Boy, this has become one long (and interesting) thread!
I agree with Kirk! With limited funds and free time, and recurring back problems, it took me several years and several instructors to finally get my SEL. Owning an aircraft would have further depleted my time and money. At one point I even gave up on flying! Renting taught me a lot about what to look for in an aircraft, and the difference between what I needed and what I wanted.
The idea that you can save a lot of money during training by owning your own aircraft is in most cases false. Renters share the cost of "ownership" with everyone else who rents that aircraft, so you only pay for the time you need (at competitive rates, too!). Owners pay the total cost of initial investment, maintenance, inspections, tie-down fees, insurance, taxes, upgrades, .... and the list goes on! There's nothing competitive about it .... the cost is yours!
Many of the arguments for owning your training aircraft pertain to "knowing" the aircraft. If scheduled far enough in advance, I've found I can rent an aircraft I know for nearly every flight. I still rent the same 172 for occasional cross country flights, when I need more useful load.
Renters don't pay when they can't fly. Owners do pay when they can't fly, even if for months or years. The expense, not the investment, was unjustifiable for me, until I was lucky enough to find my retirement home with hangar and runway (that's another thread). N6184G is costing me nothing while waiting patiently in my hangar.
Owning an aircraft is a luxury for most of us, not a necessity, and must be viewed in this light. I suggest you be content to rent for the time being, without the anxiety of shopping, and get your licenses. When the right plane comes along (it will), buy it! To paraphrase Kirk, sometimes you find what you're looking for only after you quit looking!
Carl
