So many options ... so little time.
I made the guy an offer on the C172. He countered. We went back and forth.
At the end of the day, it was a great price on a good plane, but I couldn't pay the market price because it had ... wait for it ... damage history. About 20 years ago it was in a significant crash.
On the one hand, it obviously is a clean flyer and has been for 20 years. On the other, the resale value for a plane with an accident is less then those without accidents, and so I just couldn't pay full value.
In the end, my wife and I decided to keep renting death traps and save up for the plane we actually want, which is a C210 turbo. So that's what we are doing now.
Anyway, this Vmax is only $3500 bucks.