I have been looking for early to mid 70's F33A or A36. According to asking prices I can get an early G1 Cirrus SR22 for about the same money. The Cirrus are close to chute repack at around $20,000 but do have one if that is a plus and is 20 years newer. I really don't have to have chute. I do have around 100 hours in a SR 22. I like the airplane. Tell me why I should keep looking for a Bonanza and not buy the Cirrus. The Cirrus has just over a 1050# UL but F33A may run into CG issues and A36 get to $$$.
Bruce

I looked at the F33A vs. the SR22. I could get a newer SR22 by about 10 years for the same $s and the operations cost is very close. A friend has a SR22 G2 and I get to fly it. In the end I went with the Bonanza because I liked the ride better, it was more fun to fly and I actually think it is a bit more comfortable.

The SR22 may have a bit more utility as I tend to fly around areas of wide spread low IFR and the chute may have changed that behavior. Below 500 feet you are back to the same risk.

In the end if you need the room of the 36, the 22 won't work for you. F33A vs. SR22 I would say is a matter of personal choice.

The big baggage door.

Bonanza.

Why? Aftermarket mods. Bonanza has tons. Cirrus has none.

If you were buying new I’d say Cirrus.

I've had all three. All great airplanes. Go look at and fly them. Pick the one you like best and fits your missions. You'll be happy.

This is what sold me on the Bonanza over a Saratoga. There are endless upgrade options. I just spoke to GAMI this week about the GWI to 3850 lbs., as one example.

The F33A is about the 10,000th Bo ever built, a mature design with the bugs worked out. An early Cirrus, do the doors work right? What I have heard is the Cirrus improved a lot over the first couple of thousand serial numbers as they learned what worked (and redesigned what broke). The early serial numbers were “a work in progress”.

Tornado Alley turbos have an STC for turbo normalizing on Cirrus.

What upgrades do you need on a Cirrus?

The reason you need upgrades on a Bonanza is that they are far older than a Cirrus and things change.

Cirrus STC's are probably coming as these airframes age. Right now, not much is needed.

But, if you're an upgrade junkie, the Gen 1 Cirrus is the one to buy. It's got a standard six pack, and you can upgrade the avionics to your hearts content!

I'd buy the Cirrus hands down on this comparison. And I have a Bonanza (that I put far less than a Gen 1 Cirrus money into). But I will probably eventually have a Gen 1 or Gen 2 Cirrus. That's most likely my future. That, or another Twin.

Strange how you're going to get lots of opinions that are biased by what the owner flies...

Having said that, here's my take my 1971 A36 vs a 1st generation Cirrus (I've flown both).

What I think are the nice things about the Cirrus...
1 - It's nice to fly with the side yoke.
2 - It's interior looks more like the interior on a nice car and that means that passengers without airplane experience are sometimes more at ease if they are nervous flyers.
3 - It has a chute - that gains points with nervous passengers and nervous wives.

The reasons I prefer my A36 over a 1st Gen Cirrus (again this my opinion and people have lots of opinions)...
1 - That chute is an EXPENSIVE thing to re-pack.
Mandatory every 20 years and you have to break into the air frame with a hammer, then repair the scar and paint each time. Cost today is about 20K. Add a $1000 to your yearly costs. I'd rather see the same money go towards improvements on the airplane or in my pocket.
2 - You also have to replace the Line Cutters for the CAPS system every 6 years.
I've heard that is about 6-7K. Add another $1000 per year to your yearly costs.
3 - Even though it's a fixed gear aircraft, insurance on a Cirrus is actually higher than it is on my A36.
Once you have 100 hours in type and if you are IFR rated, insurance is not bad on the A36.
4 - The 1st Gen Cirri definitely do not lift as much weight as my 71 A36.
The A36 is actually able to carry 4 to 6 people. I have a 1347# UL. Take away 480# for fuel and I can put 947# of people and stuff in my plane. With options to upgrade to an IO550 and to add tip tanks, I can get my Gross weight all the way to 4024# That nets me at least another 300# of UL. What SR22 has a UL of 1647#?
What you hear about having to watch your W&B on the short body aircraft (V35s, F33s etc) is true. A36s have much more flexibility in how they are loaded and much less of an issue with CG moving aft as you burn off fuel.
5 - Better options for avionics upgrades.
Check out the posts where I've been showing off my new panel or ask me to brag some more. I really like my new panel!
6 -A36 Rear cargo doors and club seating are really nice -
They make for an easy time loading passengers and baggage. A nice interior in an A36 makes passengers think there are in a "fancy" plane. My wife loves how much stuff she can stuff in the back and then she can still stretch out and relax in back while I fly.
Zero concerns about our Golden Retriever coming along for the ride.
The seats can be reconfigured in a myriad of ways. You can easily put 2 bicycles in the back of an A36 and still leave 2 seats for passengers - or go ahead and put 4 bikes in back. You get the idea.
6- For me, the A36 is nicer to fly in turbulence than an SR22 - but this is maybe a close competition?
7 - A36 is certified in Utility Category. SR22 is Normal Category.
8 - I think you'll find that the cost for an Annual inspection on an SR22 is higher than it is on an A36.

