Overview:
Cessna 172 Price varies quite a lot depending on a multitude of factors: Model of the aircraft, Engine time and condition, Avionics, Interior and paint, Any modifications, Prior loss history, typically 10% reduction in price.
Cessna Skyhawk Year and Model
The year and model of the Cessna Skyhawk is used as a base to begin determining today’s value of each aircraft. Older Cessna 172’s with more airframe and engine time are worth a lot less than newer Cessna Skyhawk models.
Engine Time
Cessna 172’s with Continental engines have a TBO (time before overhaul) of 1800 hours vs Lycoming engines, who’s TBO is 2,000 hours. Getting the aircrafts (SMOH) Time since major overhaul is a major factor affecting the price. If the SMOH is 1,400-1,500 hours, you may be in for an expensive ($15,000-$30,000) engine overhaul expense after only a few hundred hours of use.
Airframe Time (TTAF)
Total Airframe Time is a good indicator of how heavy the aircraft has been used during it’s lifetime. Airframes with high TTAF, 10,000 hours plus, are considered to be less valuable due to the amount of time on the aircraft. For The Cessna 172, it’s best to shoot for TTAF’s between 3,000-6,000 hours.
Avionics
Avionics and upgrades can significantly impact the value of a Cessna 172. Panel upgrades, GPS, Autopilot, ADS-B installation, etc can all increase the value of the Cessna 172. The best case is to obtain an equipment list or installation and upgrade history to help justify the value of the additional avionics.
Interior and Paint
Aircraft interiors are typically given a 1-10 based on a grading scale. New or mint condition interiors can increase the value of a Cessna 172 by $5,000-$10,000. Paint is also graded on a scale, new paint jobs can add $5,000-$10,000 to the value.
Prior Loss History
A lot of Cessna 172’s have had losses or been in accidents. This is due to the aircraft’s age and is also a testament to it’s durability and longevity. Depending on the incident and level of damage, having loss history will typically decrease the value of the Cessna Skyhawk by 10-20%.
As of November of 2019, these are the average retail values for the following years:
1956: $25,000
1957: $26,000
1958: $27,000
1959: $28,000
1960: $29,000
1961: $30,000
1962: $31,000
1963: $32,000
1964: $33,000
1965: $34,000
1966: $35,000
1967: $36,000
1968: $37,000
1969: $38,000
1970: $39,000
1971: $40,000
1972: $41,000
1973: $50,000
1974: $55,000
1975: $60,000
1976: $61,000
1977: $62,000
1978: $63,000
1979: $64,000
1980: $65,000
1981: $66,000
1982: $67,000
1983: $68,000
1984: $69,000
1985: $70,000
1986: $71,000
1997: $105,000
1998: $110,000
1998: $120,000
1999: $125,000
2000: $120,000
2001: $130,000
2002: $135,000
2003: $135,000
2004: $160,000
2005: $160,000
2006: $165,000
2007: $185,000
2008: $190,000
2009: $205,000
2010: $230,000
2011: $235,000
2012: $240,000
2014: $300,000
2015: $310,000
2016: $330,000
2017: $340,000
2018: $365,000
2019: $398,000
