wrote:

Cardinal RG strikes me as just a tad faster/sleeker

It's slower by 10 knots...

Says who?

The POH

Also most of our club planes are brand new (8 years)... minus the
Cardinal and the Chieftains.

What are the book speeds for the Arrow?

The Cardinal RG will do 140+ KTAS. One that won't do that is out of rig or
has engine problems.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM