On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 12:57:25 PM UTC-8, Dennis Vreeken wrote:
Just drove 4800 kms in 4 days to pick up a new glider.Had a friend riding shotgun to help with the drive.Also bought unseen based on person's reputation.It was as expected.Road trips can be fun ! :-) D.V

Nice, congrats on the LAK!

I think that buying a glider sight-unseen is something that's more likely to work out OK when you're buying a newer ship. For many people buying their first glider, they will be looking at an older model. And I would _never_ buy a 15+ year old ship without seeing it in-person; there are too many questionable listings out there, photos don't show all the detail, and its easy to wind up disappointed with the aircraft you thought you were getting. When I bought my DG-300 I traveled to look at 3 different gliders. I don't regret spending ~$1200 in airfare and rental cars; it saved me from making a $30,000 mistake! And the ship I ended up with was absolutely wonderful.

In summary: At a minimum, get a third-party A&P to inspect it. And if at all possible, go see the aircraft yourself!

--Noel