I moved from a 150G to a 172E. I sometimes wish for something snazzier, but I don't regret my decision.
I fly strictly for fun, mostly not very far from my home base. I love being in the air, so getting somewhere faster would just take away from the flying fun!
Unfortunately, sometimes I just don't have as much time as I'd like for flying. This means that it is hard for me to stay current for instrument flying, never mind truly proficient. That means I don't really need a full glass cockpit. A basic VOR and glideslope receiver lets me get an IPC from time to time.
A complex plane for my mission would just mean a lot of extra maintenance expenses.
Having said all that, I'm actually working on my commercial certificate and for now I could use a complex plane for a few hours. I've been flying a Cardinal RG and like it a lot. I'm getting the ticket just for fun, not to pursue an aviation career, though when I retire in a few years I might enjoy teaching. However, if I'm realistic, a 172 is really the right plane for me to own. A fixed gear 182 would be my second choice.
This weekend I saw a picture of the first plane I ever flew in. It was a late 50's 172! It was a picture of my mother and my uncle, who owned the plane. He took up his little brother's wife and tried to scare her a little bit. He didn't succeed. It was a short time after the flight she found out she was pregnant with me! I was already with her when she flew.
