Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes Buying away from home: How'd you do it?

Thanks for the tips and stories, gang. Keep 'em comin'!

Carl, I'm not clear on where your mechanic's pre-buy fit into the picture. Did you fly him up before you bought the plane, or did he do his inspection after you bought it, with the seller making good on squawks post-sale?

Being a renter, I really don't know any A/P guys. I suppose that, for local or close-by purchases, I'd find out who my FBO uses and try to get them to do the pre-buy. But for long-distance sales, I'd probably have to dig up a reputable mechanic there, which sounds like pretty much a crapshoot.

- Jeff

But for long-distance sales, I'd probably have to dig up a reputable mechanic there, which sounds like pretty much a crapshoot

Club members are everywhere and we all have our AP/AI's that we know and use. Finding one close should not be an issue.

Jeff, what years are you interested in? Totally rebuilt and repainted 1973 at my home airport. He now owns 2 planes and the 150 is for sale. The guy defected and went low wing.

I am my mechanic! At the time I first asked Tom about it, I was considering having a third party near him look at the plane. After getting quick and honest answers from Tom, and feeling reassured, I did my research and bolstered my own confidence. There's not that many discrepancies that can be hidden on a 150, if you know what to look for and how to find them!

As Dale already said, we have club members all over the nation. If you find a plane for sale far from you, chances are it's close to one of us. I (and several others) have checked out planes for sale at members' request. It's not a full-on inspection, but at least let's you know whether or not it's worth the trip. Plus, since most of us have a plane already, we're not likely to buy it out from under you <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

Just ask - this forum is full of some very helpful people!

Yeah, what Kirk said.

I'm in the Dallas Fort Worth area. Anything reasonably close and I'll be your Huckleberry (heard it in a movie once) .

You're not alone in looking all across the country. We're everywhere, just like the 4400...

I know what you did last summer...

Yea!!! Went to Clinton right.

I had a beer. I think it was in Iowa, somewhere. I think I was playing the guitar, but I can't remember.

And, who's this Ed guy ?????

Yep, Clinton, IA. Looking forward to next year already.

Oh, I am already planning for next year.

Heh. Heh. Heh.

I live near Toronto, and bought my 150 from a fellow near Winnipeg (about 1000 miles) through a broker. I had a AME (airplane mechanic)who had never serviced the aircraft do a pre-buy for me, and then make the repairs/maintenance required. (I picked him by asking a local maintenance organization that took care of the flight school who they would recommend).

The only drawback was that we waited about three months for a part -- which meant that I took posession in January instead of October. I flew commercial to Winnipeg, spent a day in the logs, a day in some local flying before accepting possession, and then flew it home in the (very) cold weather.

In retrospect, I should have insisted that they windshield be changed as it was fairly crazed, but we did that in this year's annual -- and as of writing this there is nothing that the mechanic here wants us to do.

Happily there have been no surprises, just some wearable components -- new scat hoses, beef up the baffles, replace the engine mount bushings, replace the (old and hard) fuel tank cross-over hoses, replace a worn mixture cable, replace the pull start cable, etc

My first annual was $1600, the second $1400 and this year was $1600 including the windshield. (Canadian dollars.) I assist each year.

I've attached a pic.

Reg