Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide: How to Choose the Perfect PA-28 for Your Flying Lifestyle

Introduction

There are a lot of Cherokees—like dozens. There’s big and small, fast and slow—well, fastish. There’s inexpensive and not inexpensive. Today, I’ll tell you about each, starting with the big picture stuff and then generally moving into charts and numbers. So thanks in advance to all the nerds who make it to the end.

I am starting with the very first family, the original Cherokee. Cherokee started with fixed gear, Hershey bar-shaped rectangular wings, and, because every party needs a pooper, one door. But if Bonanza could get away with one door, why not Cherokee? In this Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide, we’ll explore how it all began, with the simple, reliable design that laid the foundation for an entire family of aircraft still flying today.

1. Early Cherokee Models and Their Evolution

The smallest of the original Cherokees was the Cherokee 140. Originally, it shipped with just two seats, with an option for four. The 140 horsepower was quickly upgraded to 150, though the name stayed as the Cherokee 140. Gross weight did increase from 1,950 to 2,150 with the larger engine. In this Piper Cherokee buyer guide, it’s important to note that despite the name staying the same, subtle performance and configuration changes like this can make a significant difference when evaluating used models.

There are a few submodels of the Cherokee 140 also—the Flight Liner and the Cherokee Cruiser. Something to note: Cherokee often changed airplane designs, features, and engines, but left the name the same. 

They also sometimes changed the name but left the airplane the same, so I’ll pay attention and I’ll try to point that out. Cherokee 150 is a bit larger than the 140, and it came with a designated baggage area, but generally very similar to the 150 horsepower Cherokee 140s. The Cherokee 160 is the same plane again, except this time with 160 horsepower that pushes gross weight up 50 lb to 2,200.

2. The Rise of the Cherokee 180 and Beyond

Cherokee started to hit its stride with the Cherokee 180—again, the same plane with more horsepower. 180 horsepower granted 2,400 lb of gross weight, and the Cherokee 180 became the first true four-seater of the Cherokee family. As 180s continued to roll out of the factory, empty weight crept up as minor doodads got added—that’s bad. In this Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide, the Cherokee 180 stands out as a sweet spot for buyers looking for a solid balance between performance, capacity, and affordability.

However, Piper also managed to tinker with the center of gravity, and the later 180s are less fussy about their loading. The larger PA-28s—that’s 180 horsepower and up—tend to be a little nose heavy. Generally, Piper continued to dial in the design of the Cherokee 180. With the 180B, it was the first to have standard wheel pants. 

The C model had a new cowl and new spinner, and the D model added a second side window on each side. The D model also introduced the Piper-style throttle quadrant we all know today. By 1973, the 180 had had enough of a makeover to get its name: the Cherokee Challenger. Fancy. The Cherokee Challenger had its wings stretched by 2 ft and a 5 in longer fuselage. It also had an enlarged stabilizer, though I’m not sure why, because I’ve been assured that size doesn’t matter. The Challenger’s gross weight was upped again to 2,450, and by this time, Piper ditched the ABC suffixes. 

The last of the fixed-gear, rectangular wing, 180 horsepower Cherokees was the Archer 1—again, just minor changes over the Cherokee Challenger. The last of the original Cherokees was the 235th. It started with the relatively cramped original 180 fuselage and adds the looming O-540, technically capable of 350 horsepower, rated way down to 235, which means it never breaks a sweat pulling a Cherokee around.

 The 235 also got a fuel capacity increase over the other original Cherokees, with 84 gallons, though the best part about the 235 is the useful load. This plane is a favorite of bowling ball collectors. In 1974, they gave the 235 the same fuselage stretch that they gave the Challenger. They called it the Charger, and one year later, it became the Pathfinder. Didn’t change the plane at all, so Charger and Challenger—the same plane. That’s the fixed gear, Hershey bar PA-28. Still with me? Cuz we are just getting started. Remember Piper Cherokee buyer guide, more numbers and side-by-side comparisons later.

3. The Tapered Wing Evolution

Now, around 1974, Piper introduced the largest change that the Cherokee would ever see—the tapered wing. It was longer and, well, tapered. Here are the two side by side. Lots of science and physics involved, I’m sure, but as a pilot, it boils down to two things: less drag and greater ground effect. So, the next family we’re going to talk about is the fixed-gear, tapered-wing PA-28s.

