solicitations that come in the mail from people wanting to buy aircraft.

[ZuluZulu]

7 minutes ago, bmcconnaha said:

hi all.  I am looking for an M20j or K.  ive been through TAP, controller, barnstormers etc... I have owned three planes so far.  two ( a Cherokee 180 and a 182) kind of just fell into my lap.  weren't really advertised anywhere.  The third, a cirrus sr22TN i purchased from a broker.  has anyone ever sent letters to the local and kind of local owners of aircraft they were interested in?  not sure how people would respond to getting a letter asking if their aircraft would be for sale for the right price? 

I know of several people who have found great deals buying airplanes via letter.  For every @toto who might trash them, there are others who may respond favorably.  It doesn’t cost you much to give it a try.

You also might want to contact @jgarrison directly by calling his office and asking to get put on the email list for upcoming J listings.  Sometimes planes don’t even make it onto Controller because of those emails.  He just sent an update over the weekend with some nice sounding J models inbound, including a 1993 MSE, 1989 SE with TKS, and a 1982 M20J with new paint, JPI EDM-930, and GTN 650.

[bmcconnaha]

5 minutes ago, toto said:

Not directly answering your question, but many on this board recommend contacting Jimmy Garrison at All American Aircraft for this sort of thing.

https://www.allamericanaircraft.com/

I'm not sure about everyone else, but I immediately trash solicitations that come in the mail from people wanting to buy aircraft.

i do too, i must have had fifty of them on my SR22.  this would be more of a personalized letter.  but i get that, i ve never responded to one.  im on Jimmys email list... he has one coming in i am interested in.  waiting on some photos.

[bmcconnaha]

Just now, ZuluZulu said:

I know of several people who have found great deals buying airplanes via letter.  For every @toto who might trash them, there are others who may respond favorably.  It doesn’t cost you much to give it a try.

You also might want to contact @jgarrison directly by calling his office and asking to get put on the email list for upcoming J listings.  Sometimes planes don’t even make it onto Controller because of those emails.  He just sent an update over the weekend with some nice sounding J models inbound, including a 1993 MSE, 1989 SE with TKS, and a 1982 M20J with new paint, JPI EDM-930, and GTN 650.

ill have to look back at the 82, i missed that one i think... i really like the one coming with 1900 hours, but being close enough to TBO, by the time i put an engine in it ill be into it 252 money. 

 

[toto]

Just now, bmcconnaha said:

i do too, i must have had fifty of them on my SR22.  this would be more of a personalized letter.  but i get that, i ve never responded to one.  im on Jimmys email list... he has one coming in i am interested in.  waiting on some photos.

TBH, I've never gotten a personalized letter.  I have only ever seen generic postcards, and I always have the impression that they're from wholesalers.

[ZuluZulu]

5 minutes ago, bmcconnaha said:

ill have to look back at the 82, i missed that one i think... i really like the one coming with 1900 hours, but being close enough to TBO, by the time i put an engine in it ill be into it 252 money.

It’s an MSE, which are going to be priced accordingly.  If you’ve already decided you’re comfortable spending MSE money, the asking price listed in the email is definitely low enough to accommodate a new engine.

[bmcconnaha]

3 minutes ago, ZuluZulu said:

It’s an MSE, which are going to be priced accordingly.  If you’ve already decided you’re comfortable spending MSE money, the asking price listed in the email is definitely low enough to accommodate a new engine.

no doubt... just an internal battle in my head... would i rather have a little older 252, or a newer J for the same money

[ArtVandelay]

If you need to fly above 12K fairly often, get the K, otherwise get the J.

[bmcconnaha]

Just now, ArtVandelay said:

If you need to fly above 12K fairly often, get the K, otherwise get the J.

my trips frequently include an airport that is 5500 MSL, so the power of the turbo would be great getting out.  but, lets be honest.  i flew our clubs 172XP there last week and it was just fine. sooo, do i NEED the turbo, no.  but it would be nice.  honestly 80-90 percent of my flying is 10500 or lower.  when i had the cirrus ( it was turbo normalized) i usually flew a little higher just because i could, and the speeds were faster up higher. 

[carusoam]

The only thing going in my mailbox is bills and junk mail...

unlikely anything of value is going to be recognized this way...

How would anyone make a letter...

• interesting enough to read?
• not raise anger?
• not raise suspicion?

Every week some piece of mail comes in... we buy houses... quick cash...

Doesn’t sound like a successful business model...

Might work once...

