Used Airplanes. Lessons learned?

[flyersfan31]

Sounds to me like the seller is trying to be cute. You do a pre-buy, which generally not as detailed as an annual. Agree to buy the plane and, hey, it's already opened up, I will get it annualled and dammit - lots of stuff needs fixin, maybe even some airworthiness items. But all that is then on Buyer.

If you like the plane, I would offer that the pre -buy will be an annual. Basic fee paid by buyer. Airworthiness items paid by Seller. Nice-to-have items TBD or on Buyer. Now, no A&p will sign off an annual without airworthiness items being fixed, so this will certainly flush out whether he is serious about selling or trying to pull one over.

 

[hindsight2020]

Sounds to me like the seller is trying to be cute. You do a pre-buy, which generally not as detailed as an annual. Agree to buy the plane and, hey, it's already opened up, I will get it annualled and dammit - lots of stuff needs fixin, maybe even some airworthiness items. But all that is then on Buyer.

If you like the plane, I would offer that the pre -buy will be an annual. Basic fee paid by buyer. Airworthiness items paid by Seller. Nice-to-have items TBD or on Buyer. Now, no A&p will sign off an annual without airworthiness items being fixed, so this will certainly flush out whether he is serious about selling or trying to pull one over.

That can be a bit broad brushed. I take who works on my airplane rather close to the vest. I'm not gonna just let every Tom dick and Harry tear up panels, screws and fairings serially annualling up my airplane, especially knowing the buyer can walk away anyways. That doesn't mean I'm trying to push an airplane into a buyer in a condition other than as advertised.

at my historical selling price points, it simply hasn't been a necessity to get involved in major invasive pre purchase kabuki in order to get interested buyers to make offers. if I "don't want to play ball" with buyers who want to get entangled in protracted purchasing processes, others show up eventually. That's certainly my prerogative.

Ultimately, the less complicated or niche the type is, the more straightforward it can be for a person like the OP to stop wasting his avgas money on a more expensive and disheartening version of tire kicking.

The OP wants to spend another couple grand and six more months on an airplane he's likely to hold for less than five years anyways, more power to him. The fact remains down here at the salvage/engine value driving end of the market, you can't get too hung up on the small stuff. These things aren't Mooney's, corrosion and unairworthy airframes aren't gonna surprise you if you do the most basic visual inspection. But it does require some level of risk tolerance. Otherwise discounted low end airplanes are not for you. Go lease a new Cessna.