Hello all, thinking of selling my 1970 A36 N3704A E202 to get a PA46 Piston (Malibu/Mirage). First plane, and I did not fully know my mission. Have been taking long XC’s from the west coast to TN, AZ, FL, and beyond. On oxygen above 10k and want to step up to pressurization, light FIKI, and higher altitudes to get above the weather. In a perfect world, would find the new plane, then sell my plane on contingency. Not sure what the current market value is, so wanted to post here to get some ideas (looking at controller):

Plane:
1970 Beechcraft A36 Bonanza E-202
No damage history
Full Logbooks
IFR certified

Airframe:
TT - 5735
Basic Empty Weight - 2275
Useful load: 1325
STC for Obsborne Tip Tanks raising Useful load

Engine:
Continental IO550B
Engine Time – 1502
STOH – 530
TBO 1700 (200hrs remaining)
All compression in 70’s
GAMI Balanced Injectors
BDS cooling kit

Prop: McCauley C409
Prop Time – 1502
3 Blade

Avionics:
Dynon Sykview HDX – Dual 10” Screens PFD/MFD
Full EIS, Fuel Totalizer, Tank sensors, EGT/CHT, Geo-Referenced charts/approach plates
Dynon Autopilot (2 axis)
Dynon Comm
Dynon Panel
NGT9000+ ADS-B In/Out with displayed Traffic/Wx and Diversity (flights into Canada)
IFD540
PS Engineering PMA450C Audio Panel (BT)

Misc:
Osborne Tip tanks with STC for gross weight increase (Total fuel 114 gal)
Mountain High 2 person oxygen system & tank
Excellent Paint – Jaguar modeled
Forward Facing Seats (see pictures). I have the 3rd row seats and front row headrests
Passenger rudder pedals fold down
Have both the throw over yoke and the dual/hammerhead yoke
Dual USB-A/USB-C charger ports
LEMO and Dual headset Pilot & Copilot. Dual ports for the remaining 4 seats


Looking online I seem comps from $260-425k?!? I know the plane is older and getting close to TBO (which is one of the things I’m debating, selling before or doing OH but then upgrading this Fall ~ Summer 2026). What do people think: $275-325k? Higher / lower?? I think some of the comps I see are overpriced and others seem like they are giving the plane away… Going to cross post in the general plane forum too (is that allowed?).

Thanks in advance

Sydney,
Nice looking bonanza. I upgraded from a A36 to a meridian. There will be contrarian opinions out there, but if I was you, I'd consider TN'ing your bird, putting on TKS and getting AC.

I love the meridian, have no time in a piston PA46, but I have described the transition from the A36TN to the Meridian as a sideways move, not necessarily upgrade. It's definitely more expensive.

Feel free to reach out, can you swing a M600? that would be an upgrade.....

Love hearing this feedback, thanks for sharing!

Interesting, how can pressurization, boots, radar, turbine ease operation not be considered an upgrade? Honestly interested if you care to elaborate.

Boots suck that's a minus.

Radar is good, but I don't get that close to the thunderstorms out west. Turbine does make it easier to dodge and the last time I used radar to pick through a section, an American flight diverted a hundred miles and beat me to El Paso. Diversion would not have been different in an A36 as I descended to 12,000 and slowed and the meridian and A36 both go the same speed at that altitude with slowing for turbulence. Some other knucklehead that day went slightly different route at altitude and reported Severe turbulence. I thought Duh, it was red! So it was helpful for confirmation of the stupidity to go that route.

As a side note, the meridian is easy to transition to from the A36 because the IAS speeds are almost exactly the same in all phases. It's just True at 28K that is much better.

Turbine ease is exponentially better! My wife laughs because I no longer fiddle with prop, mixture all day long. Meridian is great without prop lever. Nothing to mess with.

Pressurization is better, wife loves it, O2 did not bother me as much. The AC in the meridian is better than nothing, but it's like my old truck, not my wife's new Audi.

Range is horrible compared to A36 with tips. That's probably my biggest gripe as the extra 60 knots (190 v. 250) are eaten up on long trips by stops. As has been said, tips are the fastest speed mod out there.

Would I go back to the A36TN? Probably, right now, not so much.

I made this same change and my insurance costs were 3x and my other costs about 6x (maintained mirage at best shop in country). If you can afford the cap cost I’d skip the piston and get the turboprop. Costs are really similar except for hots.

Let the buyer change the engine when it tells him it's due, not when some fairly arbitrary number says so. He'll feel good about the discount; you won't be tied up waiting for an engine to be swapped, and he may fly it for another 1000 hrs. Win-win.

I can NOT afford a M600 I've looked at the Meridian and the TMB700 series. The Meridian seems to have a horrible useful load with full fuel (2000-2001) and acceptable for 2002+ models. The TMB700 series looks very attractive, and while I could 'just' afford to acquire, i don't think I can afford to maintain and operate it lol.

The PA46 piston seem like a good trade off for my current budget. If I had the money, turbine all the way.

Really?? Thanks for the info. I have looked at the Meridian and TBM700 series. I could just afford to acquire, but doubt I could afford the maintenance and operational costs (at this time). The Meridian has IMHO horrible useful load with full fuel and a range of 885nm. The TMB700 series looks more appealing but more maintenance and cost.

The other option is to wait about 5-8 years and I can afford the Turbine... But thought the PA46 piston would be a good step up I can afford today, get me into the flight levels, and build more time.

I'm on the PMOPA group too, and most quote operational costs less than 6x (but maybe were not doing as good maintenance as you)

If you’re seeing 100k variance in comparable selling prices, it might pay to have a broker sell it for you. Their job is to have the price dialed in a lot closer and get you the most money on a reasonable timeline.

Sorry if I missed it, does yours have baggage mod? That's important for many buyers.

If light ice is your mission, it's hard to argue against TKS and TN. You already have tips and 550 and panel. There's a reason those with all 3 don't sit on market long. (400k+/-) Robust airframe, prodigious useful load, only downside is O2. There I would suggest a concentrator from Inogen. Never needs to filled. Good for 2 people.

I need to reconsider my imminent retirement plans.

My more than generous offer still stands on your airplane, from the last A36 you were drooling over..............

Hahahaha! Thanks, Todd. From memory, we’re a couple of bucks apart from each other.

Next week I’ll add to my plane’s maintenance pedigree yet another great Beechcraft shop!