I'm having a rental checkout on one tommorrow morning. I'll let you know how I found it as a 80 hour PPL (I have the C172, C152, PA28, PA38 and Chipmunk to compare it to). I'll try and get some pics too.
I've only had a quick look around the outside of one thus far (it was -10C and the snow was going horizonatally at the time!), it does look a bit strange (spinner and tail look too small to me). I've been told the inside is quite comfy. As you say it is on the slow side, but at $80 an hour I'm not going to complain yet.
More to come!
Cheers,
Gareth.