DA 40 NG Maintenance Costs

[mbitran]

Hi, I imagine that this information has bee posted elsewhere on DAN but I have not been able to locate it.

I recently purchase a new DA40 NG. The plane has been awesome - very happy with the purchase. I'm wondering if anyone has compiled actual real-world maintenance costs.

I'm debating whether we enroll in the PistonPower program. It seems expensive, compared to projected costs. However I'm not sure how "real" these projected costs will turn out to be.

Does anyone have experience comparing PistonPower to actual costs?

I will keep a careful record of my maintenance costs to share in the future, once we have a few years of data.

Thank you

[Boatguy]

My maintenance cost last year was $44/hr while still under warranty (though I had no major warranty claims) and I address every squawk. I do nothing myself other than cleaning, adding oil, and air in the tires.

I reviewed Piston Power and did not like the economics. One of the biggest drawbacks was that it incorporates the cost of the engine overhaul which I'm not likely to incur in the next 6-7yrs. If you sell your plane and the buyer does not sign up for the program, that money is forfeited. The program is sort of a cross between an insurance policy and enforced financial discipline. It is not a maintenance program where you've outsourced the worry of maintaining your plane. To the contrary, you now have to manage another financial services relationship like any other insurance policy, though one on which you will make regular claims.

I suggest reading the fine print very very carefully. There is a reason that it is a 33 page contract.

However, there are others who like the predictability of their maintenance expense which the program provides.

[mbitran]

That's super helpful, thank you Russ. The other option that I have been debating is to sign up for Savvy MX and use them as a resource to help me manage the shop (and ensure things are reasonable). I'm leaning in that direction. Based on my model, PP adds about a $20/hr premium (understandably, they have overhead and management, etc).

And I agree - I don't love getting locked into the contract.

Question for you - in your $44/hr --- do you follow the maintenance manual on all of the airframe inspection items at 100 hours, or do you do a more limited airframe inspection on those intervals? I've spoken to shops who recommend the limited airframe inspection at 100 and 200, and who do that more thoroughly at the 300 hr. Of course, engine items are followed at each interval.

Thanks

[Boatguy]

That's super helpful, thank you Russ. The other option that I have been debating is to sign up for Savvy MX and use them as a resource to help me manage the shop (and ensure things are reasonable). I'm leaning in that direction. Based on my model, PP adds about a $20/hr premium (understandably, they have overhead and management, etc).

And I agree - I don't love getting locked into the contract.

Question for you - in your $44/hr --- do you follow the maintenance manual on all of the airframe inspection items at 100 hours, or do you do a more limited airframe inspection on those intervals? I've spoken to shops who recommend the limited airframe inspection at 100 and 200, and who do that more thoroughly at the 300 hr. Of course, engine items are followed at each interval.

Saavy is just dipping their toe into diesels. They do have someone that will address Q&A, but they don't have the big database of engine data with which to predict failures. At this point we're pretty limited to Diamond shops to service Austro engines, but of course other shops can help with other airframe or avionics issues.

For part 91 we don't have the same 100hr airframe inspection requirements that are necessary if you are running a rental fleet. I do the 100hr engine service which is an oil change and a few other things per the AMM and ask the shop to look things over in general, sort of a 100hr "lite". I do the 200, 300 and soon my first 600hr service. And of course I do the annual inspection / service.