I bought my 7GCBC sight unseen. I spoke with the owner enough and saw pictures of the logs that I gained a trust. Imported the plane and flew it 300 hrs in 2 years. Then sold it back across the border, sight unseen, and it's still flying around Ohio. Still speak with both guys s fair bit.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

Not an airplane, but I bought my last crane sight unseen, for a bit over 200K. 45k down (non refundable) and the rest in my shirt pocket when I showed up in Wisconsin to pick it up. It was, and is, more then what was promised, in this day and age there are still good honest people out there. Even paranoia can be over done. I also bought a used RAV4 Toyota a few years ago sight unseen from a dealership In Colorado. They took my older Toy in partial trade in, also sight unseen. I drove it there, gave them the keys and drove the new (er) one home, we both were satisfied with the deal, it can happen. I have not read the other responses here, and have no idea if I'm the only one feeling this way? I'm looking for a big bridge in New York City BTW, if anyone knows of one

Thanks to everyone who has replied. The individual experiences recalled here have really given me fodder to ponder upon.

Taking it all into consideration, we are moving forward with a pre-buy inspection from a nearby A&P.
I have ordered a title search with Aerospace Reports (Thanks Denalipilot), but my gut feeling is the seller is as honest as the day is long. He's a rancher in high desert country, where I suspect a handshake and a good reputation are still more meaningful than paperwork. As Scolopax put it, he seems to be a "no bullshit gentleman." Could be wrong, I know, but- as Hammer said- sometimes you have to take that leap of faith.

I'll post updates to this thread as things progress.

I'm in Texas. I've owned multiple Maule's, two of which were M4-210s. Let me know if you'd like me to help in any way. If it's in desert ranch country, it may not be far from me.

I also have a commercial certificate and plenty Maule time to satisfy your insurance to ferry it.
Ross

RWM wrote:I also have a commercial certificate and plenty Maule time to satisfy your insurance to ferry it.
Ross

Plus Ross is a cool guy who could stand to visit Portland.

Awesome. The plane, which this forum has no doubt already deduced, is this one:

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?li ... e=aircraft

Ross, I'll PM you tomorrow. Portland is pretty in the spring...

It all depends on the buyer and how good of a pre-purchase you get. I ended up backing out of a 182 that was seen by a friend (plane in Georgia I'm in California) after having a great pre-purchase done. So thankful for the pre-purchase and the honesty of the A&P as the owner was hiding a couple big problems. I ended up purchasing a 182 out of Colorado and I flew out to see it prior to finalizing the deal. The flight only cost me a couple hundred dollars and I thought it was a smart move. Good luck with the purchase and I'd suggest flying out to see the plane.

I bought a Grumman Traveler sight unseen, but after a thorough review of the logbooks (by me) and a day pre-buy inspection done by a good A&P/IA who knew the type reasonably well. His report to me after the pre-buy was “If you don’t buy it, I’m going to!” That gave me the confidence to go through with the deal. Airplane was near-perfect — exactly as described. I loved that plane, and still regret selling it...

Keep your eyes open!

Many moons ago... I responded to an ad for a nice looking 180 many miles from me. No way to physically look at the plane without major expense and time. I Asked for photos and docs, which owner was happy to supply. Even upped that and sent a video of a flight of the aircraft . Ok, sounded and looked great. Let’s get the bird to a local rep for an inspection.

End result: things were not as they appeared. Even for the owner, as he was caught by what was revealed by the inspection and FAA documents.

Conclusion:
Due deligents never hurt anyone in this instance. The more you dig into the records and people who have put hands on the aircraft the better you can make your decision.

For me I was lucky: like I said the owner was not aware of the failed status of the airplane. I stepped away from the deal with a $$ lost for the inspection.
Three years after the fopa the owner contacted me and reimbursed me for my expenses! Without any contact from me! I had just figured it was a bad deal and a mistake to just walk on from. Thank you Ron!

He was able to back trace the history and receive compensation through litigation, and hence forwarded my expense reimbursement on to me.

My take:
things can happen with multiple generation aircraft that can end up in the lap of the current owner! Kinda like musical chairs! No one person is to blame.

Do the research, pull FAA docs, and talk to people who have worked on the plane.
That should help in the decisioning making.

No guarantees . Stuff still happens.
But:
It is nice to know that there’s still the sincere, honest, salt of the earth folks, out there!
Hopefully that who you are dealing with.

merrymunks wrote:Awesome. The plane, which this forum has no doubt already deduced, is this one:

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?li ... e=aircraft

Ross, I'll PM you tomorrow. Portland is pretty in the spring...

