Buying recently rebuilt or fixing one up?

I am currently taking flying lessons. I would like to own my own
aircraft and have been considering various options.
I am currently training in a 152 and I think a 150 or 152 would be a
fun first plane to build time with.
The 150/152's that appear to be in good condition seem to be in the
35k range while ones that seem a little more used up are in the 15-20k
range.
I am just wondering if it would be better buy a good condition ready
to fly aircraft for 35k or go for a less expensive one and put 20-25k
into getting it fixed up.

My thought is with the fixer up route, I would have a better idea of
what I am starting with once it is fixed up. I may not know with one I
would pay 35k for and fly away with. The plan would be to fly the
aircraft for a few years and then trade up.

I can't believe anybody spends $35K on a 152. That's just nuts. If
you're just trying to build time and just have to have a 150/152 there's
lots of them out there for $15K that will give years of good service. A
friend of mine just bought a 60 172 in Boise for $18K. It's over TBO
but all compressions are mid 70's. Interior is great(if you don't mind
plaid) and the radios are average. Again if you're looking to build
time this would be a great aircraft. He has it up for sale on
barnstormers for $23K. Seven ads above that is a 56 172 with an asking
price of $22K, IFR equipped if that matters to you. Throw the guy a
price of about $19K and I bet you'll be a new plane owner. No way I
**** away money on a 150/152 when you can get something useful in a 172
for $20K. Even if you bought 6 new cylinders you're still in it for a
lot less than a 152.





wrote:
I am currently taking flying lessons. I would like to own my own
aircraft and have been considering various options.
I am currently training in a 152 and I think a 150 or 152 would be a
fun first plane to build time with.
The 150/152's that appear to be in good condition seem to be in the
35k range while ones that seem a little more used up are in the 15-20k
range.
I am just wondering if it would be better buy a good condition ready
to fly aircraft for 35k or go for a less expensive one and put 20-25k
into getting it fixed up.

My thought is with the fixer up route, I would have a better idea of
what I am starting with once it is fixed up. I may not know with one I
would pay 35k for and fly away with. The plan would be to fly the
aircraft for a few years and then trade up.

"Newps" wrote in message
. ..
I can't believe anybody spends $35K on a 152. That's just nuts. If you're
just trying to build time and just have to have a 150/152 there's lots of
them out there for $15K that will give years of good service. A friend of
mine just bought a 60 172 in Boise for $18K. It's over TBO but all
compressions are mid 70's. Interior is great(if you don't mind plaid) and
the radios are average. Again if you're looking to build time this would
be a great aircraft. He has it up for sale on barnstormers for $23K.
Seven ads above that is a 56 172 with an asking price of $22K, IFR equipped
if that matters to you. Throw the guy a price of about $19K and I bet
you'll be a new plane owner. No way I **** away money on a 150/152 when
you can get something useful in a 172 for $20K. Even if you bought 6 new
cylinders you're still in it for a lot less than a 152.





wrote:
I am currently taking flying lessons. I would like to own my own
aircraft and have been considering various options.
I am currently training in a 152 and I think a 150 or 152 would be a
fun first plane to build time with.
The 150/152's that appear to be in good condition seem to be in the
35k range while ones that seem a little more used up are in the 15-20k
range.
I am just wondering if it would be better buy a good condition ready
to fly aircraft for 35k or go for a less expensive one and put 20-25k
into getting it fixed up.

My thought is with the fixer up route, I would have a better idea of
what I am starting with once it is fixed up. I may not know with one I
would pay 35k for and fly away with. The plan would be to fly the
aircraft for a few years and then trade up.


6 Cyl con's good engines also!!! Wish I had 19k liquid.

wrote:
I am currently taking flying lessons. I would like to own my own
aircraft and have been considering various options.
I am currently training in a 152 and I think a 150 or 152 would be a
fun first plane to build time with.

Nothing wrong with a 150/152 if that's really what you want. I agree
with Newps that spending $35K on a 150/152 is nuts.

Many people find that after they've had the ticket for a short time,
their mission profile is not what they had thought it would be. I'd
suggest renting for a while and trying out different aircraft types,
high-wing, low-wing, 2-seat, 4-seat, simple, complex, etc. and you'll
have a better idea what you want. The instruction that you get in
checking out in the different types is likely to be useful down the
road, too, regardless of the type you end up buying.

If there's a club nearby with a variety of airplanes, that's a good
solution.

My opinion of the 150/152 is that it makes a good trainer, but its
utility as a personal airplane is limited, unless what you like doing is
the same old things you've been doing as a student. Its limited range
and speed is likely to be frustrating as your intended mission evolves.