All the planes from the previous family were re-released with taper wings. The Cherokee 150 transformed into the Warrior, the Cherokee 160 became the Warrior 2, and when Piper rebranded itself to “New Piper” for some reason, the Warrior 2 was rebranded as the Warrior 3. Aside from some very minor cosmetics, the Warrior 3 and 2 are the same plane. 

In this Piper Cherokee buyer guide, understanding these naming shifts is essential, as many models are mechanically identical despite different designations.

4. The Rise of the Archer Series

Cherokee 140 never got the tapered wing service, but this time it was apparent that the 180 horsepower was the sweet spot for Cherokee. It was big enough to carry four passengers and skip the big fuel bills from the 235. The tapered-wing Cherokee, by now called Archer, was so popular that Piper went on to create eight versions: the Archer 2, 3, TX, LX, DX, DLX, Pilot 100, and Pilot 100i. So, let’s review.

In this Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide, the Archer lineup stands out as one of the most versatile and enduring options for pilots seeking a balanced, efficient aircraft.

The Archer 1 is a Hershey bar wing Cherokee 180. Archer 2 was the first to get the tapered wing. Archer 3 is almost the same as Archer 2. Similar story to the Warrior 3—it got rebranded when Piper was rebranding everything, but basically the same plane. Now, the TX and LX were further modernized, again, but the same plane. TX was a more bare-bones training version of the plane, and the LX was aimed at private owners and had a few more features. 

The DX and DLX were diesel-burning versions of the TX and LX, and there are not many around. I should note that as time went by, more and more features got added, and the empty weight continued to creep up, and the useful load continued to shrink. Older Cherokees of similar horsepower generally have a better useful load.

5. The Dakota and the Turbo Debate

Finally Piper Cherokee buyer guide, the Pilot 100 and the Pilot 100i are the Archers, which are available today, both marketed as trainers. The 100i is IFR-capable and has a standard third seat in the back. The Pilot 100 is a two-seater with an optional third seat.

 Finally, in this family of Cherokee is the 235 with a tapered wing. It’s called the Dakota and quite capable—still running the same 235 horsepower O-540. And, in a momentary lapse of judgment, Piper released the Turbo Dakota, which had a less powerful 200 horsepower Continental TSIO-360 that was used in the Turbo Arrow 3 at the time. More on that later. In my opinion, the Turbo Dakota—like many other turbocharged piston singles—the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. 

They’re too much trouble for what they provide. Sure, they’re faster if you climb way up—climbing over mountains, definitely—but more problematic in the maintenance department and more of a headache in the operating department. The Turbo Dakota is certified to 20,000 ft, and I don’t know about you, but to me, Cherokees don’t give me the “let’s take this thing to 20,000 ft” sort of feeling. But maybe that’s just me. In this Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide, it’s worth noting that while turbocharged models like the Turbo Dakota offer altitude performance, they often come with increased complexity and cost that may outweigh the benefits for most pilots.

6. The Arrow Family

The last family we’ll talk about in the PA-28s is the Arrows. These are all retracts. The early ones have rectangular wings, and the later ones have tapered wings. Arrow 1 had 180 horsepower Hershey bar wings, and many felt it was underpowered, and after just 2 years, it was upgraded to 200 horsepower—still called the Arrow 1. 

The 200 horsepower version also upped the gross weight by 100 lb. Arrow 2 received the same fuselage stretch that we talked about on the earlier models, and Arrow 3 was where the tapered wings made their debut. Many people consider the Arrow 3 to be a high point in the history of Cherokee, with the performance and cost-to-buy-and-operate ratio being pretty sweet.

Anyway, this was the time when turbos were in vogue, and the Turbo Arrow 3 was a thing, very similar to the Arrow 3, except it was turbocharged, which means it flies faster at high altitude and always has a snag or two open. Arrow 4 was another misstep by Piper. This is when the T-tail started turning up. Pilots largely didn’t like them. The main reason was poor elevator authority during takeoff. In the Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide, these design quirks—especially with the T-tail models—are important considerations for buyers prioritizing handling characteristics and takeoff performance.

The propeller doesn’t blast any air over the high-up tail, and so longer takeoff rolls were a result. T-tail aircraft also have the potential for a deep stall, as well as a general feeling of unfamiliarity compared to other Cherokees and other piston singles. The tail didn’t last long. Turbo Arrow 4—same thing, except turbocharged. And Piper Cherokee buyer guide, turbocharged.

7. The PA-32: Cherokee 6, Lance, and Saratoga

And now for the Big Kahuna—the PA-32. Just three years after the PA-28 Cherokee burst onto the scene, Piper launched the PA-32, the first of which was called the Cherokee 6. To make the Cherokee 6, Piper took a Cherokee 235.

