Jack Allison wrote:

Specifically on your situation, check into whether or not Piper
service
bulletin 1006 has been performed. This is the one where they pull
the
tanks and check for corrosion on the wing spar caps. Many Piper
owners
advised me this is a "must have". If it has not been performed, I
feel
it is worth spending the money to do as part of a pre-buy inspection.


I'll second Jack's advice on this one. The only way to detect
corrosion in that area is to perform SB #1006. That area is not
normally inspected as part of an annual inspection. If it hasn't been
performed, the long term condition of the plane is a question mark. It
could be fine (as in most cases), or it could have some intergranular
corrosion of the spar which will render your wings basically useless.

Inspecting for corrosion is key to the long term investment prospects
of an airplane. On a Cherokee group that I frequent, one owner is
currently disassembling his recently bought plane and selling the
pieces. His first annual uncovered massive corrosion under the front
floorboards that would not have been economically feasable to repair.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)