No problem, I'm just looking now as I am trying to get an idea on what the cost are. I don't think the prices on used planes are going to be much different 6 months from now, and there seem to be plenty for sale.

I basically no nothing now so I'm just trying to get a feel for whats out there.

I'll be training in a 172, but there is also a cherokee 180 there that I can rent when I'm farther along. Then when I make up my mind what I want I can step up the search.

Are there any other brands or models I should be looking at? I can probably up my budget to $45,000 to $50,000. But I would hope if I spend that much that I wouldn't have any big expenses in the near future. I would like something that I could put 4 people in from time to time and go 150-200 miles with little to no luggage. Most of the time it would be for just my wife and I.

I am 5'8" 165lbs and my wife and daughters are 5'2" and just over 100-115 lbs. We all four fit in an even smaller "four seater" (a Piper Pacer) with "some" luggage. 172's and Cherokees will handle four people no problem so long as they are not four "big" guys. Small overnight bags will fit as well. I have hauled four men in my smaller Pacer (with me being the smallest) to local fly-in events, but I would not want to fly a 1000 mile x-country being that cramped.

So...... For occasional $100 hamburgers and local sightseeing, unless you have very large passengers, both a 172 and PA-28 will be capable of hauling four people off of average length paved runways. Don't expect to be as comfortable as you would be in a large modern SUV, but it is doable. One would have to spend alot more money to get into a six seater that will then hold four large adults with lots of luggage or six adults with minimal baggage. It is probably not worth spending the money just for the rare occasion you might want to haul 4 adults on a long x-country.

If you really want to...
 

buy an aircraft, think resale just like you would a Porsche. Think longterm. Will u use an aircraft for business or pleasure after you have got your private licence? Or will it be a hangar queen(think sunday driver) and not get used enough? I see countless number of aircraft sitting tied down and not being used. The problem is with a small aircraft is that you cannot fly all weather because small a/c do not have the deicing capability of more sophisticated a/c. Similarly for yourself, if you do not have an instrument rating, that means you fly VFR(visual flt. rules). If you want to get a twin engine rating, you need a twin engine a/c!:mad:I think that you must decide on how much you want to spend on an a/c(if you insist on going that route). I myself rented 40 years ago and did not consider buying because I did not have the cash to do it. As I have I said before with renting, you walk away after you are finished with the a/c. Between the Cherokee and the C172 I would take the C172 hands down. It feels less sluggish. Try both. When I was learning, I really did not care which a/c I flew as I just wanted to get flying time. But definitely found that some a/c were way more pleasurable than others.If you buy and do not use the a/c enough then you will regret your purchase as you have annual inspection cost plus tie down/hangar fees, plus the inevitable failure of some parts, radios , transponder etc. These will result in Porsche like expense:(
If you do buy, get a PPI first just like a Porsche. If you get a high time engine, a rebuild is expensive, think Porsche. Good luck but buyer beware and thats why I like renting.

Sure renting is probably the best bet for most from a purely financial view, but most fellow aircraft owners I know are enthusiasts that happen to enjoy owning and caring for their toys. Aircraft are money pits... very seldom do people make money on airplanes. To an enthusiast, this is an acceptable way to blow money. For someone who simply wants to conquer the challenge of learning to fly, it is wiser to rent.

High wing, low wing, done em' both. Your choice. Old instructor told me lotsa years ago "natures way is best--never saw a low wing bird" Some of the pros in this business are very jaded people, sorta like some of the "P" car bunch. Be a hobby flyer. Doin' it for a living ain't THAT good anyway. The big money just isn't there but for a very few exceptions. Go learn, enjoy, my very best to you.

I really want my own plane. I want to know its available when I want it, and I want to know at least how its been taken care off. I'm not worried about whats the most economical.

I'm 6' and 190lbs, my wife is fairly tall and I'm guessing is 135lbs. We are both retired now and have the time to use it. I also like the fact that I could fly down and visit my dad that lives around 150 miles away and stay a few days if I want. We also have relatives that live within 300 miles that we would also do this at times.

And Ive been looking at some of the old Pacers too. I really like the looks of them.

BARNSTORMERS.COM

Just for the record... With a six footer in the pilots seat in a Pacer, leg room for the back seat passengers will be very minimal. A Pacer is narrower and tougher to get into also compared to a 172 or a PA28. I love mine, but it is an Oshkosh and Sun-Fun award winner.... Lots of Pacers are not near as nice and being fabric covered, you would definitely need to keep it in a hangar except when out on trips. That said, it's cruise speed is actually as good as and even better than some 172's & PA-28's.

Pacers...
 

I used to rent a Piper Colt which is the underpowered version of the Tripacer(I believe the Tripacer is 150hp?). I really liked the Colt as a two place. I would think the Tripacer is considerably better but could it haul 4 people plus fuel etc.? I think the latter is considerably cheaper than a C172 as the Tripacer I believe is fabric covered . Do the fabric test or have it done by somebody that knows what they r doing. Fabric recovering is expensive. Everything to do with a/c is expensive just like the Porsche. Enjoy your flying. It is a whole new world!:).
Knowledge is everything when it comes to aircraft or Porsche. Keep the questions coming. I am retired and have lots of time to answerSmileWavy:)
Cheers.

I always liked the Grumman Tigers (AG5Bs) also - cool little slide-open canopy makes you feel like you're in a fighter taxiing around...

Decisions, decisions...

I'm definitely a low-wing kind of guy personally but I also never had a C172 treat me wrong. Having Sir Isaac Newton's "fuel pumps" on board versus the mechanical variety (or electric) is always a bit comforting.

If I bought something like the Pacer it would be for the majority of the time when there were only two of us, or just me. Then I would rent a larger plane if needed. I probably won't go this way, I just see several for sale in the mid 20's and they just look cool.

Hangers here rent for $125 a month, tie downs are $35. I paid more for my boat slip.

I'm thinking of spending in the $35,000 range, hopefully this will get me into an OK entry level plane. I can spend more for something if its really nice, or less wouldn't bother me either. I'm just looking now, but expect I'll have something by summer.

FWIW, the single most influential factor in the price of old airplanes is the time on the engine. For the most part as you may already know, these small aircraft engines have a "recommended" 2000 hour time frame between overhauls (a few engine models are as low as 1500 hrs). Generally speaking, buying a mid priced model of used airplane with under 1000 hours on the engine is a pretty safe bet for being able to re-sell it at a similar price several years down the road. OTOH, buying a similar condition (or even nicer) airplane with 1700 hours on the engine for what seems to be a cheap price, is not really going to be cheap as it will likely need the engine to be overhauled while you own it. It sucks, but major repairs (like re-covering a fabric airplane or getting an engine overhaul) nearly always result in you losing money when it comes time to sell.

Example:

C172 with 1000 hours since major engine overhaul might be listed for say $45,000. Similar C172 with 1700 hours SMOH might be listed for $35,000. Well you will likely spend close to $20,000 to get the 1700 engine overhauled after a couple years, but the airplane will not be worth the $58,000 you put into it. It "might" be worth $50,000.