They stretched it 7 inches wider and 30 inches longer. All that extra length was behind the wing, or the center of gravity, and so, to balance it out, they pushed the engine forward and, in the process, created a convenient front forward baggage compartment between the pilot and the engine—handy. In the Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide, the Cherokee 6 stands out for its impressive utility, cabin space, and thoughtful design refinements that appeal to pilots needing more room without jumping into twin-engine territory.

Six seats were standard—the namesake. They even came in a club configuration, where the back seats faced each other. The prototype Cherokee 6 had 250 horsepower, but was upped to 260 before entering production. Two years into production, it became apparent that 260 was a little wimpy, and so the Cherokee 6-300 entered the arena. Both versions ran side by side for 14 years before the 260 version ended in 1979. 

These planes had only minor updates for most of their production run. One significant change came to the Cherokee 6-300 in 1979, when it switched to a two-tank system, replacing the more complex four-tank system.

8. The Saratoga and the Return of the 6

When the fixed-gear PA-32 got the tapered wing treatment, it became the Saratoga. Gross weight increased, along with the other benefits of the tapered wing. Piper also pumped up the Saratoga’s fuel capacity over the Cherokee 6—otherwise, very similar. Also, there was a turbo version—so, a bit faster at high altitudes, problematic, so on and so forth.

We can’t move on from the fixed gear, tapered wing PA-32s without mentioning the redheaded stepchild—Cherokee 6. Originally, it was released in the early ’70s, and Piper released it again in 2003, almost unchanged, and called it the Cherokee 6X. Now, this was the age of Cirrus, and you can imagine it didn’t go that well. After just four years, it folded. The 6X and 6XT—the turbo version—was a Saratoga with all the modern available doodads. And of course, doodads are heavy, and useful loads of the Cherokee 6X are inferior to the original Saratoga.

9. The Lance: A Sexier Cherokee 6 with Retracts

We’re getting there. I told you there were a lot of Cherokees. PA-32s with Hershey wings and retractable gear are called Cherokee Lance, though, after not very long, they started just calling it Lance. The Lance was very similar to the Cherokee 6, save for the retracts. Same fuel and baggage capacity. Gross weight was bumped up a little just to give the same useful load as the Cherokee 6, to overcome the heavier retractable gear.

 So yeah, very similar—with retracts. So, way sexier. Lance 2, once again, is very similar to Lance 1, but can you guess what the difference is? It’s a T-tail. It wasn’t a hit for all the same reasons as the Arrow T-tails. Though I should say that owners do say the T-tail provides a smoother ride, a little anecdotal benefit wasn’t enough to outweigh the negative, and the T-tail didn’t go further. And there was a Turbo Lance too, which is, as you would assume.

The Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide is an essential resource for understanding the differences between various Cherokee models, especially when comparing performance, features, and value.

10. Saratoga II: The Peak of the Cherokee Family

Finally, the top of the Cherokee heap is the Saratoga II. That is the PA-32 with retractable gear, tapered wings, and the most advanced of all Cherokees. There’s a bunch of Saratoga IIs—the SP and the Saratoga II Turbo SP were the first. 

Aside from the obvious different engine, the Turbo had less useful load and is 10 inches longer. It also has a big air scoop in the front, so easy to tell apart. Saratoga II got a revamp in 1993 and became the Saratoga II HP and the Saratoga II TC—TC short for turbocharged, obviously—and it’s basically a Saratoga II Turbo HP. HP changes over the SP are largely cosmetic: reshaped cowl and reshaped windows.

11. Final Thoughts and Model Naming Explained

There you go. That is pretty well it. Now, as promised, I will leave you with some giant comparison charts while I explain the Piper Cherokee buyer guide model name nomenclature. The next number is the number of the model in the order in which it was designed.

 The smaller Cherokees are PA-28, and the big ones are PA-32. The next number of Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide is the horsepower, roughly. Tapered wing models have a 1 added to the horsepower. Retracts have an “R” after the model number. Turbocharged engines have a “T” after the horsepower. Tails have a “T” after the model.

The turbocharged Arrow 4 model number is the PA-28RT-201T. It’s a Piper airplane, the 28th they’ve designed. It has retracts, T-tail, 200 horsepower, tapered wings, and a turbo. Boom. Anyway, that is enough Cherokees for now. Anyone considering a used or new Cherokee should consult the Piper Cherokee Buyer Guide to make an informed decision based on their specific flying needs.