I guess there's a reason 172 are pricier than Cherokees! I much prefer them. I really don't like the single door on a lot of Pipers and mostly prefer high wing planes for the kind of sightseeing flights I do.
I don't have ownership experience with a Cheetah, but Cheetahs and Tigers are very fun to fly. I picked up one of the last AA-5B Tigers (180 HP vs the Cheetah's 150 HP) made at the factory back in 1981. I think it had been left over after they stopped production. I'd prefer one over a Cherokee.
https://www.aviationconsumer.com/maintenance/cheetahs-and-tigers/