Need your input.

[Dean]

I looked at a 1984 Piper Warrior II yesterday and have a question for you all. At what TTAF would you not buy? This Warrior has good P&I, IFR certified, but engine is over TBO, it has good compression and was run to TBO in just over 3 years. Aircraft blue book values the plane at over $50K, I can buy it for $28K. Here is the kicker, TTAF is over 14,000 hrs this averages out to be over 650hrs per year. This was an IFR trainer from a University out east. Should I stay away or go ahead with the pre-buy/annual? I figure that I would have about another 20K to put into it if need be.

 

[gismo]

I looked at a 1984 Piper Warrior II yesterday and have a question for you all. At what TTAF would you not buy? This Warrior has good P&I, IFR certified, but engine is over TBO, it has good compression and was run to TBO in just over 3 years. Aircraft blue book values the plane at over $50K, I can buy it for $28K. Here is the kicker, TTAF is over 14,000 hrs this averages out to be over 650hrs per year. This was an IFR trainer from a University out east. Should I stay away or go ahead with the pre-buy/annual? I figure that I would have about another 20K to put into it if need be.

If the airframe checks out OK, the only issues I'd have would be smoky rivets and the FAA's apparent intent to set time limits on older airframes. High use tends to wear out some things, especially control linkages and other moveable parts, but all that can easily be checked. I think it will really boil down to how well the plane was maintained during all that recent useage.

Is that Bluebook value based on actual airframe and engine times (sounds way high for that)?

 

[Dean]

That was deducting for high engine time, but it did not show how to subtract for high AFT, so I used the avg and took off 20%.

Is that Bluebook value based on actual airframe and engine times (sounds way high for that)?[/QUOTE]

 

[Ken Ibold]

You should plan on putting most of that 20K into the engine almost immediately, although you may get by for a while. Check into the AD for repetitive inspection of the main spars. I don't know how onerous or expensive it is.

IF you had to put a new engine into it, your investment is pretty much up there with lower time Warriors w/midtime engines, but there may be some reasons to go with the higher airframe time. If the maintenance history, avionics and cosmetics are excellent -- not just good -- it may be worth it. But with a runout engine think of this as a very high time $43K airplane with a fresh engine and see how that compares to the market. I don't think it will stack up particularly well.

Plus, at resale time, your pool of potential buyers will be commensurately smaller because of the time. Now, that will translate into a lower price, sure, but it will also translate into a longer time on the market.

 

[Anthony]

Plus, at resale time, your pool of potential buyers will be commensurately smaller because of the time. Now, that will translate into a lower price, sure, but it will also translate into a longer time on the market.

Ken's right. Always think of an exit scenario with almost anything you buy. If the high AFT is causing you concern, it will cause concern for others when you go to sell it, no matter how well maintained it is. If it were me I'd pass. The money saved now just isn't worth the risk of not being able to sell it fast enough if you have to. There are lots of other choices out there.

 

[Dean]

Thanks guys, this is what I love about this sight. Sometimes we get blinded buy a GOOD DEAL and you all cast a different light on it. I think I will pass on this one.