The newer canopies are slightly larger. You could replace your bubble with a newer one.

I don't know Steve, maybe if you told him you intended to give him the plane he might stop growing? Or perhaps install a small plexiglass bubble on the canopy? Cheers! David

I occasionally wonder what my airplane is "worth", usually when my insurance renewal paperwork arrives. I don't want to under- or over-insure it. Not looking to sell, but you never know. I have one of the earliest IFR/autopilot-equipped airframes imported (from Austria) in 2001. I would really like to pass it on to my younger son eventually, but he is now 6' 3 1/2" and he only has about a half inch of canopy clearance with a headset on. Hopefully he has stopped growing...

Steve

[quote="flyda40"][quote="dafzero"]I bought a 2005 DA40-180 last month in NC. It has: G1000; KAP 140 and XM Weather/Radio. 900 on the Hobbs and 680 on the tach. They were asking $159K and I got it for $140K. Excellent condition; no flight training; always hangered. WONDERFUL to fly![/quote]


wow, either you got a great deal or i got ripped off! I fly to texas tomorrow to pick her up and fly back to CA![/quote]

Deal of the century I'd say. I was in final negotiations on a 252 Mooney when I stumbled across the ad for the DA40 and thought I'd just flick the broker a number and nearly fell out of my chair when it was accepted. Ever so much happier to have a plane manufactured in this century and the wife, who isn't Emelia Earhart, really likes the Diamond. We toured the factory in Austria last summer and she really was impressed with everything about it. We did our first IFR flight today and it was sweet! Next stop: DA42

or it could simply be timing. I remember seeing more than a few steam gauge DA40s advertised below $100k in 2009 (paid $91k CAD for one with 550 TT). Although the market is still a bit soft, we don't see those prices very often anymore.

[quote="dafzero"]I bought a 2005 DA40-180 last month in NC. It has: G1000; KAP 140 and XM Weather/Radio. 900 on the Hobbs and 680 on the tach. They were asking $159K and I got it for $140K. Excellent condition; no flight training; always hangered. WONDERFUL to fly![/quote]


wow, either you got a great deal or i got ripped off! I fly to texas tomorrow to pick her up and fly back to CA!

I bought a 2005 DA40-180 last month in NC. It has: G1000; KAP 140 and XM Weather/Radio. 900 on the Hobbs and 680 on the tach. They were asking $159K and I got it for $140K. Excellent condition; no flight training; always hangered. WONDERFUL to fly!

$175K sounds a bit high. I purchased last year a 2008 DA40-XLS... G1000, GFC700, PowerFlow, etc... about same tach hours and always hangared... for only about $50K more than that. In any event, they are great airplanes!

I can't speak to the exact price is but if you ask the question a little differently, paying less than $200K for a well-maintained aircraft of Diamond's quality is a wise purchase if you can afford it. This said, I would inspect the logs and aircraft carefully for issues. For example, MLG misalignment or out of sequence ELT battery replacement might indicate a hard landing that could compromise the landing structure. There are a handful of hidden clues that could indicate you might be purchasing a problem.

I spent months looking for a good used Diamond DA40. Unfortunately for the current owners, the market is soft. It's more of a buyers market. There is one in TX with 400+ hours and asking $169k If you look, you'll find others. Don't be afraid of making an offer. I did, and made one hell of a deal.

Ultimately, it's up to you. Is it worth it? Is it what you want? Can you afford it?

Good luck,
Curt