$75k to spend

[Jimmy_Norton]

Hola,

Looking to get into the aircraft ownership game. Going to buy in with one partner, and our budget is $75k. Looking for something with 4 usable seats, faster than a 172, at least a basic autopilot and an IFR GPS. What are some options?

Some airplanes we are considering:

Beech Sierra
Piper Pathfinder/Early Dakota
Cherokee 6/260
Piper Arrow 200hp
Piper Archer (not much faster than a 172, I know)

What else?

 

[z987k]

182

 

[Roger Roger]

I’m always going to recommend the PA32 when it’s an option, but I think it might be difficult to find a decent one that is equipped how you want for that price.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Hola,

Looking to get into the aircraft ownership game. Going to buy in with one partner, and our budget is $75k. Looking for something with 4 usable seats, faster than a 172, at least a basic autopilot and an IFR GPS. What are some options?

Some airplanes we are considering:

Beech Sierra
Piper Pathfinder/Early Dakota
Cherokee 6/260
Piper Arrow 200hp
Piper Archer (not much faster than a 172, I know)

What else?

Hard to go wrong with the Arrow. You'll get reasonable speed (~135kts), about the same fuel burn as a 172, and a decent useful load. Since it doesn't burn much gas, you'll effectively get a better payload. Easy enough to fly that I would consider the AP optional.

Cherokee Six will be slightly faster, but burning nearly twice as much gas as the Arrow. Even with small passengers, in a P32R with 6 seats filled, you can't do much longer than 1 hour legs. And did I mention it burns a lot of gas?

If you are looking at an Archer, you'll be happier with the Arrow. Otherwise, you'll just be thinking about how slow it is (same a 172). They fly exactly the same.

 

[killbilly]

I like the Arrow, too, but wouldn't you get similar performance from a 182 with less complexity? (Gear)

I also hear great things about 177s, if you find a Cardinal with the bigger motor.

 

[Roger Roger]

Hard to go wrong with the Arrow. You'll get reasonable speed (~135kts), about the same fuel burn as a 172, and a decent useful load. Since it doesn't burn much gas, you'll effectively get a better payload. Easy enough to fly that I would consider the AP optional.

Cherokee Six will be slightly faster, but burning nearly twice as much gas as the Arrow. Even with small passengers, in a P32R with 6 seats filled, you can't do much longer than 1 hour legs. And did I mention it burns a lot of gas?

Wait are we talking P32R or -260? He only mentioned the 260 in the post, and those are all fixed gear. I don’t know about the 260, but the 300 would fill the seats, the baggage, and carry almost 4 hours of gas, or take 4 BIG dudes with all their stuff and the same fuel load. They won’t set any speed records though, and I think the very last -260 was built in like 78, so they’re kinda long in the tooth.

 

[Cessnaflyer]

What about a Debonair?

 

[CaptainYoda]

If it floats, flies, or fornicates.... rent it.

that said... if you really REALLY want to limit the money pit, go with fixed gear.
Archer is a good choice, with parts availability and simplicity.
After that I agree with the C182
Then, if you really want to, the Dakota.

I'd avoid Beech.

(maybe a C180?)

 

[Jimmy_Norton]

Thanks for the input all.

Haven't seen very many 182's in the $75k range that are in good shape. Most of the ones in that price range have run out engines, crappy radios and/or crappy P+I.

PA32-260's have better load than the -300's, most of them you can fill all 6 seats with full fuel. We will rarely have need for 6 seats, but the extra cabin width of the -32 would be really nice. But they do burn a ton of fuel.

Don't want a tail dragger.

Forgot about the Debonair. I'll look into that.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

I like the Arrow, too, but wouldn't you get similar performance from a 182 with less complexity? (Gear)

I also hear great things about 177s, if you find a Cardinal with the bigger motor.

The 182 is about 10kts slower than an Arrow, and burns more gas, for about the same payload. You'll pay more in insurance for the retractable gear, but make it up on fuel savings. I would go with the Arrow and at least be faster, as everything else will end up being a wash.

