to buy or not to buy? that is my question!

1967 Cessna 150G

Ad reads......

Great looking plane. 1440 SMOH 6300TT. Garmin 300XL GPS/Com, Narco RT-553 Nav/Com, KA-24 Audio Panel, Spin-on Oil Filter, New Carb, Tires, Concord Battery & SCAT Tubing. Custom Cruse Prop by Bynum Propellers in Fort Worth. Horner Tips and Strobes. Excellent Paint and Interior. Have all logs since new. Includes cover, sunshades, and towbar. Call or email for more details.

Pics look great. local purchase so no cross country to get it home.

what are the concerns here; if any?

what would a fair price be?

The years of experience here is invaluable and is greatly appreciated.

Ron

 

Is that a pro or is that a con? Some of the best stories that I hear are of flying home the new purchase.

 

its about an 18k plane if its as advertised.

 

With 1440 SMOH? When was it last overhauled? That's got about 360 hours before an overhaul with a TBO of 1800.

I'd say that's more like a 13-15K plane, max. Assuming everything is in great working order. If you overhaul it you'll spend around 10K.

 

^^^^This^^^^ OR LESS.
I just sold one I owned for about 1 1/2 years...same year, sounds like same condition and equipment but with a new engine and IFR rated, $25K.
At least it is the "wide body"...lol
Don't ever think you can fly with two adults and full fuel...unless you don't mind 200 fpm and being over gross.

 

With the TSOed GPS, yes that's about right.

My only concern is that cruise prop, those things are anemic enough on climb as it is, with a cruise prop....man

IFR rated? There is a HUUUGE difference between legal per the FARs for IFR and a plane that can actually be used for day to day IFR.

That 150 he's linked to can file /G and shoot most approaches, the 300 ain't exactly a 430/530 or GTN, but it's a IFR GPS, if it's also got ILS capabilities, you got yourself a basic, but real world capable aircraft which burns very little fuel and is cheap to maintain.

 

IFR certified...
My bad...good IFR trainer/bad IFR flyer.

 

I agree with you on principle, but if the plane is as advertised, those planes are going for a little more. ANYTHING flying is going for 15k or so.

 

There is no mention of IFR on this plane. The asking is at $15.5K. With the SMOH less than 400 away, and knowing that it is as stated above, around 10k when that time comes, it almost seems logical to add the $10k to the cost of the plane now. There are several 150s out there for around $25k that are newer and with overhauls just completed. What to do, what to do?

Thanks for jumping on this so quick.

 

At the asking I would want a thorough pre purchase,and factor in an overhaul sooner than later.

 

Yes, definitely factor in the overhaul, especially if you don't know when it was last done or if it was done more than 12 years ago. On the other hand if you are already spending 25K, you could get a mid-time PA28-140, or a high-time 180 (maybe) which is a better performer then the 150G. Some of those even have better GPS' installed.

@Mike Smith yep, true. If asking is 15.5K as @Bucket List said then it's priced about where it should be, which means the seller at least did some homework on value. I'd still try to talk it down to 14K on principle though (or less).

 

Likley a VFR owner, I'd run the N number and look up the owner. Lots of VFR folks don't understand what makes a plane IFR or VFR.

If that 300XL is installed properly, and it has all the other FAR IFR stuff, which it probably does, chances are it's just a $250 pitot static test and a jepp database update away from being a /G IFR plane.


Not many /G 150s, let alone /G 150s for less than a used Honda Civic.


For 15.5k, that ain't shabby if it's as represented.

If it was me as the seller, I'd advertise it better and not let it go for under 18k

If it was me as a buyer, I'd hit him a 11k and see how soft he is.

As for the overhaul, it's not a super expensive engine to overhaul, and if you're like 95% of GA pilots out there, it's going to take you ages to burn through 400 hours of TACH time, that's like 520hrs flight hours/logbook hours.

I wouldn't bother with the engine reserve hourly game, it's just that too, this is a pt91 ship.

Just get a heck of a prebuy done by a APIA worth his salt, ideally a APIA who's also a higher time pilot too.

 

Keep in mind also, TBO is a suggestion, not a mandate. If the engine is making power and not making metal you keep flying it, at least I would. Also, if you plan on keeping the airplane you will have to replace the engine one day anyway.

 

It even has the white panel over lays like mine did.

 

I don't often say this about 150s, but damn!

I'd jump on that, presuming a good prebuy and test flight, that seems like a really good deal, bonus points if you can get the guy to go under his already low price.

Baring anything popping up on prebuy/annual, that's a lot of plane for 15.5k. Half a decade you'll hit TBO, overhaul or sell or keep flying, average GA flyer you got plenty of time left of that mill and a sweet looking airframe.

Only thing is do, not very $$

Move the instruments around to get a six pack

Pitot static and transponder check

Database update, just to get it somewhat current, and get a subscription when you start on IFR

Maybe swap that bottom nav/com out for a smaller used king or something and add a nav head.

 

No shoulder harnesses.

 

Unless the engine has something hidden going on, and assuming you are looking for a 150, this is a fine airplane. Again assuming everything works.

 

When you put in your ADS-B you'll double your "investment."

 

How do you figure?

 

I think the quotes indicates sarcasm.

 

Oh, sarcasm! No, we don't get that here. Haven't had any sarcasm since about, uh, '93, when I was the only practitioner of it. And I stopped because I was tired of being stared at.

Cookies if you can guess the adjusted reference ;P

 

That looks like a good buy to me, Bucket List.

 

More info for your consideration.
The compressions were 68/73/70/70 cold. Attached is the log book entry from the last OH.

 

That's the overhaul, not the last annual.

 

Steve Martin

 

Yep!

 

That would be Job #1, at least in my book.

 

I have looked at that cookie no less than 10 times now. 11 times now. 12 times now.

 

Go buy it, Bucket List. I don't think you will find a better bargain.

 

I put Hooker harnesses in my '66G when I owned it, easy as getting out the checkbook. O200s in the 150s seem prone to stick a valve. Hoerner tips & strobes are another $1500 to $2k with fresh paint, those look nice. We leaned the crap out of it and I never had an issue. Do the same on my O300 with same result. The O200 has a situation with the carburetor wherein it can cause a stumble, especially on climb out. I need to find that reference someplace. Oh, and make sure all the case thru bolts are snug when the engine is cold, you don't want to have to helicoil a case that close to OH. I'd replace the stock visors with Rosens, add some Warren Gregoire yoke grips & call it good.

 

most recent annual

 

Just a follow up. The importance of pre-buy inspection was again learned with this plane. The inspection basically revealed a bad cylinder, through bolts that had been siliconed for years and continue to leak. An additional oil leak on the backside of the motor. Carb repairs not done correctly. Air frame repairs not noted in the log books and so on.

I flew up to DTW yesterday and looked at this plane (1970) here. TT2942 with STOH at 1083. Annual just completed on 6/30/16. I left leaving a deposit on it.
I purchased an I pad mini and added Foreflight Pro on it. As someone mentioned above, I am looking forward to bringing it home.

Thoughts or concerns are appreciated.

 

Very nice.. Congratulations!

 

Nice Airplane! Congratulations.

 

From DTW to SAV without incident.

 

Sweet!!! Congrats on the new purchase. Nice carpets, paint and a clean-looking panel.

 

Awesome, congrats on your new airplane. Plans with it? Time building?