Is there a line in time or models where 182's should be avoided?

Better an older 182 or a newer 177 with 180 hp constant speed?

IMHO it's a dicey time to be buying any big-bore, fuel-injected, 200+
horsepower airplane. With 100 LL on its way out -- and no approved
replacement in the wings -- prices of these birds have no where to go
but down.

If I were looking for a plane like this (and I own a very similar
airplane) I would restrict my search to normally-aspirated, low
compression engines that can run on mogas. (Although even that is a
crap-shoot now, with mandatory ethanol pollution in many states.) At
least you'll have a plane that can be used (and sold) at some point
down the line.

Unless oil prices stabilize -- which seems unlikely -- the market for
gasoline-powered, high-compression aircraft will remain very, very
uncertain.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"