For those keeping count

[Salty]

How is the plane's I listed that much different? All complex (retract and CS prop), in the price range, 3 person and luggage, 140-ish knots, comfortable planes? The 182 is an odd ball and thats why its listed last(no FI and not retract). Are these planes not cross shopped all the time? I am not asking in a mean way, I am genuinely curious. If I found a K model Bonanza or a F model Mooney, is that much difference that I have to choose and never look back? The 177RG is (to me) the Cessna version of the Mooney. 200hp, retract, FI.

Maybe I am looking at this all wrong. Maybe I have to say I want a specific plane and year and dont look at any others. Seems short sighted but maybe I am wrong.

You aren't wrong. It's your money. You can be as picky and wishy-washy as you want to be. It'll just take you longer to find something.

 

[steingar]

How am I being facetious? How are title problems his fault? How is a owner saying the plane has flown recently and when the mechanic showed up it was a flat out lie? How are owners backing out of sales anyone's fault but the seller? I guess I dont understand. I am in Chicago, the buyers agent (from Texas) calls on a plane in Maryland. Asks all the questions. I hire a mechanic to look at the plane and do a pre-buy and finds out there is corrosion in all the nooks and crannys, which was never mentioned or answered honestly. Or a BTW, the first log books are kinda missing when I told you flat out they were complete. Where is mine or the agent's failing in that?

What good is a broker who isn't screening out junk? Sounds like you get to do that yourself. So what is this broker doing for you that you can't do for yourself with a look at Controller, Trade a Plane etc...?

 

[mondtster]

What good is a broker who isn't screening out junk? Sounds like you get to do that yourself. So what is this broker doing for you that you can't do for yourself with a look at Controller, Trade a Plane etc...?

I kind of wondered the same thing, although some of the discoveries listed (such as the corrosion or no start) might not be uncovered until a prebuy occurs even with the best broker. The sheer number of problems the OP is having suggest to me that this broker is doing little more than taking money and acting as more of a detriment than an asset to completing a sale.


Charheep, I generally wouldn't recommend this but if your primary concern is a smooth and easy transaction you might consider asking for help around your local airport. With a little investigation you might find someone who has bought and sold plenty of airplanes that is willing to help you navigate the paperwork process and maybe even can help evaluate a potential purchase. They may even do it for free, and you can visit with them face to face rather than relying on a broker half a country away. Or just screen them yourself and deal with the paperwork. It really isn't that hard.

 

[tspear]

How is the plane's I listed that much different? All complex (retract and CS prop), in the price range, 3 person and luggage, 140-ish knots, comfortable planes? The 182 is an odd ball and thats why its listed last(no FI and not retract). Are these planes not cross shopped all the time? I am not asking in a mean way, I am genuinely curious. If I found a K model Bonanza or a F model Mooney, is that much difference that I have to choose and never look back? The 177RG is (to me) the Cessna version of the Mooney. 200hp, retract, FI.

Maybe I am looking at this all wrong. Maybe I have to say I want a specific plane and year and dont look at any others. Seems short sighted but maybe I am wrong.

My comment was not for you. A previous poster said for you to look at only one model.

Tim

 

[tspear]

@charheep
The one comment I will give you about your buyer's agent. He/she needs a better network or join a firm with more people spread out.
The Cirrus I bought via an agent, had local connections perform a simple walk by and a cursory pre-mechanic inspection; basically a glorified preflight. Eliminated a few planes before I hired the mechanic for the pre-purchase inspection. The walk by/preflight cost me and the agent nothing. These two trade favors all the time.

Tim

 

[KRyan]

Wouldn't a Navion fit your needs? There are some pretty nice ones out there. Yeah, they are old, but they seem like they'd fit your requirements. Only asking because there's a pretty nice one by me.

 

[TCABM]

@charheep, As I go through this process myself, and not being as far as in as you are, one thing I’ve done is really analyze what purpose the plane will serve me. FrEx, even though we are a family of four +2, our 2 kids are grown; 1 married, 1 with a long term significant other. Reality is the plane is for me & my wife to travel to see our 1 son (married) who is an Army Officer. Our daughter lives close by, so we don’t fly to see her.

With that, my use case is for a cross country machine. Mooney, Bo, Cirrus on the certified side, RV10, Lancair, Velocity on the EAB side.

What I’ve learned through the type clubs and owner boards is that there’s enough questions around the quality of composite EAB construction that I’m not comfortable with it.

That leaves 4 types: M,B,C, RV. In my acquisition and operating budgets, M and B make the cut, as does the Navion. So, I’m going through the process now of researching the Navion.

For M, I’ve learned turbo variants add a layer of complexity and punishment on the engine I may not want, so I’m probably looking at a NA Or a TN model. That leaves the J in my budget. I know of the most highly regarded dealers, maintainers, and brokers in that market and have had conversations with them to see who fits with me and my personality.

I’m still working through the B variants, but it seems like the S35 or V35 is what would meet my needs. I’m learning about the dealers, maintainers, and brokers right now and from a MX standpoint, finding a good B maintainer nearby is becoming somewhat of a challenge.

Navions, like I said are next up to go through the process.

My experience has been educational; talking to owners has led to flights in the M, B, and C. Those flights have been educational, to say the least. The relationships with the owners has led to several folks reaching out to me to let me know when I’m ready to buy as they might know of some good examples that won’t get advertised when they go up for sale.

Food for thought, that’s all.