Buy the best you can afford is always a good plan. The cost to rent a IFR plane for 40 hours is pretty cheap conspired to converting one. Not so long strips get REAL SHORT when you have a full load or it gets hot. A 180 hp 172 would be a great starter plane from a cost/fun/insurance standpoint. Just buy something and go fly. Give it 500 hours and then you will know what the next one should be.
DENNY

One other thought:

Since this will be a club plane, as opposed to solely owned, I would stay well away from tailwheels. The 172 would be right at the top of any such list in my opinion. And an 180 hp version with CS prop……just adds to the attraction.

MTV

Thank you all again for the great feedback - it makes me more confident in moving forward.

Anyone want to wager a value on this plane? Straight tail 172, 360 Lycoming ~700 SMOH, CS Prop, basic avionics, Repainted a few years ago, and interior redone.... Hangared since painted and interior redone.

I think the price we're looking at is a bit high, but not crazy.....

In the current market, if it isn't crazy it's a good price.

gahi wrote:which 180 conversion is it? I learned in and owned a cs 180 172. a few complaints, 1) the paint was too nice for me, I was always stressed about dinging it off airport 2) the CS prop had an rpm restriction below 2350 I think. So I ended up going fast everywhere. These are both good things for a traveling plane. I guess it just wasnt the right fit for my needs.

Checked on conversion - Doyn/Bush done in 79/80. Motor rebuilt by Lycoming at last overhaul. There is an RPM restriction between 2000 and 2150 RPM for the Hartzell Prop. Max Flaps is still 40.

I have the same RPM restriction on my 170. It is no problem whatsoever.

Just buy it. You won’t regret it, that’s a solid setup. Rent a plane for IFR

asa wrote:Just buy it. You won’t regret it, that’s a solid setup. Rent a plane for IFR

What he ^^ said!

MTV

I would guess $75k would be a really good deal and $100k might not be unreasonable depending on how well done the new paint and interior is. That is applying WAG theory, of course and, I might be a few weeks behind the market.
Chris

Appreciate the bracket flyingzebra! Its within that range, closer to the good deal side of the equation....

Antarctica wrote:Appreciate the bracket flyingzebra! Its within that range, closer to the good deal side of the equation....

Buy it and Fly it

A straight tail 180hp 172 would be a sweet plane. The market is crazy right now. Id like to give an example of a plane I just sold. 1966 Cessna 172. 2400tt and 650smoh. Paint was horrible- paint brush style. Nice interior. I rebuilt the panel with av-30’s and it came with a garmin 430. I put 100 hours on the 0-300 in 4 months. $60k it sold for. Engine was rebuilt in 2000.

If the 172 your looking at is nice. 80k is probably a real fair price. Better not think too long or it will be gone.

The little bit I’ve been flying/buying planes I’ve found an annual does not mean much. A plane that has been sitting and not flown much is much more risky. Sellers tend to act like everything you find wrong is no big deal. If this 172 is close and you can put some time on it before you buy it that’s a big plus.

One more thought I have for guys looking to sell there bird. Barnstormers is not the place. I had the 172 listed on there for a month with poor results. I put it on tradeaplane and it sold in two days at my asking price.