For the typical 200 mile X/C trip I'll do, the Arrow runs about $800 roundtrip vs $1,100 for a 182. While those are rental prices, I suspect they correlate closely to typical operating costs.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Wait are we talking P32R or -260? He only mentioned the 260 in the post, and those are all fixed gear. I don’t know about the 260, but the 300 would fill the seats, the baggage, and carry almost 4 hours of gas, or take 4 BIG dudes with all their stuff and the same fuel load. They won’t set any speed records though, and I think the very last -260 was built in like 78, so they’re kinda long in the tooth.

I've only flown the 300, both RG and fixed. I'd prefer the fixed gear, the 7% or so you give up in airspeed isn't worth the reduced useful load, IMHO.

 

[Roger Roger]

I've only flown the 300, both RG and fixed. I'd prefer the fixed gear, the 7% or so you give up in airspeed isn't worth the reduced useful load, IMHO.

Yah, payload and simplicity are the strong suits of the PA32. Speed not so much.

 

[Deleted member 27505]

Hola,

Looking to get into the aircraft ownership game. Going to buy in with one partner, and our budget is $75k. Looking for something with 4 usable seats, faster than a 172, at least a basic autopilot and an IFR GPS. What are some options?

Some airplanes we are considering:

Beech Sierra
Piper Pathfinder/Early Dakota
Cherokee 6/260
Piper Arrow 200hp
Piper Archer (not much faster than a 172, I know)

What else?

C170. But don't go and eff up the market with a stooopid offer.

 

[Flyinthrew]

I hope this doesn't sound off the wall, but you can get a decent old Mooney in that price range. It sips gas and goes fast on the same motor as the Arrow. I've made a couple of 400 mile trips with my family of 4 and luggage (5 as of last week, that puts a wrinkle in the plan), and I always physically laugh out loud when I see how little fuel I burned. The trip has never taken me more than 3+15.

The annual is generally in the same price range as an Arrow. I kinda hate both getting in and the cockpit ergonomics, but these were not priorities in the 60s-70s.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I second the Mooney as long as you don’t need to carry four fill-sized adults. There’s no better single engine airplane for my money. Goes fast, looks sexy, sips gas.

 

[milleR]

I second the Mooney as long as you don’t need to carry four fill-sized adults. There’s no better single engine airplane for my money. Goes fast, looks sexy, sips gas.

I don’t know about the longer bodies, but there was no physical way to get 4 full grown men in the E model I used to fly. We did 3 a couple times, but the backseat passenger was pretty miserable (6’ maybe 200lbs). But 150 knots on 8-10 gph was pretty awesome.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I don’t know about the longer bodies, but there was no physical way to get 4 full grown men in the E model I used to fly. We did 3 a couple times, but the backseat passenger was pretty miserable (6’ maybe 200lbs). But 150 knots on 8-10 gph was pretty awesome.

Longer bodied models can easily take the full size man in the backseat, but none of them will take two. It’s really more of a three people or two poeple and two kids airplane. But it’s great at that.

 

[trafficinsight]

The 182 is about 10kts slower than an Arrow, and burns more gas, for about the same payload. You'll pay more in insurance for the retractable gear, but make it up on fuel savings. I would go with the Arrow and at least be faster, as everything else will end up being a wash.

For the typical 200 mile X/C trip I'll do, the Arrow runs about $800 roundtrip vs $1,100 for a 182. While those are rental prices, I suspect they correlate closely to typical operating costs.

Whenever I wanted to get somewhere as cheaply as possible I'd rent the Arrow.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

[Jimmy_Norton]

C170. But don't go and eff up the market with a stooopid offer.

I don’t want a taildragger

I hope this doesn't sound off the wall, but you can get a decent old Mooney in that price range. It sips gas and goes fast on the same motor as the Arrow. I've made a couple of 400 mile trips with my family of 4 and luggage (5 as of last week, that puts a wrinkle in the plan), and I always physically laugh out loud when I see how little fuel I burned. The trip has never taken me more than 3+15.

The annual is generally in the same price range as an Arrow. I kinda hate both getting in and the cockpit ergonomics, but these were not priorities in the 60s-70s.

Mooneys are too small, I’m a big fat.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I promise you’re not fatter than me. I had a short bodied Mooney and loved it.