A friend of mine has the jet bug. Non pilot, wants me involved and we can work out some arrangement where I manage the aircraft, oversee pilots etc. in exchange for some hours. I don't need the jet, but this scenario might work for me to get into the 'jet game'. I'm not getting rid of the Conquest!!
I am leaning towards recommending a CJ3 or Excel, but the Lear 40XR looks like a pretty good deal on the front end. I know the MX cost is higher on the Lear and it eats up more runway, but damn they are fairly inexpensive to buy right now.
We're not worried about single pilot vs crew at this point.
Anyone have any advice or recommendations?

Which one(s) has he sat in?

Isn't that where most of these exercises start?

Excel.

Whatever you end up getting, get something with ADSB and WAAS FMS. You don't want to pay for that upgrade bill, about 500k right now.

Depending on his mission, for the price of used jets that vintage, you can get a "smaller" M2, Phenom 100, or similar for a million dollars more accusation cost that you will save over the first year just with the bonus depreciation offered to new aircraft purchase.

I'd rule anything made by Learjet first. There is a big reason they are cheap.

Ain't 'nuttin more expensive in the world than free!

Cessna service and typed pilot availability are unmatched.

These are really 3 different kinds of birds. Excel has a stand up cabin. CJ3 doesn't. Big difference. Range differences too. CJ single pilot others aren't.

Need more info.

But Cessna over Lear per the above.

Figure out where you are going to get good service and a pool of good pilots. Especially because you are going to be managing it.

I think you will find the maintenance and pilot pools will be much greater for the Cessna's.

In a CJ3 WAAS is around $50K and ADS-B is around $50K.

In a CJ3 WAAS is around $50K and ADS-B is around $50K.

I can stand up in an Excel if I take my head off.

Regardless, yes, taller cabin than a CJ3.

Yes, 3 completely different birds.

The Excel seems to be the best with a slight range and speed tradeoff but bigger cabin, APU and as mentioned the excellent pilot and service network.
What is the best Buy in the Excele lineage?The 1998-2002 are the 'cheapest' with a big jump when going to the XLS and XLS+. Is there any reason not to buy the legacy Excel? I know the engines and avionics got upgraded along the way, but I'm not sure it's worth $1M more. I think NetJets is selling a bunch of theirs and upgrading to the newer models.

What's the mission?

Non stop:
Burlington VT-Denver ~1450NM
BTV- South FL~1200NM
I'm told Excel can do both in winter headwinds.

Yeah I'd do the Excel if you want the guarantee non stop.

If you are focusing on the Excel look into the support situation with the Honeywell avionics and cost for WAAS and ADSB.

Garmin is developing a solution with https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/aviation/announcement-g5000-modernization-program-cessna-citation-excel-xls/

Awesome!

The deadpan delivery is what made it. An exclamation point, an emoticon, or especially that silly green font which you need to run a blacklight over would have totally destroyed it.

I have a business that I work with that owns a "Classic" Excel. They struggle to do Chicago to LA (1500 NM) in winter winds, at times. I'd think Burlington to Denver would be even more difficult since Denver also gets winter weather so a low approach, holding (waiting for weather or plowing), and diversion, etc are real possibilities.

Best check on the actual range capability of the Excel.