Could an engine be safely flown past TBO? Sure.
But with one compression in the 60's, the engine is toast.
(An overhauled engine would cost you about $19,000)

Running the numbers for this aircraft through AOPA's Vref calculator, this aircraft is worth only $2,866.67 assuming the aircraft "needs paint"(new paint would add $4000 to the value).

With a fresh overhauled engine the airplane would be worth $22,666.67

Splash,

I know little about purchasing an aircraft but I think it's great that you're considering this as an option. I didn't have the foresight to consider this when I began my training, so props to you (pun intended).

Yeah this probably isn't the best plane (at least at the price they're asking considering the engine, unless it has some other things to offer like sweet avionics), but maybe you'll find one.

Try to ignore some of the negativity on here and best of luck in finding a plane and also with your training!

Interest payments on a more expensive, lower time aircraft will be less than fixing this thing up.

Many engines have the potential to go past TBO if they are babied: no flights under an hour, cruised at 60%, flown frequently, reduced power take-offs, meticulous maintenance, etc.

Read that whole thread you quoted again. The guys getting well over TBO safely are doing oil analysis. Somehow I doubt this owner is taking this extra step. Also, the pipeline 172 with 6000 hours on the engine is probably flown every day, several hours at a time, with very few power changes, by a guy who knows abusing the engine will hurt the bottom line. Sound familiar?

The average 150 engine has a pretty tough life. As someone else said, full power to idle to full power.... repeatedly abused. They are tough, but no engine can take that kind of abuse for very long.

Passing annual... who did the inspection? his guy who knows he wants to dump it, or Your guy who is trying to protect you? For example, a part may show 0.005" of wear and pass, but if the limit is 0.005 it WILL need replacement at the next inspection. If I owned and wanted to keep the plane, I would replace that part for my own peace of mind. A guy selling the plane would probably say, "If it passes, it passes. Don't replace it." An engine that is over TBO probably has many parts very close to limits.... which is why there is a TBO.

This airplane has NOTHING going for it: bad interior, bad paint, bad engine, and crap avionics.

But...

You could buy it, fly it a couple hundred hours hoping nothing breaks along the way, and sell it for $10,500..... assuming you can find a sucker who thinks he is getting a deal.

Here's a fix'r upper you might be able to get cheap:

UPDATE: Small plane crashes on Siesta Key | HeraldTribune.com

This is not quite true. While cruising at lower power settings is good for the wallet regarding fuel consumption, it can potentially cause conical wear on the cylinder walls causing premature loss of compression over time.

Really? Learn something new every day.

How does that happen?

According to my A&P, the lower pressures created during combustion at lower power settings, cause the piston rings to expand and make contact with the cylinder wall later in the power stroke than they would during a normal power setting. This causes an uneven wear pattern that can lead to poorer overall compression.

u.s. aviation leans to peak and burns the valves on their planes. then they do an overhaul and claim its cheaper than paying for avgas.

I guess risking the lives of their customers by running their engines poorly doesn't factor into their economic thinking...