A Piper Cherokee 140... good first plane?

We have owned a 74' 140 for 11 years now. With no kids and few other
couples interested in flying, it has worked out pretty well. Climb
performance with the 150hp engine is pretty weak. The average 105kt
cruise speed is also not stellar, but O.K. with light winds. We usually
only travel 1/2 hour to 4 hour flights with the bulk being less than 1
hour, so it is not a real concern. Useful load is also a bit light (mine
is 729lbs.).

There are times when another 20kts of speed, 300fpm climb, and 150lbs.
of load would have been great. But, I suspect that once we had it, we
would only want more.

Maintenance has been on "our" schedule, not the plane's. This is because
the previous owner did it right and we continue the pattern.

The biggest trouble with 140s is that most were/are used as trainers
and/or are beat up with lots of hours. We now have 2600 hours and have
painted it, replaced the interior, and replaced (not overhauled) or
upgraded most other things. Few 140s have had this life. Matter of fact,
most are flying junk in my opinion. This is also true of may 180s. I
keep my eyes peeled for the "right" deal. After 11 years, I have not
seen one I would go back into hock for. Since the 140 now has nearly
everything we need, it is even harder to justify a swap. Almost every
Warrior I look at is even in worse shape. 5000 HARD hours plus and worn
out in nearly every way. Archers are out of the question financially. I
could afford it, but there is no way I want that kind of money tied up
in an airplane. If you go with an Archer, most have led pampered lives
and you will pay for it.

We have just adjusted our expectations to match the plane instead of the
reverse. I also find new "projects" to keep it interesting.

Skyhawks are a lot like Apple computers. They have quite a few tricks of
their own to make them interesting. They also have a fierce "fan club"
of people willing to pay unreasonable prices to get them. Hence, they
may not be worth the money for people not similarly afflicted.

The best thing going for 140s and Skyhawks are the vast numbers
available, especially for 172s. Plenty of parts, upgrades, STCs, and PMA
parts available. Once you own an airplane for a while you will
appreciate this fact.

Good Luck,
Mike