1981 MOONEY M20J 201

1981 Mooney M20

Specifications

Year

1981

Total time (TTAF)

6,528 hrs

Engine time (SMOH)

0 hrs

Engine

Lycoming IO-360-A3B6

Damage history

Yes

Avionics & panel

• Garmin GMX 200
• Garmin GNS 430
• KX165
• Autopilot
• Stormscope
• Garmin 345 transponder

Equipment list extracted from the seller's description. Verify with logbooks before purchase.

How this stacks up

• Good deal

  $20,900 (13%) below the median of 4 similar-year, similar-hours Mooney M20 listings

• Listed 2 months ago

  On the market about as long as the typical one of 103 comparable Mooney M20 listings still for sale

• Prior damage reported

  The listing reports prior damage — ask for the repair records and focus the pre-buy on the repaired area

• Engine has life left

  2,000 hrs to TBO (100% of the 2,000-hr Lycoming IO-360 interval remaining) — an overhaul is well down the road

• 4/5 key specs

  Most key specs are provided; verify any missing details with the seller

This summary draws on signals shown in detail below — price comps, listing age, maintenance and engine status, and key specs. Read each section for full context. Not an appraisal.

Engine Life

Based on 0 hrs since overhaul (SMOH) and the published 2,000 hr TBO for the Lycoming IO-360.

Airframe time

Average over the aircraft's life — 6,528 hrs total time across ~45 years. A rule of thumb, not a guarantee.

High utilization

This airframe has averaged about 145 hrs/year over ~45 years — more than most personal aircraft. Regular flying keeps engines and systems healthy, but it also adds cumulative wear, so review the maintenance history, component overhauls, and how the total time compares with the type's typical service life.

Damage history

Reported in the listing — confirm against the airframe and engine logbooks.

This listing reports prior damage. Properly repaired damage does not automatically disqualify an aircraft, but it can affect value, insurability, and resale. Ask the seller for the repair records (and any FAA Form 337s / STCs), and have a pre-buy inspection focus on the repaired area and the surrounding structure.

Cost to own

Rule-of-thumb estimates — insurance ≈ 1% of price, hangar $7,500/yr, annual inspection $2,500/yr, fuel + oil at your selected hrs/yr. Engine reserve from the panel above is folded into the split. Your actual costs will vary.

At 100 hrs/yr, renting at $150/hr would be $9,690 cheaper annually — fly more to see ownership savings.

Buy-in is the asking price split evenly across partners — what you'd each pay to acquire the aircraft (the real figure is negotiated). Fixed costs (insurance, hangar, inspection, engine reserve) split equally by number of partners; fuel/oil is per-pilot since each partner flies their own hours.