How do you shop for a Mooney?

KeithASanford

KeithASanford

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MyTurnToFly
I've never owned an airplane and after a lot of thought, good advice in this thread and reading a great article in the latest Flying magazine, I've settled on a Mooney as my choice. Thanks to the advice here, I'm pretty sure I want an early one with the Johnson bar landing gear mechanism, which kinda minimizes my irrational fear of gear up landings. That's about all I'm sure of. I honestly have no idea what I should be looking for but I am sort of aware of what to avoid. Is there a "how to buy a Mooney" list somewhere that would help me narrow the field before I hire a broker or do I just hand my wishlist over to him or her and if so, how do I even come up with a wishlist?

How do you shop for a Mooney? Mooney owners, where did you start the process? I'm in Northern Virginia...am I near a great Mooney guy or shop? What's the best Mooney owner group to join?
 
mooneyspace.com is a good forum if you don't find any good advice here

Get the newest, nicest Mooney you can afford. Don't be focused on the johnson bar gear. The electric gear is low maintenance and works great. If you can stretch the budget for a fuel injected J model, DO IT. They have significantly more room inside, they're faster and better MPG than the older ones.
 
Either gear type is just fine if the mooney has had good care, hangared, good logs, few owners,etc, ( like any other plane or car) . I would try Lancaster , penna which used to have a very active mooney dealer and still deals in some used ones. Name is webber . Henry weber was very big in Mooneys some years ago. (If electric gear were that unreliable, no one would be flying them. ) to my knowledge, mooney had the only gear of its type that was manual. I've flown both. Again, Either is just fine.
 
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1) Start thread about wanting to purchase Mooney
2) Get told to buy a Bonanza instead
3) Watch argument unfold

:D
 
Fly one before you get too fixed on type. I found that Johnson bar Mooneys bite me because my hand is too big. The bite removes skin...
 
What's your budget? What's your mission (how far and often do you plan to travel and with how many people?) Those questions will drive what kind of Mooney to get. As already recommended, lots of great info over on MooneySpace.
 
oregonboy109 said:
1) Start thread about wanting to purchase Mooney
2) Get told to buy a Bonanza instead
3) Watch argument unfold

:D
Click to expand...

Bonanza good.

Mooney bad.

Next..





The real answer to any of these threads is to go fly / ride in everything you can.. . . I always thought my first retrac would be a Mooney..
 
Check out mooneyspace.com

Lots of great information there. I've got a 1970 Mooney M20E with electric gear that I bought a year ago. I'll try to answer any questions about M20E's that you might have.


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Visit Mooneyspace and use the search box at the top. The software was just updated and the home page no longer exists. Try this:

http://mooneyspace.com/forum/1-general/

There was an excellent thread a few years ago about what to look for when buying a vintage mooney. Find it, it's full of good, detailed information.

The rest of us there are mostly good people. There are several in N. VA and MD. Happy hunting!
 
Registered over at Mooneyspace.com. The first thread I read was "Gear retract problem", lol. I'll take the J bar, please.
 
And that thread was for a manual gear....

How much money do you have to spend?
 
We found ours locally. Was able to negotiate a great price because he was in the sticks and couldn't even get people to come look at it.

We got the J bar, and 200 horse fuel injected. That was our inflection point. The F is great for length, but the width seems the same as the 172.

I would try to find a ride in one, as your cash price is going to get you plenty of options.

When we were looking there seemed to be a lot for sale in Georgia, California, and Texas. Barnstormers and Trade a Plane were are starting points. We had a spreadsheet to keep everything straight...

Good luck. We love ours so far!

Rod
1968 M20F
1969 172K
 
The Lancaster Mooney shop is very good, but probably more expensive then your local mechanic. I have about 50 hours in a friends C model and have no complaints. The johnson bar takes a few hours getting used but becomes second nature pretty quick.
 
I have a 68 C model with the Johnson bar and love it. It's been rock solid reliable since I bought it in January, and I've put about 250 hours on it since then, including flying it from San Diego to Key West, then Cape Cod, and back to San Diego last month.

For information you can't beat Mooneyspace, it's all there though of course most of us are fairly biased towards our birds so it wouldn't hurt for you to look around at other brands as well. I will say the Mooney community as a whole has been incredibly helpful and friendly. I've had more than one owner offer me a place to stay and/or a good meal when traveling through their areas. It's a great group of people.

For buying I can't really tell you much about anyone in your area, but I bought my plane from All American in San Antonio and can't say enough good things about those guys. Just great, straight shooters, with a LOT of Mooney experience there. If you search around mooneyspace you'll likely come across their name a lot, they are pretty well known and respected. It's a bit of a trek from you, but they always have a bunch of planes for sale and from what I saw when I was there (and experienced with mine) they don't buy or sell junk planes.
 
Screwy manufacturer keeps mounting the tail backwards on those things.

I don't want one.
 
Just because cessna put the tail on the slow way does not mean you should have Mooney envy.

