First, welcome to the club, Brian!
All great advice above so I won't repeat but will throw in my 2 cents on radios. I personally think that every pilot should shoot for an instrument rating. That knowledge could save you in an uncomfortable situation. Some VFR days can be downright uncomfortable when filing IFR makes for an amazingly easy flight. So with that in mind, I'd definitely put finding a mechanically sound airplane atop the list but, all other things being equal, I'd favor the plane with the better instrument platform. (I redid my plane's avionics and it's cheaper to buy a plane where someone has done this for you!)
Catherine
