Are Mooney Prices Dropping Or What?

[dkkim73]

1 hour ago, carusoam said:

a fully worn out plane and a fully worn out house…

"well-loved"

[skykrawler]

The mods are good.  But the airplane is a project - interior is spent,  virtually no panel updates, no autopilot.  There could be history.   I see it has one of those electric aileron trim tabs.   So the price seems reasonable as a starting point.

 

[Fritz1]

had dinner in NYC last Friday night, did not feel the usual exuberance and vibe in my favorite steak house, maybe just a quiet evening, maybe things are not going through the roof as we speak, add to that uncertainty about parts supply, avgas supply, airplane sales prices are off covid / post covid highs, drop is almost imperceivable, like houses 1-2 % is listed for sale total about 200 Mooneys on controller / tradeaplane, has not changed much

[AndreiC]

I tried comparing this plane in my head with the 1970 E I bought 3 years ago from Jimmy for $85k. I figure overall mine was about $6k more expensive, but indeed the difference is not as great as I thought. So maybe prices have gone down 6-8% in the last three years, but this could be more of a rounding error or not checking the log books of the above plane carefully (for example, I don't know when the landing shock disks were replaced; and I did not check if the prop on the above plane is the no-AD one).

Here is the comparison.  Mine was $85k. On the negative side for mine, the paint is serviceable, but definitely worse than on the plane from Indy: -$7k. Interior was about the same (bad). Mine has no speed mods, a 3-blade prop, and the slower wing made in the 1970s: $-$5k (maybe more). On the plus side, mine has a 430w, an STEC 30 autopilot, and ADS-B out: $+12k. J-model yokes: +$1k. 1000 hours less on the engine: +$25k. Electric gear with later model actuator and relatively new no-back spring: $3k. So about $6k difference after all the pluses and minuses. 

[DCarlton]

On 9/22/2025 at 2:51 PM, NickG said:

I've sold 5 J's at good prices in the last 6 weeks or so. Have more buyers looking for J's. Have 2 buyers looking at 252's as well. Vintage and newer long bodies are definitely softening. Later model mid bodies still doing well. Also, well equipped/maintained/Lower engine hour long bodies still in demand. 

Got a web site?  I tried the one in your profile and it's a dead end.  

[DCarlton]

On 9/23/2025 at 5:55 AM, 1980Mooney said:

And Indy Air Sales is a longtime broker located in the Midwest with a respectable reputation. Logs are available to anyone that wants to email Indy with interest. 

Been following them for a long time.  They price planes to sell; not to sit for a year or two.  Theirs an obvious delta between their asking prices and the rest of the market.  

[Freddb34]

I just picked up an M20E model with 276SMOH, 5500TT, Avidyne 440, new fuel bladders and a working PC control for $60k.  J-bar gear and hydraulic flaps should make for "lower" maintenance costs. Most of my flying is by myself with my wife making up the majority of the rest, so don't really need a long body.  Would rather have the speed!  

[NickG]

2 hours ago, DCarlton said:

Got a web site?  I tried the one in your profile and it's a dead end.  

We have a redesign ongoing that should launch next week. My email is nick@ovationaviationroup.com

[ArtVandelay]

Here are the average of prices for Js on controller, slight decline.

$ Date #
166140 02/17/24 22
165409 03/09/24 21
165800 03/24/24 22
167039 03/28/24 21
169032 04/09/24 22
170165 04/13/24 20
169760 04/20/24 20
159537 05/21/24 20
163797 05/23/24 21
163803 05/27/24 21
162422 05/28/24 21
162380 05/31/24 19
164374 06/20/24 21
161653 06/29/24 20
165210 07/07/24 20
162013 07/21/24 22
165115 08/12/24 20
157711 08/25/24 18
167902 09/02/24 21
163297 09/12/24 23
162518 09/21/24 24
163522 10/04/24 23
156234 10/31/24 19
156852 12/23/24 25
152442 01/19/25 26
154118 02/02/25 26
156345 02/16/25 26
155668 03/30/25 25
160621 04/16/25 26
158166 05/02/25 25
157868 05/15/25 26
162855 06/03/25 26
164928 06/18/25 27
155852 08/08/25 25
161675 08/20/25 25
157996 09/24/25 22

[76Srat]

On 9/24/2025 at 9:19 PM, ArtVandelay said:

Here are the average of prices for Js on controller, slight decline.

$ Date #
166140 02/17/24 22
165409 03/09/24 21
165800 03/24/24 22
167039 03/28/24 21
169032 04/09/24 22
170165 04/13/24 20
169760 04/20/24 20
159537 05/21/24 20
163797 05/23/24 21
163803 05/27/24 21
162422 05/28/24 21
162380 05/31/24 19
164374 06/20/24 21
161653 06/29/24 20
165210 07/07/24 20
162013 07/21/24 22
165115 08/12/24 20
157711 08/25/24 18
167902 09/02/24 21
163297 09/12/24 23
162518 09/21/24 24
163522 10/04/24 23
156234 10/31/24 19
156852 12/23/24 25
152442 01/19/25 26
154118 02/02/25 26
156345 02/16/25 26
155668 03/30/25 25
160621 04/16/25 26
158166 05/02/25 25
157868 05/15/25 26
162855 06/03/25 26
164928 06/18/25 27
155852 08/08/25 25
161675 08/20/25 25
157996 09/24/25 22