You are on the edge of good and bad planes with that money. Somewhere between a C and a F. So what are called "Vintage" The Js and up are going to be $75K plus. I say you should have $10K in the bank to fix stuff after you buy it. I wanted fuel injection and a mid length body. It was signed off in annual prior to buying we flew it home and then spent another 5 months getting it airworthy. Mechanics have different versions of airworthy I am finding out. Being mechanically able to work with your mechanic is a very good thing. There is a thread under Vintage on Mooneyspace that is about Cs and Es. I bought mine with only sitting in one and not flying one. Depending on the seats have been redone they can sit a bit different. There are lots of myths about Mooneys that are not really true
 
Go looking for a Bonanza and if you can't find one you like settle for a Mooney:rofl:

Seriously, there are some great resources for Mooney, Mooneyspace and Mooneyflyer are some. Also talk to Mooney owners who may have connections and religiously comb TAP and Barnstormers and Controller etc. There are lots of great mooneys out there at reasonable prices.

As with any airplane Mooneys have some things to look for that are specific to the make and model. The Type society and other Mooney owners can help you lookout for the gotchas or at least tell you what questions to ask. Have fun in your search!
 
You best bet is to bring up barnstormers, click on 'browse planes', then click on 'Beechcraft', then 'Model 35', and you are good to go.

Just a bit more serious, Mooney's are fine planes and I shopped them too. Things I've heard to look for are good fuel tanks, and those rubber donuts in the gear. Aside from the obvious corrosion and engine condition. Also, see if the one yo are looking for has any of the LoPresti mods already done. I've heard that some of them, in combination can provide significant speed and handling improvements to the early ships.

Enjoy, plane shopping is fun!
 
The other fun thing to do is find a plane that you like on the selling site. Then post it on mooneyspace. With a what do y'all think about this one question. The peanut gallery will do all the research to pick it apart. Then you know if you can proceed with the pre buy process. There are also planes for sale on mooneyspace
 
The latest issue of Flying Magazine has an article on buying a Mooney.
 
First, go sit in one. You don't have to fly it, just sit in it. Truthfully, they aren't for everyone. Many consider their interiors cramped. I don't, but I'm both vertically and horizontally challenged. I sat in one Mooney and realized it was built to fit me.

Plenty of pilots have gear-upped J-bar Mooneys, it happens. The J-bar won't cure that, but it is the most stone-simple landing mechanism known, which is why I bought a Mooney that has one. J-bar Mooneys are among the only ones without an emergency gear release mechanism.

Do you need a back seat? Do you have children, or frequent passengers? If so, you may want one of the Mooneys with a larger back seat. If money is an issue (ain't it always) you might consider an M20G, which has a stretched body and 180 hp engine. Its the slowest of the Mooenys (though 135 knots is nothing to sneeze at) and is often the least expensive.

If you don't need an expansive back seat I'd recommend an M20E. It's basically a C model with fuel injection and a slightly higher power engine, they are a bit faster (and more money).

Mooneys have all the same issues as any other airplane, and a couple of their own. Most of the older airframes leak gas, the deals on the wet wings give out over time and hard landings. If the one you're buying hasn't been re-sealed, you might be the one doing it and its expensive.

Still, Mooneys are the biggest bang of the buck in the certificated world. Skyhawk prices and Skyhawk gas for Bonanza performance.
 
I own and fly a $50K M20C. It's an amazing airplane. I'm on the high end of the C range in cost, but for that I've got a modern panel, all the speed mods, and fresh paint/interior. I'm as fast as most E's and faster than all F's. Don't pay the money or the performance cost of back seat room, unless it's gonna be used. I flew 200 hours last year and only about 5 of them had anyone in the back seat.

We'll talk more over on mooneyspace.
 
Scott@KTYR said:
The latest issue of Flying Magazine has an article on buying a Mooney.
Click to expand...


That article helped to make up my mind. On my first trip to an airfield for my discovery flight years ago, I spotted a beautiful plane with a curious tail. It stood out from the parking lot. I was probably sold then.


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Gsxrpilot said:
I own and fly a $50K M20C. It's an amazing airplane. I'm on the high end of the C range in cost, but for that I've got a modern panel, all the speed mods, and fresh paint/interior. I'm as fast as most E's and faster than all F's. Don't pay the money or the performance cost of back seat room, unless it's gonna be used. I flew 200 hours last year and only about 5 of them had anyone in the back seat.



We'll talk more over on mooneyspace.
Click to expand...


I'll definitely see you on Mooneyspace.com. Great site so far...


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KeithASanford said:
I'll definitely see you on Mooneyspace.com. Great site so far...
Click to expand...

I concur on the recommendation for Mooneyspace, a great font of Mooney wisdom if there there was one. Like I said, find one and sit in it, make certain you fit comfortably. Start looking around for the ones for sale. Saw one on Ebay that looked quite nice, had I not already sprung for one I'd have considered it.
 
steingar said:
First, go sit in one. You don't have to fly it, just sit in it. Truthfully, they aren't for everyone. Many consider their interiors cramped. I don't, but I'm both vertically and horizontally challenged. I sat in one Mooney and realized it was built to fit me.
Click to expand...

