Sorry for barging in like this, but I have always been a believer of the Piper Indians certainly in preference to the 172.
However, after 50 hours in a 177RG and about 12 in a C182RG I must admit, they're pretty darn good.
The 182 has about the same power as the Dakota but is larger and lifts anything you can stuff inside it, plus, you can take it anywhere without worrying about field length. They may be a tad pricey so the FG versions could be an option.
Just for reference I have twice the time in Pipers as in Cessnas, but I still find them more attractive than the Piper counterparts mainly due to accessibility (two doors), visibility (especially the 177) and total performance. My current mount however is a Commander 114B, but we shouldn't go there...