Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes Negotiating defects after Pre-purchase inspection

I?m looking at 1975 Cessna 150M.

6700hrs total airframe, 50hrs Since Major, and a 2 year old backyard paint job. The annual was completed in October. Avionics and Radios are average.

Asking price was $32500.00Canadian. On the original purchase offer, I offered $2500 less then the asking price subject to an inspection, I.e $30,000. The offer was accepted.

The aircraft was delivered for inspection by the owner?s AME. When the aircraft arrived for the flight test portion of the inspection the owner?s AME informed us that the battery was toast and he had to hand prop the aircraft to get it started. The radio wasn?t working for him and he had to come in NORDO.

Ground inspection of the aircraft revealed that the carpets had been replaced with regular house carpet, i.e. probably not officially airworthy, The logs only go back to 2002 and the battery was not only dead but the battery box itself was totally full of corrosion. A battery charger was hooked up for 24hrs and the battery seemed to hold that charge for the flight test. In air testing showed that the EGT gauge and ADF were not working.

Now an AME has yet to look at the plane, however, I assuming that he will find a few more snags and squawks.

So my question is, would you accept the aircraft as is and accept the cost of fixing these minor items yourself, or would you go back to the broker and say hey these items are deficient can we subtract them from the price of the aircraft?

I know it really all depends. If it is one minor item then I would eat the cost. However, the tough part comes as each minor item is added to the list. At what point do you say whoa maybe the seller should pony for some of these repairs.

If it was my plane I was selling I would probably say I would cover every snag that was found but I understand that?s just me and not everyone thinks the same way.

As a first time buyer I could use some feed back on this.

Do a 180 and run as fast as you can. I wouldn't consider this aircraft for anywhere near the asking price, if at all.

There are way too may 150's available

Doug Prange
N11944

I presume that you are emotionally involved.

Because if you weren't, you would run.

Without the logs, the pre-inspection process will
be grossly incomplete.

At a minimum, put on the brakes until you get the logs.

But you know, without doing much of anything, you've found a bunch of reasons to bail.

I have a feeling that any additional time or money spent
on this airplane will come to a bad end.

I would probably vote for walk too. Couple of items.

The battery is cooking as your problem is related to charging. Otherwise, once the airplane was started, electrics would have probably functioned properly.

Logs to 2002, no, this is not acceptable. Your AME would have to rebuild them from scratch. Household Carpet, hmmm whats next, stove bolts from Lows to hold the wings on?

A truly well kept airplane is one that the owner is meticulous about the paperwork and practices. I could have used automotive leather and carpet in mine, but guess what...I didn't option for aviation products. Same with repairs. The crop-duster mechanics I was using often would get frustrated with me when I said...NO, no baling wire please, order the certified part.

But when I sold the airplane and the buyer looked me in the eye (and whomever he flies with in the future). I know I did everything in my power to make the airplane 100% airworthy.

I too would encourage you to can the deal. ESPECIALLY if the log issue was not brought up from the git-go.

Wow I'm surprised at the number of people who suggested I walk. I wasn't considering a walk just yet so maybe that means I am emotionally involved.

Just to clarify that?s $30,000 Canadian = 22,000USD for the plane. That?s with a brand Overhaul on the Engine and relatively new paint, non professional mind you.

The generator was putting out fine and I do believe it was just a battery issue. The battery will be replaced if I buy the aircraft. The radio seems to work fine now that the battery was charged up.

The logs are a bit of an issue. . . Only two years of life is a bit nasty I?ll have to look into this further.

Thanks for the heads up.

Putting the price into US dollars helps.

Something that you'll find as you go along is that the paperwork is worth more than the airplane.

No logs = No sale

Also, be VERY careful about how much you discount
whatever problems you find.

Things that seem like "nothing" are almost always VERY expensive.

Examples: price out a new battery box
price out some legit carpeting
price out a battery

If the battery was really discharged, it's damaged.
It might seem OK. It isn't. Been there.
Wayne will tell you the same.

Anywho, this is why I suggest that new buyers find "a buying buddy". A buying buddy is another owner, preferably with 150/152 experience, who isn't emotionally involved.

The aircraft will go in for the final AME inspection tomorrow. And I'll have a final report with a price tag to fix everything up by Friday.

As far as the logs go. I'm still undecided as to whether it's a walking issue or a negotiation issue. I do agree they are very important. And of course a plane with full logs is always preferable.

Kevin,

It's your money. Feel free to waste it.

A big part of any inspection is an inspection of the paperwork. The paper is compared to the airplane
and vice versa.

It's huge.

Don't know what else to say.

Full logs are a HUGE VALUE (read: part of the price) of a plane.
With out the last 2 years of the logs how do you know it's
only got 50 hrs SMOH? and if the MOH was done more than 2 years ago...
Only 50 hrs in more than 2 years time
is not a real good thing to do to an engine.

Just my opinion for what it's worth.
Ron

Are all the logs missing or just the airframe logs? That plane could have been trashed 20 years ago and you'll never know without the logs. Why are the log(s) missing??