With the average GA airplane now in its thirties, it's hardly surprising that more and more sales of used aircraft are being roadblocked by disputes over maintenance discrepancies that show up during the pre-purchase inspection. Professional aircraft appraiser Brian Jacobson warns sellers to stay on top of the maintenance of their aircraft, and not to let the repair of seemingly inconsequential or cosmetic squawks slip, lest they create an obstacle to sale of the aircraft. As for buyers, Jacobson advises demanding an appropriate price reduction to compensate for squawks that show up during the pre-purchase and, if the seller doesn't agree, just walking away from the deal. That's because some owners are not willing to put the necessary money into the proper maintenance of the aircraft, while others don't fly enough to ensure that their aircraft's systems are kept in good operating condition.
Poor maintenance catches up with the aircraft owner at sale time.
Many sellers would rather lose the sale and look for another buyer rather than take a reduction in the sale price. Often, sellers believe they can make the repairs and increase the cost of the airplane to the next buyer to cover them. But that is neither smart, reasonable, nor a legitimate way to sell an airplane. For one thing, many airplanes that are on the market these days are overpriced as it is. Not long ago, I located a Piper Archer for a buyer-client of mine that looked good and had a great avionics package.