It's true when they say that opinions are like A-Holes. Everybody has one and they usually stink. I might have started yet another Cirrus vs Beechcraft competition. Not my intent at all. Cirrus makes a really nice plane. In my case, I'm glad I went with an A36.

By the way Bruce - you sure have a strange way of spelling "Baley"

Thanks for the quick replies. I suppose I will continue my search for a Bonanza. I think the chute repack is every 10 years and didn't realize the cutters were that expensive. The search continues. As far as the name spelling, at least I don't have to choose one, it was given to me.
It would be nice if airplane was the same.
Bruce

If comparing an F33A to a G1 Cirrus, the simple answer is I wouldn't buy the Bonanza. Here is why...

Yes, the chute is expensive to repack. Its a hit at year five for the line cutters then the big one at ten years. So if you are PROPERLY maintaining your landing gear, how much will you spend in labor and parts over ten years? I know it won't be the same as a chute but the gap has been closed by a significant amount. There are no gear swings, no tension checks, no million grease zerks to lube, no doors to rig, no gearbox, and motor to check on an SR annual. If you are paying 80-100 an hour, it adds up...

Plastic doesn't corrode. Anyone who says they'd like to see how the cirrus looks at 50 years sarcastically probably doesn't realize there are a bunch of plastic kit planes built in the 80s that look just fine. Corrosion protection wasn't available on the Bonanza until the mid-late 70s.

I like having two doors, It's better than one, hands down.

It's simple, no retractable landing gear, no cowl flaps (price those cowl flap parts out).

The basic avionics in the early SRs are considered up to date in the Bonanza fleet, especially when seeing guys trying to get top dollar for your dual mark 12ds and a Century III autopilot equipped airplanes. You can say it still all works but so does the standard STEC 55x.

There is a company, Midwestern Aircraft Refinishers, that will make them look like a new one with the new style paint and interior. Ross is near the Cirrus factory and turns out some sweet birds.

Notice I haven't even got to the chute yet....

SRs have better CG than short body Bonanzas. Many 35/33 Bonanzas will CG out before they weight out.

Shoulder harnesses in all four seats. The Bonanza didn't get that option until about 76ish.

The cockpit is wider by a few inches which makes it more comfortable.

In the next few years, there will be more SRs flying than Bonanzas. The parts and service networks will be there.

Numerous little things that take too long to type...

Oh and the parachute, I don't trust piston airplane engines. I would rather have two of them or a parachute. I train in my personal flying the same as I do in my work flying.

This is coming from someone with about 600 hours in Bonanzas and 750 hours in SRs.

They are not. I believe we paid $1,500 for our line cutters, due every 6 years.

Amsafe airbags are another expense to consider.

Bonanza is RG.
What is your current pilot experience like and your future goals.

Got tons of RG hours and it doesn’t matter then pick away.

New to RG and need numbers for that column for the next airplane? Then the Cirrus is a waste to a certain degree.

You don’t say where you’re located but there is no STC (or factory equipped) air conditioning options on a G1, have to go to a G2 for that. Being in the south, that ruled them out for me. G2 is somewhat hard to find with AC from the factory and it’s $30k to add if not equipped, but they are out there, lots of the G2-GTS models came with it.

The G1 SR22 I flew was an earlier one without the 6-point engine mount. The vibrations were quite undesirable. Lots of those have been upgraded to the newer mount but it's not a cheap conversion.