I agree AP are awesome. I was considering buying the scope but when it was at $17,300 it was too rich for me.
Its also a tough question because I know how good my AP140 is - its really good and Roland's years of experience in making excellent imaging APOs shows through in every aspect of the scope.
Its a bit like a Tak FSQ106 in that you are pretty much guaranteed a good image using it.
However the differences between optics become very slight.
See the attached which is probably one of the only comparisons between AP optics and TEC optics. Roland and Yuri seem to be friends and respect each others work.
The following 2 images are with a TEC180 fluorite and an AP140.
At the same site, using the same camera (I think it was an Apogee U16M) of the same object for more or less the same exposure.
To me they are identical except the expected extra resolution of detail in the TEC180. I haven't explored the limits of the AP140 and I am sure it has some surprises in it.
http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/115775756 TEC180 LRGB 20 10 10 10
http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/115775760 AP140 LRGB40 10 20 10
Still I would have bought the AP160 if it hadn't gone through the roof.
It was also odd, as a guy who was unrated and new to Astromart with no posts, nor internet images of work or anything suddenly bids the price from $17300 up to $21200 and then does not go any higher right at the end and the winner wins by $100. What new person to astrophotography wants to spend $21,200 on their first scope? If he was a millionaire why wold he stop over $100? Odd, very odd.
Also the seller was involved in a really long thread on the Tak Uncensored Yahoo Group where he sold a guy called Dave a Tak Mewlon 300 which would not go to focus and there was all sorts of dramas including insurance payouts from UPS and odd things. So he may be totally fine but there was a scene associated with one of his deals just recently.
I think it highly unlikely that Roland will ever again make AP160's. I doubt he could get the glass. Yuri stopped making TEC160ED's about 4 months ago. He no longer makes TEC180FL this year as fluorite supply has stopped for now from Schott. Maybe next year if there is a Europe left producing!
Greg.