another M5-210 thread

Trigear? Taildragger? Fixed pitch prop? Which Engine? ...anything related with model selection considerations and questions about buying a Maule
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bentmettle
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another M5-210 thread

Post by bentmettle »

This popped up late yesterday
https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?ca ... e=aircraft

I'm waffling between a 182 and a Maule. I really want to be able to fly places and take mountain bikes with, so the Maule is a boatload easier to deal with loading. That said, I'm only at 15hrs or so in a TW, and that's just in a Citabria.

Lots of concern that the engine only has 750 hours on it in the last 25 years.

I'm not sure it's ever been recovered or if the fuselage is still the original razorback material.

locally, i can not avoid towered fields, and Michigan weather is such that I'm fairly certain I need to finish up my IR. It would be difficult to not feel pressured to dump some money into avionics, specifically fancy pants GPS.

I'll do some more reading about the engine and how it handles sitting, but wanted to get some overall thoughts from the collective here :)

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Re: another M5-210 thread

Post by andy »

Your insurance on a tail wheel Maule is going to be high with only 15 hrs. tail wheel time, if you can get it at all. That might be your deciding factor. Now is not a good time to try for Maule tail wheel insurance since the insurance companies are raising rates and refusing coverage in many cases.

You might want to look for a nose wheel Maule, which would be a good alternative to a 182. You would have the larger baggage area with the Maule and about the same useful load as a 182. Maule landing gear is much more rugged than 182 landing gear. I prefer the manual flaps on a Maule to the electrically operated flaps on a 182. I also think the chrome moly welded steel cage on the Maule is much more rugged than the riveted aluminum semi-monocoque frame on the 182. Fabric on the Maule won't last as long as aluminum skin and it will cost around $35,000 to re-fabric and paint. However, it's cheaper to repair damaged fabric than damaged riveted aluminum skin. Maule parts are much less expensive than Cessna parts. Overall, I'd say a nose wheel MT-7-235 would be your best bet. It would be less expensive to purchase than a comparable 182.

I'm partial to Garmin avionics. I have a Garmin GTN 650 GPS/NAV/COM and G5 HSI. A number of Maule owners agree that dual G5s for PFD and HSI are the way to go. You can eliminate the entire vacuum system by doing this, which will lighten the airplane by about 20 lbs and get rid of a potential failure of the vacuum pump in IMC. That also gets you redundancy since each G5 backs up the functions of the other. They both have integrated AHRS so no need for vacuum or electric gyros. I understand that dual G5s can replace the AI, DG, CDI, turn coordinator and VSI but you'll need to keep the airspeed indicator and altimeter. You'd want to confirm that with an avionics shop. If the aircraft has an autopilot, then you might need to keep the turn coordinator.
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bentmettle
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Re: another M5-210 thread

Post by bentmettle »

I looked at the STC for the G5 and it led me to believe that I couldn't replace both AI and DG and maintain the instrument approval for it. I will have to re-read that.

I've read some of the insurance threads. I "at least" don't have any accident history working against me.

650 is very attractive and I see some other options at lower price points in Garmin's catalog.

It looks like STEC is the only choice currently for an AP retrofit.


I just missed a very reasonable 182 for $82k w/ a low time engine and under 4000hrs TT w/ a G650 in it.

This market is really oddball right now and as much as I want a plane, I know if I make it into winter, it stands some chance of cooling off...maybe?


OH, I am alternately open to the tri gear Maules and not as interested and think I'd just get some kind of affordable 182. I'm only semi-rational about this all.

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Re: another M5-210 thread

Post by HeavyLoad »

Regarding the engine and time. 750 hours in 25 years is a while. But if it was flown every few months for a little bit this it's not as bad. Check the logs to see how many hours between annuals.

Also check what type of crank then engine has. Would be nice if it already had a VAR crank. That would save you some money if/when you do a overhaul. Or just increases the value when you sell it after putting more hours on it.
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Re: another M5-210 thread

Post by bentmettle »

Thanks. I see the crank replacement in the logbook and the serial # checks out in the CSB96-8 as being VAR, so that seems good.

Am I supposed to do all this research before making an offer or make the offer and make it contingent on all these things?

I guess the time isn't as bad as some I've seen. There were a couple years lower than the others, none especially high since the overhaul, about 25 between July and September of this year.

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Re: another M5-210 thread

Post by andy »

Get a reliable pre-purchase inspection from a neutral 3rd party A&P before making an offer. The logbooks are part of the inspection. Pay special attention to ADs and SBs that may not have been complied with and might cost a lot of money. The cost of the inspection is well-worth it and you might be able to split the cost with the seller or make a lower offer that includes the inspection unless there's something they want to hide.
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Re: another M5-210 thread

Post by HeavyLoad »

Yes. Totally agree with Andy. Get a pre-buy inspection. Someone who does not know the seller.
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Re: another M5-210 thread

Post by Andy Young »

Yeah, the process is not really like a house purchase. Do the research and learn all you can about that specific plane and it’s history, including the pre-buy inspection. Once you know as much as you can about it, THEN make an offer, and negotiate from there.

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Re: another M5-210 thread

Post by bentmettle »

I've spoken to two recent high interest sellers - one a Maule, and one a 182 and both executed PAs prior to the pre-buys. The purchase agreements I've seen basically give you first right of refusal with what looks like very little downside to the potential buyer.

At price points above where I want to be, which is about $85k and under, there just doesn't seem to be a downside to getting to a price, execute the purchase agreement with inspection and finance contingency, and then doing the pre-buy.

I wouldn't like selling that way, and as a buyer it seems goofy, but it's what is happening.

Newer, better equipped planes might be going through an inspection first process, but the economy market isn't right now.

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