Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes Buying a plane on eBay

Yes it is possible to find a deal and a great aircraft on ebay. Everybody knows her as "Maggie Mae" November 2006 airplane of the month!!!But be careful Our plane came from Henderson NV. and we are in Franklin In. Just got lucky.

Here's a tip, Larry!

At the top of the thread is a box marked "Topic Options". Open it and select "Switch To Flat Mode". I think you'll enjoy the conversational flow more than "Threaded Mode", which is apparently the forum's default mode.

Oh! And, did I say "Welcome"?

Larry,

I bought both my 150's on eBay. The first had a high time airframe and needed some work done, but for about $2000.00 I replaced the rudder pedals, mixture and interior plastic. The cost was $16,000, plus my two and I sold it two years later for $24,000. It did look allot better when I sold it. The second was a nice airplane I bought for $24,000. It had new glass, a new interior, and new paint, a mid time engine and low time airframe. I recommend a prebuy inspection and I would ask the seller if he will make the final purchase contingent on the inspection. Both of the sellers in my case where more than willing. If they aren't, don't bid on their airplane.

EBay, IMHO, is a great place to buy planes (and cars) for a good price. It will also give you a feel for what an airplane is really worth and what you can get for it when you want to sell it later.

Good luck!

Larry
Look for plane in the country of Texas, Hire an A&P that we all trust to do the prebuy. come over in July and fly around for a few weeks (to see what the King use to have) go to Clinton, then ship the plane home.
John KLWM

p.s. Welcome to the greatest club on earth

Hello Larry,

I purchased a plane through Trade-A-Plane online--similar to E-Bay really...and did just fine. I put some money down with the mutual understanding that if the plane was not as advertised I could back out. I knew I was getting a high-time plane with the understanding I'd do an overhaul, but wanted a good, solid plane in other respects as well, that was IFR.

Not sure all E-Bay deals are like this, but you can find good deals.

My buddy Fred, who I fly with all the time and who is also a member of this club, just purchased his 1975 C-150M on E-Bay in Nov of 2007, and it has been the most trouble-free of all the Cessna's that fly here with us in the KEYSTONE FLIGHT on the East Coast. He just finished his first annual with almost no discrepencies!

I noticed you are from the UK! Assuming you purchase outside the Kingdom, I take it you will have it shipped there?

Best of luck...and if you find any in our areas, perhaps you could ask some of us to check the aircraft out for you for another opinion. If you'd like to travel here to the East Coast, let me know and we can put you up for a time...we hosted a Brit from Cambridge this last summer who was hear coaching soccer for a time - very nice visit.

Warm Regards from Carlisle, PA.

Mike Marra

Sounds like a good plan that. But I've never heard of a country named Texas - 'cept in the history books.

I like your suggestion Bill - make an agreement beforehand that the sale is contingent on a pre-buy inspection in the way that most aircraft sales work.

Larry,
I have never purchased an airplane on eBay. I have however sold some high dollar custom cars there. None of the cars went to the closing date. The buyers called me and we made our deals just as if the auction was a classified ad.

An approach to buying an airplane listed on eBay is to simply treat it as any other classified ad; give the seller a call and make a deal or walk away.

Last Jan I purchased my 1976 Cessna 150M from Ebay:
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N9232U.html

This happens to be the finest Cessna 150 on the planet (you
know we are all Kings in our own minds).

I drove about 6 hours each way to take a look at the plane.
Just remember pictures are not the same a reality. I would
definately get a prebuy and look at the plane with my own eyes.
Once the cash changes hands it's yours good or bad.

Thanks for the splash of cold water Wayne.

It is just an ad. And, I'll try not to get too bound up with some sense of being locked into an auction.