I own a Cardinal. The gear problems are largely overstated and usually caused by poor maintenance. If you want a solid opinion have a fly up to Airspeed Aviation at Derby. They know the 177 inside out.
They're great for getting in and out of small strips, good turn of speed, loads of room inside, have great looks and don't suffer from roll-blindness like most Cessnas due to the wings being set back.
If you should eventually decide you don't want the disappearing wheels, there is a great range of after-market parts for the FG which can add a huge chunk of speed via improved aerodynamics (spats, tailcone etc). Powerflow also produce exhausts for both RG and FG which will give you 20+bhp power increase - well worth it.
There simply is no comparison to a PA28. The Piper feels like an unresponsive brick after you've flown a Cardinal.