My FIRST Mooney...needing advice...

[Lowbid]

OK Mooney fans, after much looking and brooding over the past year and a half, I made a deal on this plane.

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/MOONEY-M20C/1963-MOONEY-M20C/1221939.htm?

In my opinion, it is the best equipped C model for the money that has popped up in some time.  I currently am a C-172 owner with 450 VFR hours in Wisconsin.

As we speak, the owner has it in for annual at Cole Aviation, Rome, GA.  I have yet to speak with Cole.  But here's my questions, if Cole Aviation gives me their honest, professional opinion on the plane, and everything is a go, do I still spend the $$$$ on a pre-buy?  If so, where do I go for a good pre-buy?  Also, I will need instruction in the Atlanta area, who would be a good Mooney intructor in the Atlanta area?

Thanks in advance...I am pumped to jump in it!

Also, if you know of anyone looking for a sweet 1966 172G...I've got one for sale.

[Cruiser]

I think you need a list of discrepancies found on the airplane. Many times an annual can be completed with lots of deferred issues.

What is your agreement with the owner concerning this? Usually it is airworthiness items are the owners expense all others the buyers. But each deal stands on it's own.

Regardless, you need a complete list of all know problems so you can make informed decisions.

[bnicolette]

Hi Lowbid,

Just have to say congratulations.............almost.  That looks like an exceptionally clean airplane.  I'm sure the more experienced Mooney folks will be giving you some feedback on this issue, but it has been discussed many many times here on this board.  Try doing some searches on prebuys and I'm sure you will find them.

I will say that I had my prebuy/annual done at the same shop that had been doing the annual for 23 years.  It was also a MSC and they were great to work with.  I have no regrets for doing it that way.  Even though I don't have any regrets, it probably wasn't the best way to go about it as the shop would have definitely been biased towards the seller since they had been maintaining the airplane for all those years.  It wouldn't look so good if they found a bunch of stuff wrong with the airplane.  I did spend a fair amount of time with the shop owner on the phone before the plane went in to get the "low down" on the airplane and its history and owner.  The shop owner told me that they had "carte blanche" with the airplane every year as the owner would drop the plane off and tell them to do what needed to be done.  Going back through the maintenance receipts to 1993 proved that was indeed true.  There were some years where the annual was approaching $8K but most were around 3 - 4.

Good luck!!

B~

[gregwatts]

If you trust Cole and his opinion....go with it. If you do not know Cole and have not done business with him, get a pre-buy. In theory, an annual is the best pre-buy you can get. That said.......another set of eyes to look at Mooney specific items can be invaluable.

You might consider having an instructor from your area with Mooney knowledge go with you and fly back with you to Wisc.

While the plane is open for annual. that would be the time to have your hired gun take a look. You can hire a third party to go and look at a few things for you.

Good Luck!

[Ned Gravel]

Lowbid:

The others have said it here in your terms. 

Now consider Cole's terms.  A pre-buy is also an examination of the work that has been done on the aircraft by others.  Cannot get around that.  Your pre-buy mechanic will find things. 

You are asking Cole to audit his own work.

Best for you (and for Cole) to have someone you pay to do some sort of inspection (however that may be done) on your behalf.

[jetdriven]

I am with Ned, find another shop to inspect the airplane, preferably the one that will be maintaining it for you.

[Lowbid]

An update on my (almost) Mooney purchase.

As I said, the plane is in Rome, GA at Cole Aviation, having an Annual performed.  I decided I was not comfortable with the purchase until a pre-buy was completed.  I contacted DLK Aviation, a whopping 35 NM SE of Rome and asked the owner to move the plane to DLK.  His response was the he had used DLK in the past, was not happy with their work and "just not comfortable with them going through the plane."  First, if he is going to sell it, why would he give a sh*t?  Second, I'm paying for it!   He then claims he has a person from NC coming to see the plane next week, and if he likes it, will buy on the spot.

I did speak with Joey Cole, who claims the plane is a good deal for the money, but encouraged me to get a pre-buy done.  The owner did not object to a pre-buy, he just wanted it done at Cole's shop!  Well, although I tried, I could not find a mechanic who felt comfortable performing a pre-buy at another shop, although Cole did not object.

In the end, this deal smelled funny.

And so the story goes.....

Thanks everybody for their input.

[gregwatts]

Quote: Lowbid

An update on my (almost) Mooney purchase.

As I said, the plane is in Rome, GA at Cole Aviation, having an Annual performed. I decided I was not comfortable with the purchase until a pre-buy was completed. I contacted DLK Aviation, a whopping 35 NM SE of Rome and asked the owner to move the plane to DLK. His response was the he had used DLK in the past, was not happy with their work and "just not comfortable with them going through the plane." First, if he is going to sell it, why would he give a sh*t? Second, I'm paying for it! He then claims he has a person from NC coming to see the plane next week, and if he likes it, will buy on the spot.

I did speak with Joey Cole, who claims the plane is a good deal for the money, but encouraged me to get a pre-buy done. The owner did not object to a pre-buy, he just wanted it done at Cole's shop! Well, although I tried, I could not find a mechanic who felt comfortable performing a pre-buy at another shop, although Cole did not object.

In the end, this deal smelled funny.

And so the story goes.....

Thanks everybody for their input.

[Ned Gravel]

That is exactly what I would have done.