Advertised my 7ECA on Barnstormers and got a lots of calls and e-mail. 60 tire kickers and maybe 5 prospective buyers. Why some people want to waste your time is more than I know they want a lot photos, interior, exterior, log books 337 forms. I advised one fellow to "hire a A&P, AI to do a pre-buy inspection. Do not take my word for anything. They question the log books as being accurate, geeze I have owned the thing for 40 years. I suppose the reason is so many "used airplane jockeys" out there??
Selling an airplane
- Thread starter Beargrass
- Start date
WhiskeyMike
Registered User
West Boxford MA
Once in a while you arrive to inspect and it's better than promised. Usually it's the other way round by a substantial margin.
WWhunter
Registered User
Near the Headwaters of the Mighty Mississippi Rive
WOW! You are one lucky guy if you have 5 prospective buyers and only 60 tire kickers!!! My experience has been closer to 1:100. I'm also old school and made the mistake of taking a buyer's word on buying and price. Have been burned by liars (non-payment guys that never contacted me again). The worst was dealing with a Kenneth Howes. I spent several weeks in Sub-Zero weather packing and loading up a plane in a hurry since his shipper would be there on a certain day. Of course, the date kept being changed, until he no longer contacted me. Bad experience, but then, he had offered to send a deposit on the plane, but I felt he was honest. I learned the hard way!
bob turner
Registered User
If a Cub or 7ECA or similar is a reasonably good deal the tire kickers are usually too late. Tell us some stuff - price, engine, style of landing gear, fabric condition? Even really good ECAs with oleos rarely bring $30K.
BC12D-4-85
SPONSOR
Fairbanks, AK.
There's lots of bottom feeders, wannabes, and resellers trying to get into aviation. I hope they succeed but expect they rarely (now) do long term ownership. Maintenance and expenses can exceed the post-certification rush when the thrill is gone and reality of ownership and flight currency appear. Used sales people are poop on new shoes but convenient for some.
The 7ECA is a desirable plane as was N9146L when I owned her in the '70's.
Gary
The 7ECA is a desirable plane as was N9146L when I owned her in the '70's.
Gary
Charlie Longley
MEMBER
Anchorage, AK
I’ve bought and sold a few airplanes over the years. You want copies of the log books? Yeah no. 337? Buy the CD from the FAA. Test flight? Yeah we can do that after we agreee on a price and you show me the money. Prebuy? That’s on you but it’s going to be done by an A&P.
hotrod180
FRIEND
Port Townsend, WA
If you're lucky.
My hangar neighbor hired a broker to sell his airplane.
Like a lot of guys who've owned their airplanes for a long time, he was asking too much (of course).
People were looking at the airplane, yet he wasn't getting any offers.
Turns out the broker was telling prospective buyers "yeah, he's asking too much,
but he'll come way down in a month or so".
Nice.
I don't know if those guys are strictly commission or if they get a retainer, but if he's a typical broker I'll pass on them.
I spent 1 1/2 years looking for my cub. Most of the planes I looked at had several issues not noted in logs or by owner. Not a big deal just not reflected in the price. I am not one to haggle on price much, so ya I guess I was a tire kicker. I sold my pacer by word of mouth. The key is to sell a plane for what it is worth, not what you think it is worth. To find the price for your plane go find friends that don't mind hurting your feelings and ask what they would pay for it. It seems grumpy burned out IAs don't mind crushing your dreams for a big payday.:smile: If I can not travel to the plane for inspection, Yes I want pictures inside and out, pictures of the 337s, and last few years of log entries. Was that rebuild done with new jugs or some 5,000 hr chrome cylinders? I am not going to pay for a pre buy just to find simple things. If you are trying to sell a plane and you get no takers in two weeks you price is usually too high or you did not get the word out enough. If you are buying take your time and kick a lot of tires. Good deals can be found but it takes time and cash in hand, like bob said they go fast.
DENNY
DENNY
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Cub junkie
Registered User
My Moms basement
I know when buying an airplane I hate dealing with a broker.
bob turner
Registered User
Helped a nice guy selling a big 300 hp. Stinson. One of the "potential" purchasers wanted a two hour demo ride. I gave him 30 minutes. The guys who bought it didn't want to pay my fee, so it left without a test flight.
I personally will not buy without a test flight unless the price is low. Too many Cubs out there with mismatched ailerons and faulty trim systems. Even expensive ones. A buddy bought a "Top Cub" with bad ailerons. Make an offer contingent on test flight, with a deposit. The seller does not have to accept.
