In the market for an E/F/J - update - bought one!

[Flyler]

I'm sending out some feelers wherever I can!  I am back in the market and hoping to be in the air by the spring/summer.  I'm located in CT, USA and this is what I am looking for:

M20E, F, or magically a J model.  Insurance is going to limit me to under $100k, and closer to $80k would be a lot better.

Wants:

• Something that has been flying and not sitting, engine under 1500hr. 
• Paint that'll at least last me another few years. 
• An autopilot with alt hold (like STEC20, Century III, etc.)
• Mechanically sound
• Must be open to having a prebuy done

I am an absolute sucker for 201 windscreens and fancy cowls....  I would rather have a plane in great mechanical condition that could use a little interior and avionics loving than the reverse.

Please feel free to post or DM if you are thinking of selling or have any hot leads!

[Fritz1]

N3618N is on tradeaplane, I used to own that bird 25 years ago, a lot of people put a lot of work into it, will match the speed of a J, the engine that I put in probably needs an overhaul again though, $80k, no engine runs as well as the one you put in yourself

[TheAv8r]

This one checks all of your boxes, the asking is $105k, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to snag it for $100k. The only thing not mentioned is how frequently it is flying.

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?category_level1=Single+Engine+Piston&make=MOONEY&model=M20E+CHAPARRAL&listing_id=2439515&s-type=aircraft

[Flyler]

On 2/22/2025 at 2:38 PM, TheAv8r said:

This one checks all of your boxes, the asking is $105k, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to snag it for $100k. The only thing not mentioned is how frequently it is flying.

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?category_level1=Single+Engine+Piston&make=MOONEY&model=M20E+CHAPARRAL&listing_id=2439515&s-type=aircraft

This one is actually on my list already!  Thank you sir.

[Htmlkid]

On 2/21/2025 at 9:48 PM, Flyler said:

I'm sending out some feelers wherever I can!  I am back in the market and hoping to be in the air by the spring/summer.  I'm located in CT, USA and this is what I am looking for:

M20E, F, or magically a J model.  Insurance is going to limit me to under $100k, and closer to $80k would be a lot better.

Wants:

• Something that has been flying and not sitting, engine under 1500hr. 
• Paint that'll at least last me another few years. 
• An autopilot with alt hold (like STEC20, Century III, etc.)
• Mechanically sound
• Must be open to having a prebuy done

I am an absolute sucker for 201 windscreens and fancy cowls....  I would rather have a plane in great mechanical condition that could use a little interior and avionics loving than the reverse.

Please feel free to post or DM if you are thinking of selling or have any hot leads!

Check N205UU on trade a plane

[Flyler]

21 minutes ago, Htmlkid said:

Check N205UU on trade a plane

It is beautiful, but I don't think the seller would be willing to make a $120,000 concession

[bigmo]

On 2/22/2025 at 1:38 PM, TheAv8r said:

This one checks all of your boxes, the asking is $105k, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to snag it for $100k. The only thing not mentioned is how frequently it is flying.

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?category_level1=Single+Engine+Piston&make=MOONEY&model=M20E+CHAPARRAL&listing_id=2439515&s-type=aircraft

That's a killer deal. I would not be surprised if that brings in offers over asking.

[NickG]

On 2/27/2025 at 12:36 PM, bigmo said:

That's a killer deal. I would not be surprised if that brings in offers over asking.

Agree. Lovely plane. Could do a lot with that.

[mpess]

I just posted my 78 J for sale

It’s in the ballpark of what you are looking for if you would like to discuss.

Matt

[Flyler]

3 hours ago, mpess said:

I just posted my 78 J for sale

It’s in the ballpark of what you are looking for if you would like to discuss.

Matt

Thanks for posting! I closed on a 79 J a few months ago and am waiting eagerly to take her home from the shop.  Yours looks like a nice plane and I'm sure you'll find a great buyer for that beauty.

[AF M20J]

I'm selling my '81 J model 

I'm about to list it here and saw your post, so I'm replying before i list it here. 
I've listed it on barnstormers, with some images, but Barnstormers only lets me use a very limited number of characters. 

My plane is OE-DLV, an Austrian registered aircraft that I flew over the Atlantic at the end of 2022. 
I flew the plane until 2023, when I couldn't find an EASA shop to do the ARC (annual). 

This has put me in a pickle, where I can only import it to the US or fly it back to the EU. 
I made a bad investment and hit a financial wall, which stopped me from flying. 

The plane has 130 hours after major overhaul in 2022 which was performed by one of, if not the best overhaul shop in Europe, PWW in Belgium and Air-Craft ACG, a Mooney Service Center in Germany. 
The engine was flown back to the US for some machining by Lycoming to perfect the blocks. 

I have all documentation and the plane was originally registered in Texas in the early 80's, so import is straightforward (it's just a repatriation rather than an import, which only requires an inspection, rather than the full import process). 

I run it up regularly and it starts on first turn. The runups are usually around 20 minutes, until the oil reaches above boiling, to get all of the water out. 

The interior was the last thing on my list and I never worked on it. The carpet is unglued, so it drifts, but the seats are in decent condition. 
I sprayed the fuselage and interior of the skins inside the wings with anti-corrosion spray two times from 2016 - 2022 in Germany (Air-Craft are an awesome shop for interested owners, they let me wok on my plane with them when they did annuals, which is really exceptional for Europeans). 

I cleaned out all the nooks and crannies of the wings and fuselage where gunk tends to build up. 
We upgraded the GNSS antenna on the Garmin 430 and I removed the in-wing radar for the transatlantic flight. 

Mechanically, the plane is solid. I never spared any expense on maintenance, and Air-Craft (the MSC) can attest to that. 

If you're interested, I would be glad to work with you through the registration process, as I've done a lot of the legwork already. (Talked to a DAR in the Northeast when I lived there and I have all the materials needed). 

It's a special case, and for that I would be willing to work with you on all fronts. 
It hurts to see the plane sit and I want someone to have it and fly it, as every day it sits just hurts worse after flying this beauty across the Atlantic. 
She flew like a champ, btw and handled a ton of ice along the way (a harrowing story I only share in person). j

Some pics are here:
https://www.barnstormers.com/classified-1993604-1981-MOONEY-M20J-120-SMOH.html

[Flyler]

I'm so sorry to hear about your sticky plane situation, that sounds rough! I've already found and purchased a 201 since making this post.  Thanks so much reaching out, though, and good luck finding the new owner. 

[AF M20J]

20 hours ago, Flyler said:

I'm so sorry to hear about your sticky plane situation, that sounds rough! I've already found and purchased a 201 since making this post.  Thanks so much reaching out, though, and good luck finding the new owner. 

Thank you and congratulations on your 201!

Great plane that should be fun to fly for a long time.