Mooney prices

[dmc]

I've just recently started looking at planes and I hear its a buyers market.  Now I'm not trying to time anything,  Id buy something tommorow if I liked it, even though I don't have my ppl yet and plan to finish in the rental 172.  But I plan to continue and get my IFR rating and would like to do it in my own plane.

So how is everyones crystal ball's working?  Is the price of vintage planes, I'm thinking F model, going up, down, or sideways for the next year or so.  Do prices go up in the Spring when the weather is better, or does it matter.  I'm a complete newbie to this so give me your thoughts.

Thanks.

 

 

[Parker_Woodruff]

When you find a nice airframe to buy, get it.  I don't see prices moving much really.  They sure ain't going up.

Find the nicest airframe you can buy on your budget.  These are 40 year old machines and you don't need to get stuck with a bad one.  What's your budget?

[dmc]

I was original hopeing I could get something in the 40k to 50k range.  I'm worried that if I go 60k or more it won't leave me much for the unexpected.  I'm really not sure how much I want to spend at this time, some depends on how my investments do in the next few months. 

Also I'm not sure how my state, MO, is going to cost me.  I know they will probably hit me for personal property tax, not sure about sales tax.

[Bill_Pyles]

Get a pre-buy inspection by a mechanic who is very famliar with the make and model.  Fix everything---within reason.  Upgrades can be handled later if you have a limited budget, but make sure the airplane is rigged properly, the landing gear works properly, all the ADs are taken care of, log books complete etc. 

[triple8s]

I did know of a J model for sale that needed a PSI and a prop. Had old radios, old GPS, but GS and DME. Think it could be had for upper 30's to mid 40's but that was several months ago, the airframe looked really good. I can check and see if it is still available this weekend, will give me an excuse to fly someplace. If the FWF has been replaced or had PSI and prop I am sure the price will have gone up but who knows till you ask.

[dmc]

Quote: triple8s

I did know of a J model for sale that needed a PSI and a prop. Had old radios, old GPS, but GS and DME. Think it could be had for upper 30's to mid 40's but that was several months ago, the airframe looked really good. I can check and see if it is still available this weekend, will give me an excuse to fly someplace. If the FWF has been replaced or had PSI and prop I am sure the price will have gone up but who knows till you ask.

[triple8s]

I will fly up there today and check to see if it is still there and get a contact number for you. I was interested in it myself as an upgrade to my 65 C model but for all trouble of buying and then reselling my current plane it didnt seem worth all the trouble. I'll have the number tonight.

[dmc]

Quote: JimR

For pictures of the damage that it incurred in the most recent gear up, see below:

http://www.aigaviation.com/aviationsalvage/salvagedetail.aspx?SalvageId=1066

[gregwatts]

Find the plane you want and make your offer. I don't see prices going up.......and if you buy right, and they do go down a little.....you still won't be in a bad spot. If you are going after an F model, I would find a 76 model........if you can swing a J model, I think you will be much more satisfied. If you buy more plane than you can manage or afford, it will take the enjoyment out of your flying. You can find a "vintage" plane that has been severely upgraded.......and that is to your benefit.

The reason you find so many Mooneys out there with gear-ups is because in most cases the plane was traveling faster than the pilot. I am from the camp that prefers the NDH endorsement. I spent many months looking for the plane that I have. If you find a plane that you want....negotiate.....it IS a buyers market.

My opinion only!

[mooneym20d]

Quote: dmc

For pictures of the damage that it incurred in the most recent gear up, see below:

http://www.aigaviation.com/aviationsalvage/salvagedetail.aspx?SalvageId=1066

[scottfromiowa]

Why is that J being sold as salvage?  Certainly the damage would NOT result in it being totaled...Unless the owner ran it out and than had a "gear up oops" and walked away with a check...  If you could buy this for $25k it's a good deal otherwise...$28k for engine...$10k for prop...$15k for belly, gear doors, antennas, muffler etc....why bother?