There is a Mooney sales organization in FL that has a monthly (or so) mailing that works in two ways... this is what we have for sale today... and if you want us to buy or sell your aircraft....

I don’t think anyone is going to make a decision based on a single piece of mail coming in...

If I got a few pieces of mail.... saying my plane was worth a lot more today than it was yesterday....
 

It may sound interesting for about three seconds, before It would sound like a scam...

 

If you like mail... you will probably like printed Mags too... go find MAPA... and the mailing list...

Best regards,

-a-
 

 

 

[carusoam]

Turbos are good for a few things...

• T/O at high DA airports.
• Climbing over tall things.
• Cruise speeds in the FLs.

If you like the Hawk XP... find any Mooney with an IO360...  E,F,J....
 

Then on the sliding scale of what I like....

You can always add a TN to an IO360.... Or another pair of cylinders...lO550.

buy it pre-assembled... don’t expect to add it later...

 

Realistically... the best way to find the right Mooney...

• Share your mission statement
• Show your budget
• Give your experience
• Use open honesty... with yourself.

Sounds like you don’t know what you want yet... can’t find the right plane if you don’t know what it is...

Best regards,

-a-

[ArtVandelay]

I know a guy who was offered a price on the spot...and took it.

[carusoam]

Just now, ArtVandelay said:

I know a guy who was offered a price on the spot...and took it.

His name was Jimmy...

I was the buyer.

-a-

[bmcconnaha]

14 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Turbos are good for a few things...

• T/O at high DA airports.
• Climbing over tall things.
• Cruise speeds in the FLs.

If you like the Hawk XP... find any Mooney with an IO360...  E,F,J....
 

Then on the sliding scale of what I like....

You can always add a TN to an IO360.... Or another pair of cylinders...lO550.

buy it pre-assembled... don’t expect to add it later...

 

Realistically... the best way to find the right Mooney...

• Share your mission statement
• Show your budget
• Give your experience
• Use open honesty... with yourself.

Sounds like you don’t know what you want yet... can’t find the right plane if you don’t know what it is...

Best regards,

-a-

i dont meant the right model mooney.  i have that narrowed down.  I have owned a Cherokee 180, a cessna 182 with a 285hp texas skyway O520 and a 07 cirrus sr22 TN.  AS for the Hawk XP, its a decent bird.  i dont own it, just in a 5 person club that owns it.  Ill exit the club once i purchase a mooney.  when i say "right mooney" i mean right as in overall condition, avionics, low total time etc.  i am a J or a K buyer most likey.  the insurance doesnt love me on an ovation (my top choice if money, insurance etc werent a thing, LOL). I am 525TT, minimal retract time and no instrument rating yet ( hope to finish that soon)  I believe the J to be the right plane for overall reliability, MX, hourly cost to operate etc.  i did like my time with turbo charged airplanes tho, and if a 231/252 that was everything i wanted showed up, id go for it as well.  

[carusoam]

Get focussed my friend...

Right Mooney can be interpreted in several different ways...

There are thousands of MSers with the right Mooney...  no two MSers are alike...

What is right to you may be vastly different than what is right to the next guy...

Some people really believe the right Mooney has many thousand hours on the airframe...

Some really desire an engine that is fully run out...

 

Wait... there’s more....

Right to you today... will probably change a year from now... or ten minutes from now...

 

If you don’t want to type in great detail... you will have difficulty deriving data from the conversation...

There are several threads always going on about the best Mooney for somebody to buy...

The search function will probably be a way to take a short cut...

 

Still going...

Most K owners prefer the K...

Most J owners prefer the J...

I was a C owner.... from there, I could see the forest beyond the first line of trees...

I prefer the NA flying for the type of flights I do... E, F, G, J, K....U, V... all had more things to consider...

Without being able to see the forest... it is incredibly hard to make decisions about what is right...

So...

• go as new as possible
• go as few hours as possible
• go with a new engine.... that has been broken in properly
• go with a PPI... wallet protection, as good as it gets...
• go with a modern panel... with WAAS capability
• go with as affordable as possible...
• No prize is awarded for owning an expensive plane that costs too much to operate...

Keep both eyes open... it costs just as much to operate an Ovation as it does an M20C... from a fixed cost point of view...

If you want to discuss insurance... we have Parker around here somewhere...

Best regards,

-a-

[carusoam]

1 hour ago, bmcconnaha said:

i dont meant the right model mooney. 

i have that narrowed down.

