I have to agree with the other posters, especially the part about
"RUNNNN"... ;-)

9000 hours tells you one thing... Trainer! You can bet your bottom
dollar that plane has had a hard landing or two. That doesn't mean
there is anything wrong with this airplane and may in fact turn out to
be a great deal. However, there are a lot of low time airplanes out
there to be had at a decent price.

Be careful of an airplane with too low TTAF as well. Planes that
aren't flown semi-regularly could pose concerns also.

I went through the same struggle when I bought my 172! I really wanted
a specific high hour plane because it had the 180hp conversion. I went
with my gut and passed, and shortly fell across a nice 1976 172 with
less than 3000 TTAF and only one previous owner. Looking through the
logs and at some of the simple mods he had made, it was obvious he
really cared about the plane. However, that doesn't mean he hasn't
landed hard on occaision! ;-)

As Dave said, if you are having any trepidation about the plane right
now, so will any perspective buyers, after you have put even more time
on it. For some reason, 10,000 hours seems a whole lot bigger than
9.000 hours!?

Whatever you decide, make sure you get a good pre-purchase inspection
from a shop of "your" choosing, and hopefully someone you can trust!

Back to the lease-back point... I, quite honestly, can barely afford
to keep my plane with the fixed costs and incidentals. I would love to
put some newer avionics in it, but just can't seem to come up with the
funds. However, there is something quite comforting about knowing
every experience the plane goes through. I know it is going to be
exactly where it was when I left it, and I would know if there was
anything strange going on with the engine during its last flight. I
know if the last landing was a hard one or a greaser, and whether or
not I need to look closely at the plane because of a hard landing... I
think you would lose a little of that, when allowing your plane to be
used as a trainer...

I couldn't possibly know your financial situation, and can tell you
that there is actually no way to justify the cost of owning vs. renting
with as little as I fly (2 small kids and lots of activities, but I fly
when I can). It would make far more economic sense for me to rent,
than it does to own. However, after having made an emergency
dead-stick landing at an Air Force Base (shortly after 911), and after
having had the MP's brush the machine-guns over their shoulders as they
were leaning over to pat my instructor and I down, and after having the
owners of the plane down-play the severity of the incident, I decided
that sometimes economics should take a back seat!

There are no guarantees in life... My plane could encounter an issue
that could flat out bury me, both literally and figuratively, but I
feel much better knowing that I am in control of as much as I can be in
control of.

Sorry for the rant! My thoughts might not even be worth the virtual
paper they are typed on, but you did ask for sharing... ;-)

Best Regards and Best of Luck!
Todd