Excellent points all --

"Rotax has redundancies built in that the apex does not" --- can you potentially unpack this a little? I do not have a lot of piston time. I want to make sure i'm comparing apples to apples and this makes me think that I might not be.

Still in for 20k + ---- yep, totally agree, but to get to 150hp NA (which is where i think i'd land on the Apex combo, no turbo) you would have to compare that with a R914 or R915, which is gonna end up almost double that? I have talked to Hal, seems like a 912 ULS w/ a big bore gets you to a "good" place, but if you're going at "dollars for horsepower" it seems like the Apex gets it done.

tie to other avionics -- dunno on this one, BD seems to have this nailed (and a super nice guy).

insurance is something i didn't consider. re-sale value -- totally true.

JCard -- is there a history of engine mount problems? I thought that SH was running that HP range in his highlander and I'm pretty sure he sells a KF mount? As to the noise, I'm half deaf and pretty much require the fancy headphones or an in-ear solution, it cannot possibly be worse than a C-337 ... can it?

There is tremendous value in the hours behind the rotax/KF combo --- totally get that part. And the final contest for me is likely going to be between an apex and whatever hopped up 912ULS Hal and Jay can put together for me I think.

I just can't help myself thinking that 150HP NA for 20k seems like a ripping good bang/buck ratio...