 I have owned a Cherokee 180, a cessna 182 with a 285hp texas skyway O520 and a 07 cirrus sr22 TN. 

AS for the Hawk XP, its a decent bird. 

i dont own it, just in a 5 person club that owns it.  Ill exit the club once i purchase a mooney. 
 

when i say "right mooney"

i mean right as in overall condition, avionics, low total time etc. 

i am a J or a K buyer most likey. 

the insurance doesnt love me on an ovation (my top choice if money, insurance etc werent a thing, LOL).

I am 525TT, minimal retract time and no instrument rating yet ( hope to finish that soon) 

I believe the J to be the right plane for overall reliability, MX, hourly cost to operate etc. 

i did like my time with turbo charged airplanes tho,

if a 231/252 that was everything i wanted showed up, id go for it as well.  

 

1) You have ownership experience...

2) You have flown both J and K...

3) You like the economics of the J...

4) You liked the capability of the K...

5) You want to know some steps to buy a solid plane...

6) You Want to know the best steps to avoid buying something that doesn't meet expectations...

7) Buy from a known source.

8) Get a decent PPI.

9) Are you mechanically inclined?

10) Are you a hands on person?

11) You don’t have an open check book to have somebody else do the work for you?

12) Getting experience in type counts... it takes a year to get your insurance costs down... it helps to have the IR and additional training...

Does this summarize all the lines above?

If yes... do you prefer Speed over efficiency?

Go Mooney!

Best regards,

-a-

[bmcconnaha]

19 minutes ago, carusoam said:

1) You have ownership experience...

2) You have flown both J and K...

3) You like the economics of the J...

4) You liked the capability of the K...

5) You want to know some steps to buy a solid plane...

6) You Want to know the best steps to avoid buying something that doesn't meet expectations...

7) Buy from a known source.

8) Get a decent PPI.

9) Are you mechanically inclined?

10) Are you a hands on person?

11) You don’t have an open check book to have somebody else do the work for you?

12) Getting experience in type counts... it takes a year to get your insurance costs down... it helps to have the IR and additional training...

Does this summarize all the lines above?

If yes... do you prefer Speed over efficiency?

Go Mooney!

Best regards,

-a-

Pretty darn accurate on all counts.

i plan to get a PPI for sure.

i do assist my mechanic with annuals.... there is a reason im after a one piece belly, lol.

i have been in a k (252) and an eagle.  never a J.  its hard to find people wanting to fly with relative strangers during these strange times unfortunately

[Oldguy]

15 hours ago, bmcconnaha said:

Pretty darn accurate on all counts.

i plan to get a PPI for sure.

i do assist my mechanic with annuals.... there is a reason im after a one piece belly, lol.

i have been in a k (252) and an eagle.  never a J.  its hard to find people wanting to fly with relative strangers during these strange times unfortunately

Throw in your location and ask if someone is close and would allow you to ride with them. You may be surprised. We love to fly our birds and tempt others to join us.

[bmcconnaha]

1 minute ago, Oldguy said:

Throw in your location and ask if someone is close and would allow you to ride with them. You may be surprised. We love to fly our birds and tempt others to join us.

coeur d alene, ID... id go anywhere in the pacific northwest! thank you.

[Mufflerbearing]

Brian,

When you focus on your mission and know what you will use the plane for, you will have a better understanding on what plane will fit your need.  I had an excellent time when we flew the Eagle and it fits my mission perfectly.  Long distance commuting quickly.  However, if I wanted to do some back country that is so popular here, I would get a second plane for that mission.  I have noticed that you do all kinds of flying which allows for all kinds of planes.  Take your time, figure out what you want to do and then find the perfect plane for that next kind of flying you want to do.  When you figure this part out, then the plane you want will be waiting for you.  Somewhere.  You will find it.

[bmcconnaha]

4 hours ago, Mufflerbearing said:

Brian,

When you focus on your mission and know what you will use the plane for, you will have a better understanding on what plane will fit your need.  I had an excellent time when we flew the Eagle and it fits my mission perfectly.  Long distance commuting quickly.  However, if I wanted to do some back country that is so popular here, I would get a second plane for that mission.  I have noticed that you do all kinds of flying which allows for all kinds of planes.  Take your time, figure out what you want to do and then find the perfect plane for that next kind of flying you want to do.  When you figure this part out, then the plane you want will be waiting for you.  Somewhere.  You will find it.

i was actually just going to text you and catch up.  I think the J will work just fine for now.  trying to find "the one" at the moment