Google this: "Buying a 172." This group and the piloting group
have plenty of previous posts about the 172's idiosyncrasies and what a
buyer should watch for. There are a few items that will apply to most
172s, but every airplane is different since it gets abused in different
ways by different owners. It needs a really good inspection by a
mechanic who is familiar with the type before you put any money on it.

Dan