What is cheaper, a new airplane or an old one?

[DMD3.]

I own a 1978 A36 Bonanza, and I also fly a 2004 Cirrus SR-20 in a flying club where I have visibility to the financials.

The SR-20, though less than half the age of the A36, is significantly more expensive to maintain. It seems there's always something not working 100% on the Cirrus with its more complicated systems. Annuals have been consistently north of $10K, more than three times of what I'm used to paying for the A36 on average.

(In fairness, the SR-20 also flies about twice the number of hours each year.)

- Martin

Holy dooly. And the A36 is retractable-gear, something that drives up annual costs vs. most fixed+gear aircraft.

 

[Fearless Tower]

Just do like a lot of owners, ignore maintenance and seek out the infamous $200 annual, and then bandaid fix things by seeking out "expert SGOTI" advice on how to repair behing closed hangar doors.

After a few years sell, and advertise it as a "creampuff".

Don't forget to add: "no tire kickers - I know what I've got!"

 

[Eldorado]

I could afford a new plane when I was young, paying a lot of taxes, and depreciating the plane as a business expense. When I retired and lost the depreciation, I decide used was ,ore economical.

 

[pfarber]

I think a brand new one shouldn’t have as much mx cost, and even so there is a warranty. The parts last quite a while, it’s after time that they start to break.

Warranty? Maybe 2 years. Is that worth $450k over a 70’s model?