2001-2003 Cirrus Purchase

Hi All:

I have a recent interest in Cirrus and have flown mostly C-172 and 182’s over the last 25 years. I have the following questions I’d appreciate guidance on with respect to a 2002 Cirrus I am looking at, which presently has slightly over 1000 hours.

  1. Should I do a top overhaul at 1200-1300 hours even if compression still good?

  2. Should the cables have been replaced once already as part of preventative maintenance?

  3. Prior to purchase I would have a Cirrus mechanic look over log books and the plane, but are there any other specific questions you all would recommend I ask the owner about the airplane? It flies great.

Thank you for your time.

  1. No, terrible idea. 2. No, not required. Or even recommended. 3. Yes you should. Lots here will offer advice. Many would also suggest using Savvy for the prebuy. Based on your questions that is a really good idea, sounds like your first plane.

+1 to roger. Welcome to our world. You’ll find all necessary Ressources here. And yes, you should get a Cirrus experienced expert or a good SC do your pre-buy

Matt,

As usual, I agree with Roger’s advice. He’s an A&P and both of us own G1 model SR-22s. Mine is a 2002; his is a 2001 (I believe).

You’ll also want to learn about lean-of-peak engine operation. That’s the way most of us run our engines. Assuming that you were flying carburetted C-172s and C-182s, that option probably wasn’t available to you. LOP is a whole 'nother conversation and there’s a ton of info in the COPA membership area. Plus, you can read John Deakin’s articles - Pelican Perch column in Avweb.

Blue skies,

Craig

Matt,

Welcome to COPA!

Another Vote for Rogers advice. Many here would recommend that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it (unless required by AD or life limited parts).

I would recommend finding a bird with the Avidyne MFD rather than the Arnav (which is no longer supported.)

Maybe consider a 2004. This would have the the new Chute setup already installed and will save you a little bit when repacking in 2024.

My 2 cents

Also, we will be having our annual Migration in Addison, TX in September! You could almost commute!

click her to view information about Migration 13

Edited to add…Join COPA! You’ll get your moneys worth in about 10 minutes!

My first plane was a 172 that I flew for 12 years. I have now owned my SR22 for over two years and I still break into a happy smile every time I open the hangar. In answer to your questions:

  1. No, no, no.

  2. Not sure what cables you are referring to but if it isn’t broken…

  3. Find a company experienced in Cirrus pre-buys, I had a local company coordinate my pre-buy and purchase and am now a Savvy client. Use them.

Also, join COPA and plan on spending as much time reading through the current 784,376 posts to learn as much about the Cirrus as you can. I still learn something every day from the forum

Thank you all for the direct answers to my questions, as well as additional insights. They were very helpful. I am now better equipped to pursue the purchase.

Matt,

You’re quite welcome! I hope your purchase goes smoothly.

Blue skies,

Craig

PS - Come join us at Migration 13. That’s a GIANT, annual fly-in we hold at various locations throughout the U.S. This year, our destination is Addison, TX, just outside Dallas in September. Migration is a 3+ day event with most folks arriving on Thursday and departing Sunday. We kick things off on Thursday night with COPA Cabana, a casual cocktail party - lots of great conversations with friends - old and new - fueled by sumptuous munchies. On Friday, we hold our Annual Meeting and a Safety Stand Down followed by loads of aviation-related seminars. Concurrent with the seminars is a trade show featuring the latest/greatest stuff from 40+ exhibitors. On Saturday, we continue with the seminars & tradeshow, capping off things with a banquet dinner that evening. All in all, it’s a great time! :slight_smile: