Warm welcome from you all, thanks everyone.
Planes i have flown, some a bunch, some briefly, in no particular order. Piper Warrior, Cherokee 140, Cherokee six, Seneca ll and lll, Super Cub, Beech Bonanza 35 yes the old original V tail I loved it, A36, Baron, Duke, Navajo Chieftain, Cessna TTX, 152, 172, 180, 180 on floats, 182, 185 on floats, 206, and 206 on floats, 207, 210, three different Beavers on floats briefly with their owners OMG such cool planes, Cubcrafter EX2 yes a kit plane, Aviat Eagle ll the most fun plane I've ever flown, Maule M5 and M7, Mooney M20K, most of them were me flying briefly from the right seat with their generous owners who took me along, some I rented from schools or owners. Have owned 1/4 share in 152, half share in a 172, 1/3 share in a Cherokee six, all of a 210, half share in a Seneca lll. Should have kept my 210, but live and learn.
My ignorance of more modern planes is huge, especially the fancy new glass panels, but that is what I want to get. Yes I do plan to basically go back to school and learn about the new electronics when I buy something. Use will be flying about 50/50 for pleasure and business, could be alone, frequently with 1 passenger, occasionally with 4 of us total. Could be just local sight seeing, or frequently hops of 75 nm to 700 nm. I love flying at night, have since my first time doing a night training flight. Don't like to fly high, prefer more modest altitudes to be honest. I live in a mountainous area, but usually only climb a few thousand feet AGL. Nothing beats taking my sweetheart somewhere for a $400 hamburger. It needs to land and take off comfortably from 2,000' of runway, but it will usually be well under gross going into those shorter strips. I want something solid feeling when in IFR. My biggest question to start with is simple, why for a plane that hasn't been out very long, are there such a crazy amount of Cirrus for sale on the used market. Do people regret buying them for some reason after just a few years, some dump them? I was considering a SR22, maybe a Cessna TTX, something like that. But the SR22 makes me nervous ( never even sat in one just so you all know ) because the market seems flooded with used ones, and they have only been sold for 20 years. No I don't have a clue what to buy, that is primarily why I joined this forum. Officially in my log book are 3,873 hours, unofficially i probably have 200 more. Don't want a twin, turbines are out of my budget before someone says PC12 So help me out everybody. Has to be good IFR, able to carry up to 4 people, single piston, fly off a 2,000 foot strip occasionally, autopilot, fancy new electronics, comfortable to sit in for hours, cruise at 150 kts or more, and has good fuel range, because I don't want to stop for gas just to get somewhere only 500 nm away. It will spend 90% of its life flying between 4500' ASL and 9500' ASL so don't really need a turbo charger, as I am fine without a really quick climb rate at 8000'. Remember that I learned on 152, 172, Warriors, and anything else will be an improvement over those wheezing engines at 8'000. Would prefer modern, but used, some someone richer than I am ate at least that first years big hit in depreciation. Thanks Tyler