Last four years:

Seriously? Give it a rest. You don't need any of this stuff on a Cirrus, except maybe a gen 1, and there are PLENTY of options for that. Cirrus planes are still relatively new, and when they start aging, the market will solve that, like they did for the Bonanza and practically every other popular GA plane.

Enjoy your Bonanza and quit bashing a plane you know nothing about.

Your posts on the subject certainly don't back the perspective that you understand the airframe, the Gen 1 Cirrus customer, or the avionics marketplace. While I have doubts that you've actually spent meaningful time in a Gen 1 Cirrus, I accept your claim.

What I read in what you wrote almost bordered on extreme hatred, or at the very least an emotional bias towards the Bonanza not backed by much other than how you felt.

I have owned both a G1 Cirrus and a Bonanza. I have many hours in both. Your comparisons are incomplete, and show (for me at least) a lack of understanding why someone would buy a Gen 1 Cirrus (today, not in 2001 - 2002).

You keep preaching that avionics upgrades just aren't available, or that you don't have the same "choice" that you do with a bonanza.

The reality is that there are 433 Gen 1 Cirrus planes built without a glass panel. How many thousands of Bonanza's (all flavors) are out there without a glass panel? When you understand this perspective, it is just common sense that there are more limited options. Why would an avionics manufacturer spend thousands of dollars and hours to certify STC upgrades for a "market" of 433 planes? I think we can all agree that the "market" on upgraded avionics in Gen 2 or higher planes is extremely limited or practically non-existent.

Further, one option that you never mentioned is that there are Avidyne retrofits available from Cirrus/Avidyne for those planes that originally came equipped with a six pack. Add that option to the Aspen and for 433 planes, you really have all you need.

I would maintain that you don't buy a Gen 1 Cirrus because you want freedom to upgrade the avionics offered. The six pack, the 55X, 430's and the 327 transponder were plenty for me. I bought because I wanted the AIRFRAME and I didn't want to pay the freight for a Gen 2, 3 or 5 plane. I wanted two doors, the modern interior with a BMW feel, and the Continental engine. It also had a higher useful load than the newer Gen 2 & 3 Cirrus had. Notice that I didn't mention the parachute? It's a "great to have" feature, but, the reality for me is that my wife was far more willing to fly with me in the Cirrus than she was in any 1960's or 1970's airplane. EVEN THE NICE ONES! She wouldn't know the difference between a glass panel or a six pack, and that never factored into her decisions, other than it probably "looks newer".

As I said, love your bonanza, I certainly love mine. But, the constant "preaching" of you believing you were right and no one could seem to "hear you", just got old for me. We all heard you, but, you just weren't addressing the right question. For me anyhow.

Bonanzas offer a bit more than a fun weekend burger run

Campy wheels wouldn't seem "right" in a Cirrus compared to a V Tail. Both products are classics.

Last four years:

Last four years:

I'm sure it's all been said by now, but here's my 2 cents...

I like being able to easily remove seats for more cargo space.
I like having the option to add tip tanks and other mods.
I like the extensive and rich history of knowledge sharing on Bonanza maintenance.
I like the looks of a Bonanza and even more when the gear is up.
I don't like the idea of paying $10k periodically to check a parachute.
I like the yoke/rams horn right in front of me where I can use either hand.
I don't like the low level stall spin crash history of the Cirrus.

Well said.

Greg