Pre-Buy Inspection Importance

[frankbrown]

Fist time buyer/owner is looking at an RV-9A from a first time builder.
Just talked to VIC about the prebuy.
Pretty scary stories out there.
I also read a lot of threads that say people find their own RV grin in lots of happy-ending stories.
Please share your story if you recently avoided a nightmare with..say..an RV-9A in Oregon!

Thanks
Frank

[DonFromTX]

I would like to point out that there is no dictionary definition of a prebuy! Sure someone like Vic will give you a really good one, but the next A&P might look thru the crack in the doors, count that there are two wings and a prop, and send you a bill. Be careful out there! You got to go with what you can find, but in my opinion, a recent builder of the identical plane can be a valuable asset as well. He knows what a defect looks like - cause he has made them!.

[MConner]

I just bought an RV 10 and the selection process was long and tedious. I rejected the first two at pre-buy. One had very poor quality finish work and a questionable motor. The second was dirty and poorly maintained. It was difficult to find someone with RV experience to do the inspections, Nick Bachert owned a -7 and was almost complete in his -10 and agreed to do the second plane. He was extremely thorough and saved me a ton of headache.

I finally found what I was looking for. Doug Peterson had built a -6, a -7, and my plane was his second -10. No he is not a for-profit serial builder, he flew all of his planes for a few years. His engineering background and years of experience building made me very comfortable with this plane. I had him do a condition inspection and hired another accomplished builder to inspect the airframe while it was opened up. The result has been a plane that I am very proud to own and fly.

All of this was expensive and time consuming but with the advice of folks like Vic, Jesse Saint, and Gary Brown the story has a happy ending. I want to thank all the folks in this owners group, I am glad to be onboard.

Mark Conner
2018 dues paid (and not just this forum)

[ALagonia]

I can't thank Vic enough for the two pre buys he did for me. Passed on both but he saved me a lot of money and headaches in the long run.

[Dugaru]

Originally Posted by ALagonia

I can't thank Vic enough for the two pre buys he did for me. Passed on both but he saved me a lot of money and headaches in the long run.

Exact same experience I had with Vic, and also on two pre-buys. The second one was bad enough that I got a personal apology from the head of the maintenance shop that (supposedly) had been maintaining it....

In any event, I wouldn't think of buying again without hiring Vic.

[frankbrown]

Thanks for the info.
Wondering if any west coast folks have experience with a DAR Gary Brown?
If he already did a pre-buy would you still drag Vic all the way to Oregon?