mrjones30 Posted April 28, 2012 Report Posted April 28, 2012 When purchasing a used Mooney what are 10 things you look for to make sure it's a good plane to buy? Thank you Quote
rbridges Posted April 28, 2012 Report Posted April 28, 2012 broad question, but everyone seems to agree that the structure is most important. whether or not it's a good value is relative, but you want to make sure that it's airworthy without any major structural problems. avionics, paint, etc., can be changed easier than a corroded frame. Quote
rainman Posted April 28, 2012 Report Posted April 28, 2012 I purchased my Mooney in 2011 (they're all used). Here is what I learned. Determine which model fits your needs. Once that's done, you need to get an inspection by a good Mooney Service Center. Here in Texas folks often use Don Maxwell or Dugosh. If you aren't experienced, consider having a very knowledgable person/friend who knows that model go with you and fly the plane. Don't buy it sight unseen. Fly the plane and use all the buttons and gauges. All the little things that don't work really add up in cost. Paint and interiors look better in photos than in person. I'd consider using a broker like All American or someone local to you who can help with all of this and screen out the things you may not even know about. I was a newbie (I still am to some extent) and the more knowledable people around you the better. Quote
rainman Posted April 28, 2012 Report Posted April 28, 2012 If you find a plane on-line at Trade-a-Plane or Controller.com, post the reference here and someone on this site may be familiar with the plane as well?? I've read of at least a couple of planes that folks reported here as not being represented correctly in the ad. Also, if you have "airplane fever ", slow down...., there are lots of good planes out there and new ones come on the market all the time. Take your time and look at several before buying. Quote
Ned Gravel Posted April 28, 2012 Report Posted April 28, 2012 Seven years after I bought mine, here is what I have learned to put in priority. Airframe Engine A mechanic who not only knows Mooneys, but likes them. A mechanic who has a good reputation Compliance with all the ADs Compliance with all the "show-stopper" SBs Shoulder belts (weren't any in mine when I bought it) A thorough understanding of my own mission profile Avionics Interior I probably missed one or two. Quote
mrjones30 Posted April 29, 2012 Author Report Posted April 29, 2012 This may be a dumb question, (Sorry about that) but what does Corrosion look like on a Mooney? Are there certain spots on the plane that I should keep an extra watch out for? I do have Airplane fever but I have never been in a Mooney as of yet and I don't have my license yet. I'm going to take my time with it but be steady in my progress. I'm in Saint Petersburg Florida, can you go to a place, (Like a dealer) and sit in one to see what it looks like in real life? I'm not purchasing right away I just want to get a feel for one to see if comfortable. Thank you Quote
John Pleisse Posted April 29, 2012 Report Posted April 29, 2012 Most inner wings were never chromated, so they immediately get a light, white film...this is common. If it goes beyond that, you need to explore further. The empanage is an important area, usually exposed to a lot of water. Most of these planes have sat outside at one time or another. Another spot is the interior cage tube structure beneath the cabin side windows and the lower tube structure in the belly. It is common to see some chromate flaking and some small rust spots. Innergranular and pitting must be ruled out before sanding and surface refinishing. Any deep pitting, or really bad rust can be indicative of a larger problem and in imho, is a no-buy. There all gonna have some...it's just how bad and if it is structurally compromising. Quote
FloridaMan Posted April 30, 2012 Report Posted April 30, 2012 I've also heard, and, please correct me if I'm wrong, that the INSIDE of the tubular frame should be inspected for corrosion. I have no idea how people do this. Quote
Parker_Woodruff Posted April 30, 2012 Report Posted April 30, 2012 Quote: mrjones30 I'm in Saint Petersburg Florida, can you go to a place, (Like a dealer) and sit in one to see what it looks like in real life? I'm not purchasing right away I just want to get a feel for one to see if comfortable. Thank you Quote
Hank Posted April 30, 2012 Report Posted April 30, 2012 Use the "Search" feature at the top. George Perry has a detailed, lengthy series of posts about what to look for when purchasing a vintage Mooney. There are similar threads by other people. Be aware that any lists found here are neither comprehensive nor complete--for example, there was a fleet-wide AD issued a month ago that won't be found on threads from a year or two in the past. It boils down to two things: 1) a thorough review of the logbooks; 2) a good pre-purchase inspection by a Mooney-knowledgable mechanic. Then you still get to make the final decision, because after all it is your money. Quote
GeorgePerry Posted May 2, 2012 Report Posted May 2, 2012 Quote: Hank Use the "Search" feature at the top. George Perry has a detailed, lengthy series of posts about what to look for when purchasing a vintage Mooney. There are similar threads by other people. Be aware that any lists found here are neither comprehensive nor complete--for example, there was a fleet-wide AD issued a month ago that won't be found on threads from a year or two in the past. It boils down to two things: 1) a thorough review of the logbooks; 2) a good pre-purchase inspection by a Mooney-knowledgable mechanic. Then you still get to make the final decision, because after all it is your money. Quote
mrjones30 Posted May 3, 2012 Author Report Posted May 3, 2012 George, Thank you for the previous post, that is good stuff. Is there anything else? For the record I'm not buying a mooney right away but I want to be ready when the time comes. Quote
carusoam Posted May 4, 2012 Report Posted May 4, 2012 My favorite site is All American Aircraft.com. It's like a dealer. They always have the most popular Mooneys available on the market. It is a great place to research the topic. If you have the good fortune to travel to San Antonio, it will be worth the visit, no purchase required.... http://www.controller.com/list/list.aspx?pcid=17527&etid=1&dlr=1&setype=1 I have no financial interest here, wish I did.... Best regards, -a- Quote
gsengle Posted May 4, 2012 Report Posted May 4, 2012 Quote: carusoam My favorite site is All American Aircraft.com. It's like a dealer. They always have the most popular Mooneys available on the market. It is a great place to research the topic. If you have the good fortune to travel to San Antonio, it will be worth the visit, no purchase required.... http://www.controller.com/list/list.aspx?pcid=17527&etid=1&dlr=1&setype=1 I have no financial interest here, wish I did.... Best regards, -a- Quote
M20F Posted May 4, 2012 Report Posted May 4, 2012 Vote for All American as well they take a lot of guess work out of the process by having clean airplanes and they did the annual + all airworthy sqauwks and some other stuff as part of the deal. Best way to go in my opinion as opposed to dealing with private owners. Quote
GeorgePerry Posted May 5, 2012 Report Posted May 5, 2012 Quote: mrjones30 George, Thank you for the previous post, that is good stuff. Is there anything else? For the record I'm not buying a mooney right away but I want to be ready when the time comes. Quote
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