Holy cow, Cessna 150 prices are all over the place! The club classifieds and ASO are pretty predictable, but Trade-A-Plane has HUGE fluctuations. Some planes that seem nicer than mine are priced lower, and others that don't seem as nice are priced higher.
Here's my dilemma: most of the planes comparable to mine have pretty paint, which seems to be more important to many buyers than engine time, interior, etc.
I'm inclined to leave my paint as is (old, cracked, faded), so people who know what they're looking at can see what they're getting.
However, if I can spend a few hundred dollars on a "hangar paint job" to impress a larger field of prospective buyers... should I?
I've always figured a crummy paint job is worse than no paint at all.
"Now I must hurry on, for there they go... and I am their leader"
I'm inclined to leave my paint as is (old, cracked, faded), so people who know what they're looking at can see what they're getting.
Just the type of seller that I would be in search of if I was in the market for a different airplane. What do I think of when I see a fresh new paint job on an airplane just put up for sale? What is the seller trying to hide??? Shiny new paint tells me to pass this one by.
Here's my dilemma: most of the planes comparable to mine have pretty paint, which seems to be more important to many buyers than engine time, interior, etc.
Gotta remember, there are a whole lot of uninformed buyers out there when it comes to the 150. As you have seen mentioned here, they are driven by emotion and/or lust, more than good sense, so to me, I would paint it. Which reminds me, I need to touch up the paint on my Cherokee before someone looks at it....shoot...I forgot about that.
Anyway, I have a different perspective. I have a fairly good eye for paint quality and how it was done due to my couple of years in body shop, so I do look at paint is another expense I don't have to deal with. But....it by itself does not make or break a deal one way or the other for me.
All valid points! Lipstick does sell, but might hide a cankor sore! When buying, I prefer the original paint, regardless of condition, so I know nothing is hidden (I won't buy "new paint" less than 2 years old, and that's no guarantee either). Old paint also lowers the price to a more affordable range and gives me more options. But, like Jeff, I have a little experience, so I would plan on painting the plane myself later for additional savings and value.
As a seller, lipstick sells! If I can paint it myself, do a good job (important), and save money in the process, I could wind up with more money in my pocket. But will it be enough to make repainting worth my while? If I pay a shop $5,000 to paint the bird, it's unlikely to raise the value of the bird any more than that, so the only real advantage might be a quicker sale (if they don't take too long to paint it, or find additional problems). Either way, plenty of before and after pictures and documentation might help quiet any prospective buyers fears about what's under the lipsti ...... er ..... new paint.
To me (as a mechanic), good mechanical condition and the ability to pass anybody's pre-buy or annual inspection is much more important than paint, whether buying or selling. If I weren't mechanically inclined, I'd have to depend on someone else for a mechanical evaluation, and good paint and interior would likely be the first thing I'd be attracted to!
It's all really the same as buying or selling a used car!
It all depends on the experience level of the buyer, and how fast the seller can talk!
Completely agree with Carl. I would paint the plane but take detailed pics before and during the paint process (i.e. after stripping). Paint definitely catches a buys eye first!
That being said, how cheap can one get a "descent" paint job done for? Descent, not fantastic. I'm looking at well maintained 150 with low hours but original 1974 paint. May be able to get a great deal on it, but would want to paint it after purchase. Nothing too fancy, just respectable. Anyone know if this can be done for <$3000? I've sprayed boats rebuilding them. Wouldn't think a plane would be much different. The stripping would be the hardest part. Anyone do this themselves before?
Completely agree with Carl. I would paint the plane but take detailed pics before and during the paint process (i.e. after stripping). Paint definitely catches a buys eye first!
Hey John! How much more would you have paid for 72G if it had come with a new $5,000+ paint job?
Last edited by Grants_Pass_Bill; 09/06/0611:14 PM.
However, if I can spend a few hundred dollars on a "hangar paint job" to impress a larger field of prospective buyers... should I?
A few hundred dollars might buy you the paint. If you don't strip it and paint over the old, cracked paint, it will show, bad, for just what it is, a cheap paint job.
True, shine sells, no doubt about it. Unless the paint is alot worse than the pic looks, I'd consider a good compound and polish job, let the new buyer decide if he wants to spend five grand on a decent paint job.
Don't know where you are, but in this part of the country (south central), Mena, Arkansas, seems to be the paint capital for airplanes. A little over a year ago I was looking at a C-150 that needed paint badly and I had the same question you now have. I got a quote from one of the Mena companies for a "sand and paint" same colors and same paint scheme for about $3,200 I believe. I have the name of the company and the contact info at work. If you're interested, I can email it to you tomorrow.
. I got a quote from one of the Mena companies for a "sand and paint" same colors and same paint scheme for about $3,200 I believe. Don
I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in Calif. a QUALITY paint job will run between $8K-$10K for a Cessna 150, and that's doing it correctly- total strip, acid wash, alodine, epoxy primer and then the color coats. This price usually includes the fiberglass/plastic parts repair work( cracks, etc.) i.e. wheel pants, wing tips,and so on. Some shops will suggest doing a windshield R&R if needed to save marring the paint later when the retaining strip is removed. Two shops I'm looking at have about a year or so waiting list, and I've seen many examples of their finished work. BEAUTIFUL! $3200 for a "scratch & shoot"? Well, you get what you pay for. -Brian
