Advice on buying a 182

Well, Peter TRIED to help you by asking what year, and you said you didn't
know, that you had a $$$ constraint. Well, then take that dollar constraint
to the TradeAPlane blue book and give us a RANGE of years. Some expensive
ADs come with some years and not others. You will get good information
based on the information YOU provide.

You MIGHT consider a rather elderly one so that you can park in the classic
spot at Oshkosh and (if you live in California) pay no personal property
tax.

Jim

Robbie,
I bought a 1968 Skylane with Cessna Radios for 59K. It had 180hrs on an
overhaul and 1380 total time. I painted it, put an interior in it, 2 Nav
Coms and a Garmin GPS155XL approach GPS. I flew it 1100 hrs in 4.5 yrs and
sold it for 73K to a guy that put a new engine in it. I put 3 cylinders on
it and a starter adapter over the course of 4.5 yrs. I got my instrument
rating in the 182 and I don't think that it was bad on maintenance at all.
Moved on to a twin or I never would have sold the 182. Get the 182 buyers
guide from CPA and find an A&P that knows about 182s to do the pre-buy
inspection. Old paint doesnt make it a bad airplane and pretty paint doesnt
make it a good airplane.

Mark Manes
N28409
WC5I


"Robbie S." wrote in message
...
I am thinking of buying a Cessna Skylane 182. Any caveats that I need to
pay attention to ? Any experiences, good or bad ? Any serious maintenance
issues ?

Thanks.

Robbie.

Dear God, stay away from the retractable ones!

I owned a 1974 P model from 1979 to 1986. It was a real good airplane. The
main trouble I had was water in the fuel system. Water was found in the fuel
tank on every pre-flight inspection. My present 1974 M model 172 has never
had any water found in the fuel system.
My 182's wings didn't have much dihedral and the fuel tank bladders had
wrinkles in the bottom and would prevent the water from effectively draining
to the drain sumps. An advisory was issued to preflight the fuel system by
jacking each wheel up one side at a time while having the tail tied down.
This was to help move the fuel toward the drains. The gascalator was not in
the lowest position of the fuel system. One time, after a two hour flight,
the engine quit on final and lots of water was found in the gascalator. An
advisory came out also to have the wrinkles in the tank smoothed out by
openning the fuel cap panel area and rub out the wrinkles. And a change in
the fuel cap design came out during those years, too. Other 182 owners I
talked to during those years never had this problem.
A job change was the reason I sold my 182. I should have figured out a way
to keep it.
Tom
"Robbie S." wrote in message
...
I am thinking of buying a Cessna Skylane 182. Any caveats that I need to
pay attention to ? Any experiences, good or bad ? Any serious maintenance
issues ?

Thanks.

Robbie.

Your main problem was the water getting in. I have never seen water in
my nearly 7 years of ownership. You must have the original flush caps
removed. I have the small rasied Cessna caps. The other option is the
hideously ugly Monarch caps.



Tom Cummings wrote:

I owned a 1974 P model from 1979 to 1986. It was a real good airplane. The
main trouble I had was water in the fuel system. Water was found in the fuel
tank on every pre-flight inspection. My present 1974 M model 172 has never
had any water found in the fuel system.
My 182's wings didn't have much dihedral and the fuel tank bladders had
wrinkles in the bottom and would prevent the water from effectively draining
to the drain sumps. An advisory was issued to preflight the fuel system by
jacking each wheel up one side at a time while having the tail tied down.
This was to help move the fuel toward the drains. The gascalator was not in
the lowest position of the fuel system. One time, after a two hour flight,
the engine quit on final and lots of water was found in the gascalator. An
advisory came out also to have the wrinkles in the tank smoothed out by
openning the fuel cap panel area and rub out the wrinkles. And a change in
the fuel cap design came out during those years, too. Other 182 owners I
talked to during those years never had this problem.
A job change was the reason I sold my 182. I should have figured out a way
to keep it.
Tom
"Robbie S." wrote in message
...

I am thinking of buying a Cessna Skylane 182. Any caveats that I need to
pay attention to ? Any experiences, good or bad ? Any serious maintenance
issues ?

Thanks.

Robbie.

"Robbie S." wrote in message
...
I am thinking of buying a Cessna Skylane 182. Any caveats that I need to
pay attention to ? Any experiences, good or bad ? Any serious maintenance
issues ?

Thanks.

Robbie.


The Maintenance issues are a big it depends.

Depends on the engine and airframe, the age, the condition, the pilot skill,
and the mechanical interest of the owner. Okay, not much help, but here is
some more to chew on:

If you don't like using a wrench, there is a limit to how old, and what
models you should buy.

I don't know your budget, but unless you take a serious interest in the
maintenance and do much of your own, you might take a look at a nearly new
model (S or T). If you really do want to get seriously involved, older is
fine, and you will be a better pilot. If you only want to know and do a
limited amount, newer is better. If you want to toss the keys and say "fix
it" you should buy new or a fractional.

Nearly new or new is 2 to 3 times the price, but not that much more cost to
own and operate, especially in a partnership. Also, there is nothing like
having a warranty still left on a plane that you can have everything fixed
on before it lapses. Then, you can save nearly what you are paying in
interest payments on maintenance.

As I have said before, folks on this board are not the norm or average.
There are guys here that can and do fly seriously cheap. There are more
hear who don't keep track of all the bucks. There are likely very few of
the "fix it" types, but thank God for them, or where would we get the used
planes!

Robert M. Gary wrote:
Dear God, stay away from the retractable ones!

Mostly, stay away from ones with engines; they can stop running.

"Doug Carter" wrote in message
m...
Robert M. Gary wrote:
Dear God, stay away from the retractable ones!

Mostly, stay away from ones with engines; they can stop running.

Or the ones with tires; they can go flat, or worse, blow out when touching
down. I recommend skies or skids as in a helicopter.

I have some more info now.... I have found a 1966 182J..... Any good/bad
things of note on this model.....

Thanks.

....Robbie.


"Robbie S." wrote in message
...
I am thinking of buying a Cessna Skylane 182. Any caveats that I need to
pay attention to ? Any experiences, good or bad ? Any serious maintenance
issues ?

Thanks.

Robbie.

("Matt Barrow" wrote)
Dear God, stay away from the retractable ones!

Mostly, stay away from ones with engines; they can stop running.

Or the ones with tires; they can go flat, or worse, blow out when touching
down. I recommend skies or skids as in a helicopter.


I'd stay away from the helicopter skids, which at ANE must be landed on
the yellow carts.

http://www.kstptv5.com/article/stories/s6096.html


Montblack