We all like certain aircraft which can result in a bias view.
I am not sure the evidence suggests Cirrus depreciate more quickly than a TB20 or a Mooney. For example, a quick search shows Trade-A-Plane has an almost new 2008 Mooney for $538K and the closest model 3 years later with 520 hours is $340K. A Cirrus of the same vintage and the same hours is $369K and a 2008 model is $450K which would suggest on a very limited sample the Cirrus has done better.
Trade-A-Plane's own stats would suggest there is little in it comparing like for like.
A manufacturers market will undoubtedly be effected by confidence. Diamond's customers have suffered a set back with the Theilert debacle and prices have suffered. Mooney have not helped themselves by stopping production - will they survive, probably, but who knows for sure. Cirrus have just about got themselves into the same environ as Cessna with sufficient weight of numbers to have a business just supporting the existing population - much as Diamond. Socata survive on the back of their turbine business and, probably, French subsidies.
The single most significant impact on values is a manufacturer going bust. Confidence evaporates as fast as the cost of parts rises.
All that said the market is not what it seems at the moment. No one is paying the head line price for anything and therefore it is very difficult to establish what is selling and for how much.
Oh, and Sternone, dont get yourself into a twist over the chute, it is a great marketing tool and sells aircraft. Better have sound marketing at the moment and sell aircraft than go down the chute.
Personally having flown them all the Mooney is a little cramped for me but I love its speed, the Cirrus is a very good aircraft much better now they have replaced the Avidyne with the G1000, the TB20 is a great aircraft if a little slow in this company and dated, and the Diamonds are too slow and the cockpit leaves you feeling like a F1 driver which might be OK if the performance even came close to a F1 car.
A Perspective system in a DA42 with the interior of a Cirrus with two PT6s or, at a push, two Lycos, or diesels if they get them working, and the wings of a Aztec and the quality of finish of a Mooney would just about be perfect.
Last edited by Fuji Abound; 29th Mar 2009 at 09:55.