I've had the pleasure of sitting in a M20B a couple of Summers ago. They're more "chaise lounge" than "barcalounger" if that makes sense, which is fine with me. I'm 6' and I'm all legs.


steingar said:
Do you need a back seat? Do you have children, or frequent passengers? If so, you may want one of the Mooneys with a larger back seat.

If you don't need an expansive back seat I'd recommend an M20E. It's basically a C model with fuel injection and a slightly higher power engine, they are a bit faster (and more money).
Click to expand...

No need. My wife won't fly with me and my boys won't even accept a discovery flight as a gift. I'm the only aviation nut in my family. That could change when they're driving 10 hours and I'm flying in 3.

steingar said:
Mooneys have all the same issues as any other airplane, and a couple of their own. Most of the older airframes leak gas, the deals on the wet wings give out over time and hard landings. If the one you're buying hasn't been re-sealed, you might be the one doing it and its expensive.
Click to expand...

Now THAT'S the kind of information I'm looking for. I'm formulating a pretty good list of things to look out for. Thanks!


steingar said:
Still, Mooneys are the biggest bang of the buck in the certificated world. Skyhawk prices and Skyhawk gas for Bonanza performance.
Click to expand...

Yep, I'm sold.
 
steingar said:
Still, Mooneys are the biggest bang of the buck in the certificated world. Skyhawk prices and Skyhawk gas for Bonanza performance.
Click to expand...

My C model Mooney uses rather less than Skyhawk fuel,and runs ~40% faster. But it has the sportscar seating position rather than pickup seating, which bothers me not in the least.

Mooneys are the most bang for the buck in the certified world, and the C is the best bang for the buck of the Mooneys. And no, I'm not the least bit prejudiced. :D
 
Hank S said:
My C model Mooney uses rather less than Skyhawk fuel,and runs ~40% faster. But it has the sportscar seating position rather than pickup seating, which bothers me not in the least.

Mooneys are the most bang for the buck in the certified world, and the C is the best bang for the buck of the Mooneys. And no, I'm not the least bit prejudiced. :D
Click to expand...

Had my C for 12 years. Loved it. Still miss it.
 
Hank S said:
My C model Mooney uses rather less than Skyhawk fuel,and runs ~40% faster. But it has the sportscar seating position rather than pickup seating, which bothers me not in the least.

Mooneys are the most bang for the buck in the certified world, and the C is the best bang for the buck of the Mooneys. And no, I'm not the least bit prejudiced. :D
Click to expand...

Had I been able to acquire an M20E I would have. I like more speed. But I am in no way displease with the Lucky Strike, my M20C (other than the fact that it's filthy). I am now a confirmed Mooniac.

Of course, ask me about it the day after my first annual.
 
My suggestion is to go fly a few different types of Mooney to get a feel for the type and model that works for your budget. You can get a nice M20C, M20E/F or older 201J for that budget. Find one with decent avionics and good P&I.
 
Blueangel said:
My suggestion is to go fly a few different types of Mooney to get a feel for the type and model that works for your budget. You can get a nice M20C, M20E/F or older 201J for that budget. Find one with decent avionics and good P&I.
Click to expand...

You just want to remember that for the same money you can get a cherry C or a ratty J.
 
I've been think about Mooneys myself, as the speed over a my 172 would be nice. But I have a hard time picturing 2 mountain bikes and camping gear in the back of a Mooney.
 
UngaWunga said:
I've been think about Mooneys myself, as the speed over a my 172 would be nice. But I have a hard time picturing 2 mountain bikes and camping gear in the back of a Mooney.
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Newer models have fold down rear seats which help, most definitely would have to remove the wheels. I think there was a thread over on Mooneyspace with pics of before and after of loading up a mooney with camping gear, etc
 
Bought a 79 M20K 231 with out ever seeing it.....

Did a ton of research on it and asked the right questions. Had a proper pre buy and haven't looked back. Do your homework.
 
A few years ago, I did a not-very-scientific search of type-club forums for the phrases "parts cost" or "parts availability," to assess what sorts of gripes owners had.

I found lots of Bonanza owners complaining about parts costs, whereas lots of Mooney owners were complaining about availability. For example, there was a Mooney owner who seemed to be resigned to be AOG for a long time, for need of a gear door. I got the impression from the forum that the factory employed just a few guys, who were occupied making one kind of part, then another kind of part. There were so few in the factory that the wait for a given part could be a long time.

Maybe I got it wrong, but my efforts to shop for a Mooney ended with that impression, plus a failure on my part to find a training program dedicated to transition training to the type.
 
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Mooney is back and manufacturing new airplanes again. That also means the factory is fully operational and parts are easy to get. There are also a couple of organizations, and several independent CFI's that specialize in and provide Mooney specific transition training.
 
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