buy the plane that fits the mission,
Definitely. But if you are buying, rather that just using someone else's, your "mission" must also include maintainability, reparability, and dispatch reliability. Start asking around about spares/parts availabililty, how easy it is to maintain (getting at things), how often a "little thing" prevents you going flying, and importantly, if you have a hard landing, or someone dents the plane with a suitcase, or breaks a window, how easy is that to repair. And... how common is it to find a local shop capable?
Any of the foregoing will make a C 172 look like the nicest plane on earth!
Before choosing, also ask the hard questions, of things you would rather not have to think about, so if you ever have to, you don't get the surprise then!
(I've owned a Cessna for 27 years - zero surprises, 99.9% dispatch reliability!)