Rob L, good post. The reason why there are very few young people under training in the GA world is probably because the pay is appalling, working conditions are usually poor, employers don't train or invest in people, no security, no pension scheme, etc etc. The hourly rate for the guy who fixes my car is twice the local M3 rate for an aircraft. What doesn't help is the attitude of some owners who never pay their bills on time or expect top service for free.
I sympathise with anyone who has purchased a 'dog' but an independent inspection is essential if you are going to spend a large amount of money. In my experience the state of an aircraft is a direct result of the attitude of the owner to spending money on maintenance. I bet the person who but bodge tape on javelin's aircraft wasn't the engineer - he would love to charge the full rate for a fabric repair - thats how he makes money!