It is my understanding that Service Ceiling is the limit above which the aircraft cannot maintain a minimum 100 ft per minute climb.  This is probably established during certification testing, and is based on standard temperature, max gross weight, etc.  It is probably possible to climb higher under certain conditions but not under all conditions, so the POH usually sets the limit there.

I think my 182RG sets it a 14,500 unless you have an EGT, and then it is 18,000.  I've never attempted to take it that high.  My 172N I think was 14,200, but it pretty much stopped climbing at about 12,000.

Just curious.  I am looking at buying a T182RG.  What are your maint and insurance costs like.  Thanks

My annual insurance cost for a 1978 C-182RG with 8000 hours, midtime engine, and $60,000 USD hull value is $1,150 per year. Last year's annual was about $1100, and the year before was $900.  Both were owner-assisted so I saved a little on the labor costs.  Unscheduled maintenance costs are really unpredictable.  Some are a few dollars for new o-rings and a few nuts and bolts.  A replacement main landing gear actuator is $10,000 plus the labor to install it.  New Cessna parts for their legacy aircraft are rediculously expensive.  I recently replaced the battery and starter contactors, and paid $50 for a single diode from Cessna.  When I look at my maintenance and repair costs over the last 2 1/2 years, they seem to be on par with my 172 and 150 costs, i.e, instrument overhauls, brake pads, oil changes, new spark plugs, replacing old wiring, hoses, and the like.

I did my checkout in a TR182.  Most of the R182 and TR182 systems are similar.  I was talking with someone on the field with the TR182 who said he gets oil leaks in his turbonormalizer and gets it repaired about every 300 hours.  He didn't say what it cost him.  They Lycoming O-540 engine is very reliable and usually lasts the 2000 TBO without any major repairs.  Same for the prop and governor.

There are no expensive recurring ADs to comply with, just the normal ones for Cessnas, i.e. seat tracks, bendix magneto impulse coupling, ignition and panel switches, and a few specific to the RG: landing gear downlock pins, skin panels for corrosion, and forward door posts for cracking.  All these are usually covered in the annual inspection.  Some Cessna recommended inspections are for cracks in the landing gear actuators, and a 500 hour overhaul interval for the landing gear system components.  My mechanic said those are not manditory and can be handled on an Inspect and Repair As Needed basis.

Hope this information is of some help.

Jon