I think for most new pilots the sweet spot for purchasing is the simple
fixed-pitch, non-retractable 4-seat single, like a 172, Cherokee,
Sundowner, Tiger, etc.

Just my opinion, worth what you paid. Everybody's different.

Get the fixer-upper after you find a good A&P/IA willing to work with you on
owner repair and owner assisted annuals. In two years you will know more
about airplanes than renters with ten years and a thousand hours under their
belts.

That is, if you don't mind grease under your fingernails {;-)

Jim

--
"If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."
--Henry Ford


wrote in message
oups.com...

I am currently taking flying lessons. I would like to own my own
aircraft

I am early in my training and have not even soloed yet. I would not
even consider buying anything until after I have earned my
certificate. So sometime next year would probably be the earliest that
I would be seriously looking. I do agree that what I may want to own
as a first aircraft may change as my training progresses.

I am curious about the comment by newps about flying an aircraft where
the engine is past its TBO. Even if the compression is good, aren't
you taking a chance that something else may be getting worn out.
Maybe I am misunderstanding what TBO means.



On Aug 25, 8:41 pm, wrote:
I am currently taking flying lessons. I would like to own my own
aircraft and have been considering various options.
I am currently training in a 152 and I think a 150 or 152 would be a
fun first plane to build time with.
The 150/152's that appear to be in good condition seem to be in the
35k range while ones that seem a little more used up are in the 15-20k
range.
I am just wondering if it would be better buy a good condition ready
to fly aircraft for 35k or go for a less expensive one and put 20-25k
into getting it fixed up.

My thought is with the fixer up route, I would have a better idea of
what I am starting with once it is fixed up. I may not know with one I
would pay 35k for and fly away with. The plan would be to fly the
aircraft for a few years and then trade up.

On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:22:30 -0700, wrote:

I am curious about the comment by newps about flying an aircraft where
the engine is past its TBO. Even if the compression is good, aren't
you taking a chance that something else may be getting worn out.
Maybe I am misunderstanding what TBO means.


http://www.avweb.com/news/savvyaviat...9524 1-1.html

(may require free registration at avweb)

The Deakin and Busch columns are required reading for owners.





randall g =%^) PPASEL+Night 1974 Cardinal RG
http://www.telemark.net/randallg
Lots of aerial photographs of British Columbia at:
http://www.telemark.net/randallg/photos.htm
Vancouver's famous Kat Kam: http://www.katkam.ca

wrote:
I am early in my training and have not even soloed yet. I would not
even consider buying anything until after I have earned my
certificate. So sometime next year would probably be the earliest that
I would be seriously looking. I do agree that what I may want to own
as a first aircraft may change as my training progresses.


Probably not. During PPL training you are fixated on getting your
ticket. Getting a 172 now is not out of the question. A 172 that is
reasonably well maintained is like money. They are very easy to get rid
of if you decide you don't want it. Hell, I want one as a second plane.
They are so simple a machine and dirt cheap to operate, especially if
you can run mogas like we can here in Montana. It isn't until after you
get your ticket and start venturing out that you will start to realize
what it is what you want from a plane.



I am curious about the comment by newps about flying an aircraft where
the engine is past its TBO. Even if the compression is good, aren't
you taking a chance that something else may be getting worn out.
Maybe I am misunderstanding what TBO means.


You take the chance every time you start the engine, regardless of
engine time. The engine on my Bonanza last August was at about 700
SMOH. One of the cylinders suffered a barrel/head separation. Due to
an unbelievably lucky sequence of events I got six new Milleniums and
installation for free. With an engine like what is on an older 172 I
would run it until it tells you it needs to be overhauled. Good
compressions, not leaking/burning oil, etc, keep flying.

Excellent article.
I have bookmarked the index for the other articles and look forward to
reading them.

On Aug 26, 7:29 pm, randall g wrote:
On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:22:30 -0700, wrote:
I am curious about the comment by newps about flying an aircraft where
the engine is past its TBO. Even if the compression is good, aren't
you taking a chance that something else may be getting worn out.
Maybe I am misunderstanding what TBO means.

http://www.avweb.com/news/savvyaviat..._how_risky_is_...

(may require free registration at avweb)

The Deakin and Busch columns are required reading for owners.

randall g =%^) PPASEL+Night 1974 Cardinal RGhttp://www.telemark.net/randallg
Lots of aerial photographs of British Columbia at:http://www.telemark.net/randallg/photos.htm
Vancouver's famous Kat Kam:http://www.katkam.ca

wrote
....
I am early in my training and have not even soloed yet. I would not
even consider buying anything until after I have earned my
certificate.

Why not? I bought my 182 before I had my Private.

Jon