Bad Stories about Plane Purchases

Jon Kraus wrote in message .. .
I am looking into purchasing my own plane... I think that I am pretty
aware of the costs (as much as a non-owner can be). I would like to
hear from those of you who have unfortunately have had a bad (expensive
or otherwise)experience with a plane purchase. I will also post for good
experiences. Thanks !!

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL-IA
(possible Mooney buyer)

Howdy,

Mine was a 66 M20E

If I was going to do it again, I wouldn't bother with a buyers agent.
The sales process is about 3 pieces of paper, and a sales contract.
Definately not worth the percentage.

The prepurchase: BE THERE, and ASK QUESTIONS!

Don't even think about proceeding unless the guy doing the prepurchase
is recommended by another Mooney owner. They are simple for complex
aircraft, but the stuff that fails is different, and just as expensive
to fix. Joe cessna-wrench is not going to check everything that needs
to get checked.

Have a pre-purchase contract, and then work an annual into the deal.
The planes going to be all apart anyway, might as well complete the
job.

Logs. All of them. ALL OF THEM. I was niave, and didn't know there was
supposed to be a prop log too. Worthless (assorted creative explitives
deleted) buyers agent didn't say a word about it. Prop came off for
annual and the mechanic told me there was evidence of a prop strike.
Nothing in the airframe log about it, no wonder there was no prop log.

The prop TSO is a bigger deal than you might think. The existing
blades may or may not be salvagable at the next overhaul. Several
grand will be in play when all is said and done.

There was an expensive control rods AD that came out a few years ago.
STC fixed it. It will save you $100 at least yearly if it has been
done.

The johnson bar gear is the best LG system in the world IMHO. But
double check the light. It is possible to get it in the -down-
position and NOT locked. You have to jiggle it when this happens, and
more than one person has collapsed a gear because they didn't double
check the light.

Have a hell of a war chest. I'm not kidding. It doesn't take much to
go wrong for that thing to eat you alive. The long term ownership
costs quoted are capitalized over years. But expect 75% of the next
five years costs to show up in years 1 and 2.

I would go with the F model with the johnson bar gear if I was back in
the market. I think that is the best payload/performance/features
combination, with the Super21 being next. Most of the later models are
really 2 place aircraft until you get over the six digit mark.

I like the brittain autopilot. Some folks don't, until they are knee
deep in it and getting behind the curve. Then they are glad they have
it too.

Performance is awesome. People who complain about the ailerons haven't
figured out what the rudder is for yet.

Get a Mooney specific instructor. There are a couple instructors
around the country who train in Mooney's specifically. Don't expect a
brand C driver at your local patch to help you learn all the nuances
of this thing. He will train you WRONG, which is the reason why so
many people whine about how hard they are to land. They fly an orange
like an apple and get miffed when their landings don't squeek.

Figure the insurance companies dual into your numbers. Mine required
20 hours, regardless of the fact that I already had my license. Which
was good, because it does take a bit to learn how to talk to her.

You will become a master of the forward slip, especially when landing
over the proverbial 50 ft tree. She can descend like a meteor with a
little skill. Kindof neat staring at the numbers through the hamburger
window.

-Hope that helps!
-Matt