$50k for a F model?

[Seth]

I agree on rebuilding a plane - be ready to spend money on the squaks. 

On my F things were good, but every year something did have to be overhauled or replaced, from an oli temparture sensor to the exaust manafold, to a tachometer - thankfully nothing too expensive.  It was close to squak free when I sold it, but I wanted to put in an auto pilot, engine monitor, gps in panel, and paint it.  I also was thinking about speed mods.  I ended up selling it, purchasing the next plane, and putting the money I would have used over time for upgrades into the next plane.  Like I said, originally a 4 to 10 year hold when I bought it, and it lasted three years!

In the Missile, I found during the pre-buy that the enigne was making metal, so I purchased it at a big discount, but overhauled the engine, put in a different engine monitor, and put a garmin aera in the panel to compiment the 430w that was already installed.  So, that was a big investment into the new plane, but since then, oil changes only (and AV GAS!  The IO-550 drinks more than the 360 - but you go faster!!).  That was still a big bill, but I knew it was coming, part of the purchase analysis on my part.

You can do a lot of prevantive action to help ward off big ticket items, and you can be discretionary as to what you want to spend on and what to let go, but always have money put aside for maintenance.  Something will need a repair/replacement every year.

-Seth