I recently bought a 1975 Sundowner with good paint and interior. The engine has just over 600 hours since OH and the prop, just over 400. I paid less than 34K for the bird. I got it to teach my two linebacker-sized sons how to fly. I'm just below 300lbs, and my oldest is not far behind me. We do have to carry some ballast in the baggage compartment and keep the fuel load down below 35 gal because it is tight on the forward side of the W&B charts but it fly's fine. I get about 107kts at 5500 ft and 2400 rpm leaned till rough and then back in a little (technical procedure). With just me and the wife, we can fill the tanks (60 gal) and fly farther than My bladder can take.
Part of the reason the W&B numbers are the way they are is that you sit forward of the wing. This gives great visability but requires us little guys to haul around our weight sets in the baggage compartment.
I got it for the stabilty and the view. Unlike the Pipers, where you actually sit in the floor, the Sundowner has seats and two doors. The windshield is like looking through a golf cart windshield, it is huge and has the best forward visability of any small airplane I've ever been in. I have flown the 172 and the Warrior and, although a LITTLE slower than those, it is much more confortable. If you are ever in Central Alabama and want to be properly introduced to the Sundowner, let me know and we'll take a tour of the Talladega Super Speedway from above. chuck