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Posted

This is a headscratcher to me on the price.  The avionics are at least $40K.  Has speed slope windshield and cowl closure.  Paint and interior are decent.  This has a midtime engine.  A screaming deal as priced.

Posted

Johnson bar. eliminates electric gear concerns with parts.  I would of been all over this a year ago.  

Posted

Yeah it seems like there's a LOT more planes on the market now than 2-3 years ago.  Fuel prices?  Insurance costs?  Shop rates and availability?  Long wait times for engine overhauls and avionics upgrades?  Are we better off than we were four years ago?  

Posted
16 hours ago, DCarlton said:

Yeah it seems like there's a LOT more planes on the market now than 2-3 years ago.  Fuel prices?  Insurance costs?  Shop rates and availability?  Long wait times for engine overhauls and avionics upgrades?  Are we better off than we were four years ago?  

Perhaps the hype of the "benefits of GA" that drew some new potential owners has worn off with our segment of the GA market. 

I think that there are basically 2 GA markets.

  • One in which money is no object.  A new $ million plane is no problem.  And a plane with more comfort options like air conditioning. This is a market where the owner/pilot is not likely going to get his hands dirty (if he can help it).  Everything is under warranty. And if not under warranty then "Someone else" is going to fix and care for it.  It will always be hangared. Someone else is going to pull it in and out of the hangar. It will always be ready to go.
  • The other is one which survives on a much smaller budget.  It comprises the majority of the market which is made up of 20- 60 year old planes.  It is more hands on - with the extreme being home built and virtually all hands on.  Something is always breaking or wearing out.  Parts availability, depending on make/model can be questionable or if available they are still a long expensive wait.  Repair of our old planes are not like going to AutoZone and getting a standardized part to plug in.  As time goes on our old planes become more bespoke - look all the topics on mix/match interiors, rare to find two pre 2005 planes with the same panel, tons of modifications - firewall forward changes, fuselage speed mods, changes to landing gear, etc.  And there are the topics on the plane being AOG.  In summer the planes are generally uncomfortably hot until up high.

Let's face it, the second market segment has a following but it is not for everyone.  It doesn't take too many scrubbed trips because the battery is dead due to a bum baggage light switch, the wings are leaking fuel, etc or bouncing flights in turbulence or even long holds for release on a sweltering day to sour a family on the "benefits of GA."  And then the bills come in - sometimes unexpected for the $14K fuel tank reseal or the $50K overhaul or the $15K new Eaton landing gear actuator.....

  • Like 4
Posted
2 hours ago, Echo said:

Are you O.K..  WTF is THIS post?  You are NOT a Mooney enthusiast with this negative nilly B.S. on my thread.  Get the frack outta here with this debbie downer Whoa is the state of ownership of a 60 year old airframe.  Sck it up buttercup.  If you can not handle a little maintenance surprise you are not playing inMooneyland.  The juice is WAY better than the squeeze.  Thatyou can get a modern auto pilot in a vintage Mooney for <90k is a wonderful thing.  Take your downer the hell outta here...

But seriously folks…. Why are there so many more planes on the market?  Is this how it was before the post COVID surge or is GA entering a slump due to the economy ?  I’d line to ask a broker if you could get a balanced perspective.  

Posted

Still not back to pre-COVID.  Hard to tell, because with inflation the numbers have changed a lot, but vintage planes used to trade on the value of the life left on the engine overhaul, plus maybe some more if they had a nice panel/paint/interior.  The airframe was basically thrown in for free.  Twins used to sell for somewhere below the value of the life left on the engines.  I don't feel like we're quite back there yet.  Does seem like we're moving that way.

The one listed here looks like one of the better values I've seen posted for sale in a while.  Nice looking M20E.

Posted
11 hours ago, Z W said:

vintage planes used to trade on the value of the life left on the engine overhaul, plus maybe some more if they had a nice panel/paint/interior

I don't know the answer, but with some of these engines going for north of $100k, I would say the life left on the engine plays a big part.  It's hard to spend $100k on paint, panel, or interior.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

I was glad to see this post a couple of weeks ago, right after I had my first look at this plane. It confirmed what I already believed to be true, that this plane was a great value. I'm happy to say that the transaction was finalized today and N3235F has a new home. 

20240822_142120.jpg

  • Like 11

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