On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 15:42:58 -0400, Dave Butler wrote:

Cecil Chapman wrote:
I'm beginning the process of looking for my own plane and have heard lots of
advice. Most have advised against getting something like a Cherokee 140 and
opt instead for something like a Cessna 172 or a Cherokee 180. Now, most
172 N's that I've flown have a 160 HP engine. It is my understanding that
the Cherokee 140 has a 150 HP engine (about comparable to the engine size of
a 172M). Will I really miss out on the extra 10 hp difference between the
C172N and the Cherokee 140?

Some random observations:

The up-front cost of a higher powered Cherokee is higher.

The fuel cost for a higher powered Cherokee is higher.

I bet if you run a 180hp cherokee at the same TAS as a 140/150/160,
the fuel burn will be damn close to the same. The 180 simply provides
the option to run at a higher power setting, and hence higher speed
and fuel flow.

This same story probably extrapolates to the Cherokee 235.