Owning is great! Welcome aboard.

The comments about use profile are critical. If you will really be
traveling or doing IFR, a little more speed and power are nice. If not, the
172 can be perfect. I'm a buy it and keep it a long time kind of guy so
getting something that will serve 5 years out has been important (I'm on
#3). Others are fly it and sell it and upgrade - but that path suggests
buying low time, ready to go a/c. Like kitchens and bathrooms, you won't
get your investments back at resale, you want to use the stuff. So with
this kind of plane, you want to think you will still be flying it in 5+
years.

The Garmin will cost you $10k minimum. Plan on $15k or more ("since we are
opening up the panel, we might as well do x and y and z, don't you think?")

If this is the first or 2nd a/c you've looked at seriously - don't buy it
(shields up). It's easy to fall for the first a/c you see. There is a
buyer's education process that will happen if you take a little time and
survey the market a bit. Yes, you may pass on a great deal but more likely,
you'll kick some tires, learn a great deal, and then hopefully trip over one
of those deals that really is good.... or at least right for you.

Good luck.


" Jerry Napoliano wrote in message
...
I know everyone has an opinion... and I'd like to hear some of them!

I'm a first time buyer, and I've come across a 172P for sale at a
local airport. Its a 1981, 4000TTAF, 1700SMOH. No GPS, standard
avionics (digital radios, 720CH, ADF, Audio Panel, Xpndr) No damage
history and a current annual and IFR certification.

It looks to be extremely clean inside and out. Paint seems to be a 7
or 8. It is privately owned, although I don't know about rental
history in the past.

The owner is asking $57,000. My thoughts are that I could but a
Garmin 430 for around $4k, (how much would installation be??) and in
300 hours I'll need a new engine. After a $20k engine swap, will it
be worth $77k or more with 4300TTAF and 0SMOH?

Does this make sense as a first airplane, with times like these, or
should I look for something with lower times and a GPS already
installed?

And finally... does the price seem reasonable as is, or should it be
priced lower due to the engine time?

Any help with this decision would be immensely appreciated!