Getting the bug for a new plane

....and wondering if anyone here has bought a factory-new plane
recently. . .

I bought a new C-172S in December 2001 out of Cessna factory
inventory, through a local Florida dealer. The dealer
wouldn't budge off MSRP, but Cessna incentives amounted to
about $7500.

I've enjoyed the plane but want more speed and useful load, so
am considering a factory-new C-182T or possibly a low-time
2001 or 2002 model. I'm also intrigued with the Cirrus SR-20
and might consider that as a possibility. My wife likes the
idea of new, I think mainly because she believes it would be
more reliable.

Anyone here bought a new Cessna product recently? I know a
while back there was a big discussion of whether or not an
individual could bargain with a dealer like you do when buying
a new car. What's the current thinking about all this?
Obviously, I'd like the best deal I can get and those Cessna
MSRP's are *really* way up there.

Thanks,
Gerry
C-172S
N5126J
SRQ

"Gerry Preston" wrote in message
...
...and wondering if anyone here has bought a factory-new plane
recently. . .

I bought a new C-172S in December 2001 out of Cessna factory
inventory, through a local Florida dealer. The dealer
wouldn't budge off MSRP, but Cessna incentives amounted to
about $7500.

The market for aircraft has sorta "tanked" in the past couple years, just
like for cars.

Last November, our company bought a 2001 CJ1 from a former dot.com owner and
got about half a million bucks (?) off, it being a "distressed" sale.

Thank you for buying new planes. That puts more used planes into the market
g.

Offer a low price and walk away. If they call you back inside of 2 weeks (to
talk), you know there's a better price to be discovered. If they let you
walk, then they ain't budging. Showing much enthusiasm for the plane is ok -
it's all about the money. You've got it, they want it. Unfortunately it's
also about the plane - they've got it, you want it.

Good luck with the dance
--
Montblack


("Gerry Preston" wrote)
snip
Anyone here bought a new Cessna product recently? I know a
while back there was a big discussion of whether or not an
individual could bargain with a dealer like you do when buying
a new car. What's the current thinking about all this?
Obviously, I'd like the best deal I can get and those Cessna
MSRP's are *really* way up there.

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 10:59:10 -0400, Gerry Preston
wrote:

I'm also intrigued with the Cirrus SR-20
and might consider that as a possibility. My wife likes the
idea of new, I think mainly because she believes it would be
more reliable.

It's not. Mine went to the service center (2 hour round trip by air)
22 times before the first annual. Before you consider a Cirrus you
should join COPA (www.cirruspilots.org) and read about the problems
the planes are having.

"Gerry Preston" wrote in message
...

I've enjoyed the plane but want more speed and useful load, so
am considering a factory-new C-182T or possibly a low-time
2001 or 2002 model. I'm also intrigued with the Cirrus SR-20
and might consider that as a possibility. My wife likes the
idea of new, I think mainly because she believes it would be
more reliable.

Seems that no matter what new Cessna you buy, it's not very new. If you are
going to pay the premium, why not go for new technology?

Before you even consider the Cirrus check on insurance rates. A new
Cirrus may set you back something on the order of $12K per year for
insurance. The 182 won't be anywhere close to that.

Gerry Preston wrote:

...and wondering if anyone here has bought a factory-new plane recently.
. .

I bought a new C-172S in December 2001 out of Cessna factory inventory,
through a local Florida dealer. The dealer wouldn't budge off MSRP, but
Cessna incentives amounted to about $7500.

I've enjoyed the plane but want more speed and useful load, so am
considering a factory-new C-182T or possibly a low-time 2001 or 2002
model. I'm also intrigued with the Cirrus SR-20 and might consider that
as a possibility. My wife likes the idea of new, I think mainly because
she believes it would be more reliable.

Anyone here bought a new Cessna product recently? I know a while back
there was a big discussion of whether or not an individual could bargain
with a dealer like you do when buying a new car. What's the current
thinking about all this? Obviously, I'd like the best deal I can get and
those Cessna MSRP's are *really* way up there.

Thanks,
Gerry
C-172S
N5126J
SRQ

I've enjoyed the plane but want more speed and useful load, so
am considering a factory-new C-182T or possibly a low-time
2001 or 2002 model. I'm also intrigued with the Cirrus SR-20
and might consider that as a possibility. My wife likes the
idea of new, I think mainly because she believes it would be
more reliable.

I talked to a guy last week with a 2000 Millenium Edition Turbo
206, that he has owned since new. It has been back to the factory for
a total of almost a year in the 2.5 years he has owned it. Two new
engines, now it has another cylinder going down. All this with less
that 500 Hrs. on the plane. There were also some other non-trivial
problems with the engine and flight instruments when the plane was
new.

What's going on with quality control at Cessna?

Although the thought of a new plane is attractive, there is also
something to be said about letting someone else work the bugs out
first.

WW

Well, fortunately, my exerience with my new 172 over the last
20 months of ownership has been much more positive. Only two
squawks, really. After only one month, the transponder failed
and was down for three weeks as I waited for Honeywell to get
me a new one. The other problem had to do with the nose strut
not wanting to maintain pressure. Had it in the local shop 3
times before it was fixed for good.

Gerry

Wily Wapiti wrote:
....
I talked to a guy last week with a 2000 Millenium Edition Turbo
206, that he has owned since new. It has been back to the factory for
a total of almost a year in the 2.5 years he has owned it. Two new
engines, now it has another cylinder going down. All this with less
that 500 Hrs. on the plane. There were also some other non-trivial
problems with the engine and flight instruments when the plane was
new.

What's going on with quality control at Cessna?

Although the thought of a new plane is attractive, there is also
something to be said about letting someone else work the bugs out
first.

WW

Well, fortunately, my exerience with my new 172 over the last
20 months of ownership has been much more positive. Only two
squawks, really. After only one month, the transponder failed
and was down for three weeks as I waited for Honeywell to get
me a new one.

What could possibly take 3 weeks to get a transponder?

Unless there was more to it than just a bad unit, we're talking about a five
minute replacement job.

Or do the new Cessnas come with some weird, unusual transponder that no one
else stocks?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

What could possibly take 3 weeks to get a transponder?


Good question. When I complained to Cessna, they sent me to a
large avionics sales and service dealership 50 miles away.
This dealer had a replacement on the shelf and just swapped it
for the bad one. Never really knew why the first shop took so
long; they kept telling me they had sent the old unit to
Honeywell, and Honeywell was telling them they were
temporarily out of stock, awaiting a shipment from the
off-shore manufacturing facility.