Cessna 172 vs. Mooney vs. ?

I'm in the process of taking lessons for my Private Pilot Certificate. I'll
be eventually using my certificate to commute from Tucson to Flagstaff and
will purchase a plane. My training is in a Cessna 172.



Although I'm a way off, I'm beginning to consider planes for my commute. I'
ll be flying from around 3500 ft up to 7000 ft. I was given a good
suggestion that I fly into Sedona which is about 1500 ft. Lower than
Flagstaff. I may also do some recreational trips to the Reno-Tahoe area.
The bottom line is I need a plane that can handle mountains.



My budget is $40K - $50K. Looking at www.aso.com I see that puts me in the
late 70s to early 80s Cessna 172. Alternatively I could go with a 1960 era
Mooney M20. I'm sure there are options with Cherokees as well. I'd like to
stay away from kits and experimentals, at least until I get more experience.



Soooo. what's the deal? Go with a later model 172 or the earlier Mooney?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? What other airplanes I
should consider?



Thanks in advance



pjbphd




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