I got my PPL about a year ago (To be more accurate I was up to 200 hours over a decade ago, but practical considerations got in the way and I had to start again.)
After a long break it was still the same aeroplanes, but older and tattier. No-one should be forced to use a machine that has magneto ignition and uses a proportion of its expensive fuel to cool the antiquated engine. Sensible people would not bother in the first place.
I am now living in Italy which, surprisingly, has an enlightened and lightly regulated attitude to microlight sport flying. My local aviosuperficie is 5km away, and I will be flying from there.
Acheiving the PPL was great, but the thought of being restricted to short flights in worn out old clunkers would put most people off. And most flying clubs are still unfriendly places to outsiders. If you were to spend the same amount of money on any other leisure actively the welcome would be far warmer.