Florida guys bought an abandoned Falcon 20 jet from Facebook Marketplace for $15k but then received the ‘unbelievable’ repair bill
- This abandoned Falcon 20 jet is grounded in Florida, US
- It was bought by five friends via Facebook Marketplace for $15K
- However, the bill to repair it came as somewhat of a shock
Published on Dec 31, 2024 at 6:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Jan 02, 2025 at 3:13 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
We know that supercars can be expensive to upkeep, however the bill to repair this abandoned Falcon 20 jet grounded in Florida, US, took that figure skywards.
The aircraft had been listed on Facebook Marketplace for an unbelievable $15,000.
A car enthusiast content creator and four friends chipped in for what they believed to be a bargain investment.
That’s until they saw the restoration bill.
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The abandoned Falcon 20
Cleetus McFarland owns the world-famous Freedom Factory located in Bradenton, Florida.
While the car enthusiast was keen to prove the naysays wrong and get her airworthy again – he needed a quote ‘to get this bad girl airworthy again so we can know what we’re up against’.
While $15,000 is a tidy sum, he was wary of the costs of getting an airplane that hadn’t flown in 16 years off the ground.
Manufactured from 1965–1991, it was one of the first business jets developed by Dassault Aviation that more recently unveiled a luxurious $75 million private jet considered the ‘penthouse of the skies’
While we are used to seeing supercar maintenance that costs more than the average car – this restoration estimate will take your breath away.
The ‘unbelievable’ repair bill
When McFarland’s friend and automotive expert, Joe, was asked for his estimate and to ‘give us the bad stuff off the rip so we can focus on the good stuff’ – the news was brutal.
It will cost $2.5 million dollars plus to get it back into the air.
“I thought you were going to say $70,000,” exclaims a voice off camera.
Key issues include an expensive engine overhaul totalling $1 million, a hush kit that is going to set them back $100,000, and significant corrosion on the plane’s structure.
That’s not all.
The jet also needs new landing gear at $300,000, batteries, and inspection fees totaling $750,000, with additional costs for unanticipated damage.
“I wish I had better news,” he tells McFarland who thanks him for not sugarcoating the reality of it all.
Ultimately, the plane is not airworthy and will require deregistration if used for ground events at the Freedom Factory.
Cleetus plans to tow it there and sell the engines for $20,000 to offset repair costs.
London-based Amelia cut her journalistic teeth covering all things lifestyle, wellness and luxury in the UK capital. Fast-forward a decade and the experienced content creator and editor has put pen to paper for glossy magazines, busy newsrooms and coveted brands. When her OOO is on you can find her spending quality time with her young family, in the gym or exploring the city she loves.