[dmc]

Quote: JimR

I wouldn't eliminate this 201 or any other Mooney from consideration just because of the gear up. I just wanted you to know where to look for unrepaired or incorrectly repaired damage. Get a 201 if you can swing it.

Jim

[dmc]

Quote: scottfromiowa

Why is that J being sold as salvage?  Certainly the damage would NOT result in it being totaled...Unless the owner ran it out and than had a "gear up oops" and walked away with a check...  If you could buy this for $25k it's a good deal otherwise...$28k for engine...$10k for prop...$15k for belly, gear doors, antennas, muffler etc....why bother?

[dmc]

Quote: gregwatts

Find the plane you want and make your offer. I don't see prices going up.......and if you buy right, and they do go down a little.....you still won't be in a bad spot. If you are going after an F model, I would find a 76 model........if you can swing a J model, I think you will be much more satisfied. If you buy more plane than you can manage or afford, it will take the enjoyment out of your flying. You can find a "vintage" plane that has been severely upgraded.......and that is to your benefit.

The reason you find so many Mooneys out there with gear-ups is because in most cases the plane was traveling faster than the pilot. I am from the camp that prefers the NDH endorsement. I spent many months looking for the plane that I have. If you find a plane that you want....negotiate.....it IS a buyers market.

My opinion only!

[gregwatts]

Quote: dmc

What does a 76 model have over say a 67 model?

[kris_adams]

@DMC:  I'm sure there are a lot of other changes (many of which people argue are not improvements) but the most noticable to me is the panel on a 76 is updated to the more "modern" 6 pack and I believe the right side of the 76 panel is angled towards the pilot like it is on the J.  I'm not exactly sure when this started.  I looked at a 75 F and I think it had the same panel updates.

[KSMooniac]

The '75 F that I used for my Mooney transition had a panel that was very similar to my '77 J.  It had the damn throttle quadrant (which went away in '78) but for the throttle it had a very cool machined pistol-grip type of lever instead of the simple black knob that I have now.  I liked that feature, but would rather have the push-pull/vernier controls and the free space by my knee.  The pilot side of the panel had a standard 6-pack arrangement.  

I believe sometime around '71 the pilot side panel had the standard 6-pack, but it was sloped on a diagonal slightly to follow the contour of the glareshield on the left side.  Big improvement over the shotgun layout, but not as pleasing as the straight/modern/standard 6-pack IMO.

[Ron McBride]

In 69 Mooney changed the panel to a 6 pack arrangement, elec gear and flaps and the quadrant. If you would like, you can look in my photo's for current panel layout.  I prefer the quadrant set up, my self.  It is very similar to the twins that I flew before.

Ron         N9154V

[Zulee]

My first Mooney was a 69 G model that I owned for over 5 years...of which I spent thousands trying to get it to look like a J. I too was in the same price point as you and trying to find the perfect TT, SMOH, avionics, maybe a speed mod or two. When all said and done I sold the G (as sad a moment as that was, lotta love and bank went into her...with almost $0 return on my investment) and bought the J. But with all this said, do what you can afford and by all means stay in the mooney family.

Since I am a Floridian by birth and relo'd to MO about the time I sold the G and purchased the J, hold onto your wallet. Coming from a state with no state or personal property tax, Missouri will tax you for breathing. The sales tax will run you about 7 percent of your purchase. Personal property tax will cost you in the $2k range unless your plane is over 30 years old, which sounds like the vintage you're looking at.  If your plane is over 30, there is a stupid exception created by some politician that had a hangar full of old stick and rudder stuff that states "if you fly your plane less than 50 hours annually...blah blah". In a nutshell you will get off with about a $250 bill.  Bottom line, it doesn't surprise me everyone you meet in MO never leave the state, it's because they are so in debt with taxes they can't afford to leave...LOL, I don't mean to sound ugly but any state that capatilizes on general aviation at this level is no friend of general.

I do wish you the best of luck with your search and by all means don't pay much attention to me and my ranting about MO, it is a beautiful part of the world and the nicest people I've ever met.