Several factors. First it's been several years and she just feels like time for a change. Second is the Pponk in her 182 has the Millenium cylinders that fall under the AD. Has about 500 hours left before they have to be pulled. I told her she'll have to get used to having less performance in that 180 vs her current 182. I told her to buy a Bonanza, she'll get so much more plane for the money than in a 180.

Scott, I love 180's, but your right, much more plane for the money in a Bonanza! That being said I looked at Trade a Plane just to see for myself and looked at four, south of a 100k! 1970 79,900, 1959 95,000 and two nice 55's one for only 61,000. The one that really stood out was the 59, 200smoh 2500TT, it had some nice upgrades! Sidney Wakeham

She's looked at all the aircraft in TAP. Almost all the 180's for sale below the $100K price point are pure junk. She's at the point in the search now where she's just keeping her eyes and ears open hoping to stumble across one that isn't for sale yet but will be shortly.

Most 180s are getting old and tired unless you go to 180K.
It seems there is more low time C185F and better equipped with IFR equipment.

I would advise your friend to stay away from the Robertson STOL conversion on the 180. I was a partner in a 185 with Robertson, and I found that it was more than a handful in crosswinds. Due to the drooping ailerons, you have very little roll authority at low speeds with flaps deployed. The performance was amazing, but not worth the anxiety of landing in gusting crosswinds. I have heard that the Robertson conversion is the cat's pajamas if you have a 180/185 on floats.

I have a friend that has a 54 180(I think that's the year). Those earlier 180's had a lot less rivets in the wings than the newer ones as well as all the 185's. He flies pipeline and gets about 19 hours a week. He had so many patches in the tops of the wings where the metal just oil cans into submission that he bought another set of wings, these from a newer 180 that basically copied the 185 rivet pattern. He made sure the new wings didn't have the cuffed leading edge as the older wings that some previous owner installed. He certainly wouldn't get a Robertson STOL kit either.

Scott PM me. Have info on another. Sorry on phone now.