Did not realize older Cessna's were so inexpensive. I'll add the 175 to my research.
I always bought the cheapest I could find for restoration. An out of annual airplane usually sells for about half.
With slight damage maybe about 1/4 of the flyable average Trade-A-Plane prices. The idea is to have fun in the restoration and in a year or two of flying it then get bored and sell it and look for another project. Should get back all the cash spent but nothing for labor.
I like complete aircraft. Hate scrounging for parts.
Maybe it won't be as "historically significant", but consider that a used experimental will always be more bang for the buck than any standard certificated aircraft. No A&P needed except for the condition inspection, no requirement for original/TSO/STC'd parts, change anything you want, etc...
IIRC the C-175 has the geared engine which has its own set of issues...
Dana,
I am leaning towards ELSA. I just want to play around with a cool used plane with the minimum of hassle. Solo is how I ride motorcycles, why not planes?
I have a few friends who fly two seat airplanes on the SP ticket. I asked them how often do they fly with someone in the other seat. They all told me maybe 1% of the time. If you look over into that seat it is usually empty. The people I know who got the SP certificate did this to be legal to fly their ultralight style airplane. It may be two seat but it is basically an ultralight. This is what the SP ticket was aimed at anyway IMHO. Those whom just wanted to fly to be flying. But we have those whom believe this ticket is a means to transverse this nation in an airplane. I myself do not see it as such. That should be left to a PP. IMHO. SP is for the sport of flying. How I see it.
That is a very narrow view of the Sport Pilot privileges and one that is not grounded in FARs or reality. Tell the many RV-12 (and similar aircraft) pilots who fly their planes all over the country that they are only supposed to be flying around their local airport (the FAA certainly won't tell them that...). Traversing this nation with a Sport Pilot license is a fantastic way to use the certificate and enables many who could no longer gain a Class Three certificate to continue using an aircraft for transportation (often with a a passenger) to far-flung destinations.
An RV-12 is faster than a Cessna 172 and with its glass panel is better equipped than most and is completely Light Sport compliant.
In my humble opinion, your humble opinion is simply wrong. I have the right seat occupied for well over half my flights. Family members, Young Eagles and friends. My wife and I use it to go places. My new co-owner plans to do the same once he passes his checkride and has his Sport Pilot certificate. Neither of us would try to tell others how they should use their airplanes.