"dutch" wrote
The down indicator switch assembly is covered by a plastic housing, and the
plastic eventually gets old and brittle and when asked to flex too many
times eventually just broke the wire inside. So I'm going to replace the
entire assembly and do the one on the left side as well

Well, you can do that. Or you can splice in new wire in the area
subject to flexing. If you have a cooperative A&P and are handy with
tools, it's a simple procedure that will save you hundreds of dollars
in one afternoon. Your call, but that's how I dealt with the same
problem on my Twin Comanche. Still going strong after hundreds of
cycles.

I'm concluding after a couple of years of ownership that buying an older
airplane gives you the opportunity to replace every moving part one at a
time.

Well, I would put it this way - unless you're going to do the
maintenance yourself, you are not saving any money by buying an older
complex airplane.

Michael