What do you want it for? You'll probably out grow of a PA28 / C172 real quick.
I have a 1978 C172 which I use for instrument training, although I don't instruct any more so I'll probably put it up for sale. Easy / cheap to maintain; parts are ubiquitous.
I bought a Mooney for going places: now that is a good personal aircraft. 200 miles an hour on 9 gallons an hour with a 1,000 mile range. However it was an older model and the cost of maintenance was mind boggling. I know other owners of the same model who have found the maintenance to be absolutely minimal.
My advice would be to buy the newest aircraft you can afford, and to stay away from anything that has a high time engine.
I forgot the most important bit: a pre-purchase inspection from a REPUTABLE shop is vitally important. I paid for a pre-purchase inspection on the Mooney. It was squeeky clean, aparently. What they failed to notice was that the crank shaft was bent and that the crank case had 4 cracks running right through it.
That was a 20,000 dollar oversight.
Last edited by lock wire; 22nd Apr 2005 at 16:22.