Very cool list to see this in one short list.  As an avid J follower, I'm sure every (dare I say) first-gen J driver/owner is thrilled to see their machines lumped in together with the (dare I say) later-gen Js.  Though tempting, I try not to automatically consider a later model J any better, per se, than an earlier iteration, or for that matter an earlier iteration any worse, per se, than a later one.  There are marked differences in the type (dual/single mags, split rear seats/single-back bench seat, airframe mods galore, etc).  I find it interesting that Mooney actually got away with type certifying the M20J through as many iterations as they did, even though the gross weight and power plant(s) were distinctly different (see Cessna 172 and Piper PA-28 Arrow series as good examples of different type certificates and altogether different airplanes, but similar in market designation.  That said, an Arrow is not an Arrow II is not an Arrow III, etc.).  Yet an M20J is an M20J.  Perhaps those far better versed in the type can set my confusion straight?  Is it because the number of seats and actual horsepower remained the same throughout the production run?  Not much else did remain the same from 1977 to ~1998.  I'd be crazy to assume that a later model Allegro should be priced similar to a 1978 M20J and vice versa, an earlier 1978 M20J shouldn't be priced similar to a later Allegro.  Thus these averages are a bit tough to analyze from a value standpoint.  This really does boil down to the "eye of the beholder".  I'm sure there are absolute 1977 beauties out there that are every bit worth $200K and some later model turds that shouldn't bring half of that.  For many more reasons than this current chat about this, I sure wish Roy LoPresti was still around to ask him why and how Mooney got away with this--there has to be a fascinating back story to the moniker (other than the 201 mph top design speed at the time).  

Maybe the most telling of this list of averages is the fluctuation of numbers available from month to month (albeit in this small sample from Controller listings).  Low appears to be 18 and the high appears to be 27, all within ~8 months of each other.  

 

[NickG]

1 hour ago, 76Srat said:

Very cool list to see this in one short list.  As an avid J follower, I'm sure every (dare I say) first-gen J driver/owner is thrilled to see their machines lumped in together with the (dare I say) later-gen Js.  Though tempting, I try not to automatically consider a later model J any better, per se, than an earlier iteration, or for that matter an earlier iteration any worse, per se, than a later one.  There are marked differences in the type (dual/single mags, split rear seats/single-back bench seat, airframe mods galore, etc).  I find it interesting that Mooney actually got away with type certifying the M20J through as many iterations as they did, even though the gross weight and power plant(s) were distinctly different (see Cessna 172 and Piper PA-28 Arrow series as good examples of different type certificates and altogether different airplanes, but similar in market designation.  That said, an Arrow is not an Arrow II is not an Arrow III, etc.).  Yet an M20J is an M20J.  Perhaps those far better versed in the type can set my confusion straight?  Is it because the number of seats and actual horsepower remained the same throughout the production run?  Not much else did remain the same from 1977 to ~1998.  I'd be crazy to assume that a later model Allegro should be priced similar to a 1978 M20J and vice versa, an earlier 1978 M20J shouldn't be priced similar to a later Allegro.  Thus these averages are a bit tough to analyze from a value standpoint.  This really does boil down to the "eye of the beholder".  I'm sure there are absolute 1977 beauties out there that are every bit worth $200K and some later model turds that shouldn't bring half of that.  For many more reasons than this current chat about this, I sure wish Roy LoPresti was still around to ask him why and how Mooney got away with this--there has to be a fascinating back story to the moniker (other than the 201 mph top design speed at the time).  

Maybe the most telling of this list of averages is the fluctuation of numbers available from month to month (albeit in this small sample from Controller listings).  Low appears to be 18 and the high appears to be 27, all within ~8 months of each other.  

 

Airframe hours, engine hours, model year, avionics , damage history and interior/exterior condition are the variables. There's about a $120k spread between on base airframe value between a 77 and a 98 before any of the other adjustments are made. Feel free to message me if you want me to run a Vref for you.

[ArtVandelay]

Very cool list to see this in one short list.  As an avid J follower, I'm sure every (dare I say) first-gen J driver/owner is thrilled to see their machines lumped in together with the (dare I say) later-gen Js.  Though tempting, I try not to automatically consider a later model J any better, per se, than an earlier iteration, or for that matter an earlier iteration any worse, per se, than a later one.  There are marked differences in the type (dual/single mags, split rear seats/single-back bench seat, airframe mods galore, etc).  I find it interesting that Mooney actually got away with type certifying the M20J through as many iterations as they did, even though the gross weight and power plant(s) were distinctly different (see Cessna 172 and Piper PA-28 Arrow series as good examples of different type certificates and altogether different airplanes, but similar in market designation.  That said, an Arrow is not an Arrow II is not an Arrow III, etc.).  Yet an M20J is an M20J.  Perhaps those far better versed in the type can set my confusion straight?  Is it because the number of seats and actual horsepower remained the same throughout the production run?  Not much else did remain the same from 1977 to ~1998.  I'd be crazy to assume that a later model Allegro should be priced similar to a 1978 M20J and vice versa, an earlier 1978 M20J shouldn't be priced similar to a later Allegro.  Thus these averages are a bit tough to analyze from a value standpoint.  This really does boil down to the "eye of the beholder".  I'm sure there are absolute 1977 beauties out there that are every bit worth $200K and some later model turds that shouldn't bring half of that.  For many more reasons than this current chat about this, I sure wish Roy LoPresti was still around to ask him why and how Mooney got away with this--there has to be a fascinating back story to the moniker (other than the 201 mph top design speed at the time).  
Maybe the most telling of this list of averages is the fluctuation of numbers available from month to month (albeit in this small sample from Controller listings).  Low appears to be 18 and the high appears to be 27, all within ~8 months of each other.  
 

Horsepower is same for all years.
1.Many older Js including mine have been updated with the 2 mag engine, winglets, removing ram air, etc to really make assumptions based on the year.
2.There’s too many variables to really subdivide Js into different years;
Engine time, avionics, etc.