I owned an earlier s/n for about 19 years.
Keep in mind that this isn't the Maule that B.D. flew out of the hangar for the ad. The little Maule is basically a Piper Pacer with a Maule data plate...short wing, similar horsepower, almost identical performance. In formation takeoffs, my cousin could get his Pacer off the ground sooner (the only option on my s/n was a cruise prop), and when the props were strobed between the two airplanes, cruise speed was within a knot.
It was great for me, my bicycle, & camping gear, but loaded up to gross it took 10 miles to get to 1000 AGL.
I had a 1500 ft strip on the farm, and it was perfect for giving the kids rides, but again, near gross with a good headwind we used up about 1300 feet in ground roll.
I put VGs on the airplane, and it made it a lot more comfortable to takeoff and land.
There are a couple of ADs on the airplane to address engine cooling...I don't think they were quite adequate, but I can't say that my airplane was necessarily representative in that regard.
I tried to get a new engine mount from Maule when mine developed cracks (I found out there was an improperly-accomplished SB on my mount), but after more than two months of waiting for a mount to be shipped "in about two weeks", I went elsewhere...parts aren't that expensive, but when somebody supposedly asked B.D. How many people he had working in the factory, I think his reply of "about half" would be a little optimistic.
Overall a great airplane...I had a lot of fun with it, and if my mission was the same, I'd probably buy another.
