I'm trying to decide what is a fair price for this aircraft. I looked at
the asking price of 74 Archers in Trade-a-Plane and saw prices ranging from
the high 40's to the high 50's. I used the TAP estimator and came up with
about 52K. This plane is in good condition in and out, has older avionics,
an autopilot, com/nav1is an old bendix unit that seems to barely work,
com/nav2 is a newer King unit that seems to work well, it has an ADF, mode
C xponder, 4 place intercom, a King DME, EGT, g meter, and the rest of the
stuff you would expect. It has marker beacons but they don't seem to work.
It has about 3100 hours TTAF and 1000 hrs since engine overhaul (service
limits).
The aircraft shows a bit of damage history a long time ago when it was
landed on the nose gear and some of the gear parts where replaced and a
motor mount piece straightened. Cylinder 1 has been oscillating in the 70
to 74 range ever since the overhaul. The other 3 Cylinders seem to run
around 76 to 78. Looks like a couple of reocurring AD's are coming due
soon, AD 96 12 07 (something about impulse couplings) and AD 98 02 08
(crankshaft corrosion check?). At 10,000 feet with I think only a little
wind the DME was indication about 118 knots flying towards the station and
about 114 in the opposite direction.
The owner had supposedly checked with a local salesman and was given the
impression it would sell for 70K. I think the salesman was perhaps a bit
misleading.

Anyone familiar with what is involved with these AD's? Does the performance
sound reasonable for a 74 Archer? Would a stable but lower reading on
cylinder 1 normally be a warning flag?
Does 52K sound like a reasonable price?

--
Mike