Unfortunately that sentiment hasn't translated to the real world. The weak area of the Comanche is the gear, hands down. We've had an inordinate number of gear collapses over the years, often from improper (or nonexistent) bungee maintenance, occasionally from bungling the emergency extension procedure, and for a while we were dealing with underwriters requesting, or in some cases demanding a $10,000 deductible for gear-related accidents on PA-24s and PA-30s. Luckily, we seem to be doing a bit better lately.
The 1,000 hour gear AD needs to be completed correctly. It's not an inconsequential task, and anything less than a thorough and professional job is the first hole in the swiss cheese "Reason" model that will lead to some kind of gear up landing, or gear collapse, down the road. We have seen many instances in which this AD was poorly or improperly done, or worse, pencil-whipped.
Do I think bungees are "bad?" No, they're a cost-effective but maintenance-heavy selection by Piper which kept the cost of manufacture down. That's one of the factors that lead to a guy like me being able to afford to own and operate a light twin. Can an astute owner manage the gear safely and effectively over the lifetime of the aircraft? Again, absolutely. But it requires attention and focus to this area, and not all owners are good at paying attention to what their airplanes need in their maintenance cycles.
There are some significant advantages to the Comanche's gear. It's all electric and the gear are mechanically linked. It's almost impossible for one gear to be down without all of the others. The transmission itself is a simple little gadget, pretty easy to maintain. Over time the conduits and wiring sometimes need work, but it's straightforward. A regularly flown Comanche with good gear AD work and bungees swapped out every few years will be fine.
