I am looking at purchasing a 1972 PA-28-140E with A/C. How long can I expect this to last before it requires repair? I know it is a pretty wide open quesiton, but I don't see too many left with A/C. It was recently serviced and in good working order.
Also, what would be the added value for having a working A/C unit? The owner was thinking $5,000. He is asking top dollar for a well taken care of plane. Just wondering out loud before I pull the trigger.
The added value for something like AC in a 1972 airplane is really quite subjective. In my opinion, it's $0, and not a penny more. I say this because I wouldn't use it, and because, like you, I think it might be quite the maintenance liability. It certainly is adding a bit to the empty weight!
To you, however, it might be worth a ton. If you really must have an airplane with air conditioning, then maybe you've found the right one; if the ac is something you're not too worried about, then I wouldn't pay extra for it - make the owner an offer, the worst that can happen is he'll say no. It is worth noting though, that you could put in a swamp cooler for under $100 if you wanted to make it yourself, or you could buy one of those Sporty's portable AC units for under 1k.
Thanks for the reply. I am having a surprisingly difficult time with this decision. I made the mistake of telling my wife that it had A/C and, from then on, she was gung ho about the plane. I hadn't looked at the swamp coolers until now. I think the going rate for removing the A/C is 70 lbs. The large swamp coolers are at 50 lbs.
I asked what his bottom dollar was today and I think he gave a honest answer of $38k. I think I may offer something lower. With the door open on the ground, it wasn't too bad. I don't forsee using it once airborn.
The swamp cooler can also be removed in the winter where the AC can not...
And if you're only going to be using it on the ramp, then - well, I'd just suffer if I were you - I'm pretty sure you can't have it on on take off or while doing the run-up, so that leaves taxxing and that's about it. I don't know where you fly out of, but here in my neck of the woods, that's not really even long enough for the AC to make a difference!
38k seems like an awful lot to me for a 140 horse bird, but, as is evident by another thread on here, I must be more thrifty than most (I just sold a warrior for 34k and bought a Mooney for 50k).
My home base would be XSFB just north of Orlando, FL. So, my guess is, A/C may be a premium option. 9 months of summer and 3 months of spring here, so a swamp cooler would never come out. The 140E is rated at 150hp. I just can't get over all of the 160HP mods for $32K or less.
I'm based at KSTF in Mississippi, so I feel your pain on the summer/winter split.
If the plane with the A/C is a nice bird, and it suits your mission (can carry you and whatever you need to carry), then by all means, make an offer. You might want to wait till a nice warm day and fly the bird though, see how she does with the high DA and all that weight.
The way I see it, and this is just my opinion - especially if the plane is hangared, the AC (even a swamp cooler) isn't necessary, just get her up in the air and it'll cool off quickly. The only time I've really ever wished I had A/C in an airplane was when flying patterns here in August - and even if I did have AC then I wouldn't have been able to use it!
But, like I said, if the plane suits your mission and the A/C is an extra, then treat it as such, it's an extra, it sounds like it adds some value to you, the worst that can happen is the seller will say no!
I would agree that the value of A/C is Zero. I fly here in Florida and it really isn't that bad. To echo what others said, I wouldn't spend 38k on a 140. You can get close to a nice 180 for that money and I think you would be much happier. I started looking at the 140 for price and ended up buying a PA28-160. I have been happy and even after a huge annual, all new glass etc... am still not at 38k. There are some bargains out there right now.
I have a 180 and use the Arctic Air cooler. I freeze 1 liter bottles for "block ice" and throw on a bag of ice from FBO (free!). Keeps me cool in hot Georgia summers.
Old built in A/C will be hard to fix (and expensive). If it runs off a belt, most require prop to be removed to replace the belt.