There was a nice looking M4-210 for sale at what seemed lime a very reasonable price by one of our members a while back. Did it get sold?

hotrod180 wrote:

merrymunks wrote:Awesome. The plane, which this forum has no doubt already deduced, is this one:

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?li ... e=aircraft

Ross, I'll PM you tomorrow. Portland is pretty in the spring...

There was a nice looking M4-210 for sale at what seemed lime a very reasonable price by one of our members a while back. Did it get sold?

I had a M4 220 for sale, but it sold.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

Putzpilot wrote:Three years after the fopa the owner contacted me and reimbursed me for my expenses! Without any contact from me! I had just figured it was a bad deal and a mistake to just walk on from. Thank you Ron!

He was able to back trace the history and receive compensation through litigation, and hence forwarded my expense reimbursement on to me.

That's a feel-good story for the fabled existence of honest, high-integrity people. So cool.

shortBuzz wrote:

merrymunks wrote:
1966 Maule M-4-210C.

I bought a M5-210c. Put a new engine in it and doing several other upgrades. Let me know if I can help with questions. I’m not a expert, but I can share what I know. It’s a pretty easy airplane to work on.

I would recommend a prebuy by someone familiar with tube and fabric planes. If they have maule experience then that’s a plus.

Call me weird but I kinda prefer the look of the M4 tail.

Thanks, I appreciate that. I know a little bit about automobiles & auto engine maintenance, at least older ones, but will need all the help I can get with an airplane.

It's been said a few times, but I bought a 180 while I was 6000 miles away.

I used an escrow service. They did a title/lien check etc...

I used the AOPA sample bill of sale, and tweaked it to my liking.

Called around a bunch, and found an IA to do a pre-buy. (And subsequent mx snags)

Still haven't seen it in person. I pick it up next week.


For me, it was the right price at the right time, after I verified logistics in the purchase.


Good luck.

Sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you.

RWM wrote:I'm in Texas. I've owned multiple Maule's, two of which were M4-210s. Let me know if you'd like me to help in any way. If it's in desert ranch country, it may not be far from me.

I also have a commercial certificate and plenty Maule time to satisfy your insurance to ferry it.
Ross

Not to step on any toes, but I have to take a trip to Dallas the first week of March, and would much rather fly a Maule home than ride the aluminum mail tube. Current M4-220 owner with about 270 hours in it.

Just thought I'd give you another possible option if if you need it ferried and the timing works

UPDATE

The A&P in New Mexico did most of the pre-buy today. I believe he'll send more details later, but in general most of the items he found were "minor" by his description. The fabric is 52 years old, is in pretty good shape for that age but there are some trouble spots. Can anyone give me a ball-park price for a complete recover of a Maule M4 in a newer fabric? Can a plane fail annual for fabric issues?

Updating post with some photos; the A&P notes that "Where the fabric is glued onto the fuselage on the LH side it has come loose."

I know nothing about Maules. But I do know that you should make this decision as rationally as possible. Don't get attached to an aircraft before you buy it. If you buy an aircraft that needs recovering be sure that the aircraft after the recover is a better deal than another one that does not need to be recovered/rengined/newpanel/whatever.

I am almost sure that you could find another one that someone else had recovered and it would be cheaper - and you would be flying now.

daedaluscan wrote:I know nothing about Maules. But I do know that you should make this decision as rationally as possible. Don't get attached to an aircraft before you buy it. If you buy an aircraft that needs recovering be sure that the aircraft after the recover is a better deal than another one that does not need to be recovered/rengined/newpanel/whatever.

I am almost sure that you could find another one that someone else had recovered and it would be cheaper - and you would be flying now.

+1

This isn't meant to be insulting in any way, but it doesn't sound like you know enough about this make and model of airplane to buy one without seeing it. The airplanes we own don't makes us happy...its the ones we almost owned, but didn't, that make life a joy.

Not saying anything against this particular airplane, but LOTS of people sell a couple years or a couple hundred hours before a major event (like new fabric) because they've had the time to puzzle out the pros and cons and they don't want to deal with it. That can work out OK for someone who knows what's involved, knows what else is likely to need repair/replacement when the fabric comes off, and bargains appropriately, but it's often not a good deal for someone who doesn't.

As a (now) happy Maule owner, hit up TimB on the Maule site about costs and viability of that one.
These phone calls are cheap.
The calls I’ve had to make post purchase were not.
Chaz