Hello Sunny W
As a matter of interest, how many flying hours did you do for your $9,500 in costs?
78.2 hrs to be precise.
How much higher would that figure be if you added provisions for: possible top overhaul, possible cylinder replacement, engine overhaul, prop overhaul, instrument and avionics overhaul, repaint each five years or so, ditto internal refurbishment etc etc etc.
Lots I'd reckon. Funds weren't put aside for any of the above.
repaint each five years or so
Your kidding me aren't you? Why on earth would you want to do that?
Or do you propose to run our engine and prop hours and try to sell it with chalky paint and scruffy interior - and wonder why you can't get the same money for it as you paid for it?
The aircraft is the best preserved and best looking 172N I've seen in the last 5 years. It presents as new. Would I get back what I paid for it? In the last two years the market has moved back about 15 to 20%. That low time 182R that you would have payed $200k's for two years ago can be picked up for around $160 to $165k's today (there are some exceptions to this, good low time late 210's for example). So to answer your question, no. I'm still having fun though!