Significant Difference in Mtce Costs Piper 140/C-172?

[RFlyer]

After a lot of looking around my search has narrowed - big surprise - to the C-172 and PA-28-140/151... I was wondering whether there are any significant differences in the cost to maintain these two types. I've heard Cessnas have an edge but don't know if it's true and how much of an edge if it is. I don't want to get into the high wing versus low wing debate, etc, here unless that actually plays into the mtce costs.

[Deltawidget]

Probably the slight advantage goes to the 172 as parts are generally easier to come by, but the difference is not anything "significant" from what I understand.

Unless you want to put on floats or skis, the PA28's offer better value in my opinion. Same performance as a 172 but 20-25K less. Only drawback to the PA28's is that less mobile passengers may not like single door boarding over the wing.

The -151 and -161 Warriors are difficult to come by but offer the best combination of useful load (940lbs), speed, space and handling characteristics. On the topic of space, my co-owner and I were in the back for a flight - he is 6'3/200#, I'm 6'0/220#. Both of us were fine in the back seat (although I think he may have had to slouch a bit to not have his head against the roof)

Try and find a PA28 (either the 140/151/161) with a relatively new engine and you'll be fine. We got our with 1400 hours on the engine, overhauled in 2003 and no major problem making it to TBO - we'll probably go past it by a few hundred hours.

[qa guy]

Piper parts are more expensive, and harder to get. Their support keeps getting worse. Cessna beats any competitor in that department. But then again with airplanes....nothing is cheap!

[azimuthaviation]

Pipers have a lot more AD's than 172s. Many are not mandatory for private owners however, but probably a good idea to follow them. Also Cessnas I think are easier to fix, at least from an avionics standpoint.

[SeptRepair]

You meant to say SB's were not mandatory....right?

[azimuthaviation]

You meant to say SB's were not mandatory....right?

Thats correct

[SuperchargedRS]

Only drawback to the PA28's is that less mobile passengers may not like single door boarding over the wing.

I look at it like this, cessnas two half ass tin can slam or rama doors are the same as pipers single real door.

[RFlyer]

Thanks for the replies! I'm surprised that Cessna parts would beat the cost on Piper ones - are these parts generally salvaged from high time machines or are we talking about new parts here?

[qa guy]

Im talking new. But i would think used would be the same since there were more 172's built
than any other small a/c. Goes back to the supply vs demand thing

[photofly]

Not only is the 172 the most produced light aircraft, it's the top most produced aircraft in the world, with more than 43,000 built.

[azimuthaviation]

The difference between supply/demand based on numbers produced is pretty negligible if you take in to account several factors. There arent 43 000 similiar airframes of the 172, very few parts on a 172A with the fastback o-360 to the newest glass cockpit omni view fuel injected io-320. In fact I would venture to guess that there are more interchangable airframes in the cherokee family than the 172 family. Used parts are as plentiful for cherokees as they are for 172s I have found, but new parts for cherokees can quickly break the bank.