I personally will not buy without a test flight unless the price is low. Too many Cubs out there with mismatched ailerons and faulty trim systems. Even expensive ones. A buddy bought a "Top Cub" with bad ailerons. Make an offer contingent on test flight, with a deposit. The seller does not have to accept.
fancypants
FOUNDER
IL
While it's certainly true that wishy-washy buyers can be a pain in the ass, the same can be said of sellers that can't make up their mind. I had agreements with no fewer than three sellers that backed out at the last minute. I know I would have a hard time letting go of my cub too, so it's somewhat understandable.
Cub Special Ed
Registered User
MT/SD
I sold a couple cubs a few years ago. After a few hundred calls i could weed the tire kickers fairly quickly. When the first question is "whats the groundspeed" or "whats your lowest price" they arent worth the breath of going on.
How is it listed? Under American Champion, Bellanca, Champion, Citabria, whatever? What is location, maybe I can find it that way?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
bob turner
Registered User
You can just search 7ECA. There are maybe 7 of them, ranging from 25-36K. One is almost 60, but it has new cover on the tailfeathers, so that really jacks the price up.
My neighbor bought one for $26K with lousy paint and a new engine. It paid for itself; he got his license in it. Sold it on eBay for $19K.
My neighbor bought one for $26K with lousy paint and a new engine. It paid for itself; he got his license in it. Sold it on eBay for $19K.
skywagon8a
MEMBER
SE Mass MA6
I too am preparing to sell my amphib 185 which I bought new 42+ years ago. Unfortunately father time has convinced me that it is time that I reduce my inventory to just the Cub. Having bought and sold many airplanes over the years, most of them sold without too much difficulty. This one has become part of my family, which as a result will be difficult to part with. Frankly I don't know how to market it as I will not be willing to put up with any number of tire kickers. I had one plane which I agreed to sell until the buyer wanted me to get the engines running. Well since they were running, I just had to take it for a flight. When I landed I told the buyer that it was no longer for sale. He was not happy. Buyers need to be careful how much they try to squeeze the seller. Sometimes they squeeze too hard.
Bill.Brine
FOUNDER
Massachusetts
Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org
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Paul Heinrich
SPONSOR
Illinois & Wisconsin
If you think selling a flying example is hard, try selling a partially completed project.
bob turner
Registered User
We will not hear again from Beargrass - the OP? Assume he sold his ECA.
Jim 4WF
PATRON
anchorage
[FONT="]Wow-The sellers on this site are a tough crowd. Have only had a few aircraft but am one of the guys that asks all the questions on this page. If someone is going to exchange a plane for $100000.00, $200000.00 of my hard earned, they should expect to answer a few questions, have the log books available, and arrange for a buyers inspection when a base price is agreed on. Having done many buyers inspections for others I cannot apologize when I find corrosion on aft spars, metal in oil filter, bad repairs on gear boxes, wonder about the 25 year old engine with 300 hours, “never been in salt water” from a float plane in Homer,......all on aircraft with personal attachments and have been in families forever. You cannot disqualify a potential buyer simply for asking questions as the nice airplanes simply sell themselves. Don't like tire kickers—hire a broker. [/FONT]
Cub Special Ed
Registered User
MT/SD
Log books, corrosion, hours on things, all good examples of someone interested in an aircraft purchase. Wether it leads to a sale or not, that's going through the motions. If the first questions are "whats ground speed?" or "whats lowest price?" (usualy both together) they are daydreaming and out of their league either in aircraft or price. How can you begin to discuss price if you know nothing of the airplane? That is what i consider the "tya kikka".
sesaviation
SPONSOR
Turner ,MT
The only dumb question is the one not asked. Many different types of buyers, first time to seasoned. You have to take the good with the bad. You want to sell a plane you have to be prepared for tirekickers. Some sellers are also tirekickers not always wanting to sell just feeling the market. So in short answer any and all questions honestly.
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
I have sold quite a few airplanes for others. Not good at selling anything of my own. I make a web album with tons of pictures, logbook entries and 337s. I email them a link and that answers a lot of tire kickers questions,
hotrod180
FRIEND
Port Townsend, WA
A buddy of mine advertised his airplane for sale, back in the day when T-A-P was about the only venue.
He got a call from out of state, via the operator:
"will you accept a collect call from Joe Blow?"
"I don't know a Joe Blow."
"He's calling about your airplane for sale."
"No." Click.
He got a call from out of state, via the operator:
"will you accept a collect call from Joe Blow?"
"I don't know a Joe Blow."
"He's calling about your airplane for sale."
"No." Click.
