I found the Type 7 fine to fly. If you can't stand the Type 7 then I suspect you'll hate the Type 9 as well and might want to consider a different career. I didn't find the large pad requirement that onerous, again you'll face the same limitation in the Type 9 so you might as well get used to it. In my experience the required upgrades were minimal and it wasn't that hard to find trade routes. All up I put about 22m into mine which is almost exactly what I put into my combat/explorer Asp.
Make sure you have enough money for an FSD upgrade when you buy your Python. The stock jump range is simply unusable for a trader. It's clearly designed for combat rather than trading: it takes a class 7 powerplant but only has a class 5 drive mount. With mine in trading config I can get away with a A3 powerplant but I guess the huge powerplant would be necessary for the large weapon mounts. Also be aware that if you stick with the stock shield it's barely an upgrade on the Type 7 in terms of capacity but with worse range and much more expensive fuel, repairs, and insurance (it does have the advantage of access to medium pads of course). A class 5 shield is fine for the mass so a shield downgrade is practical. Might even be able to get away with a class 4.
I'm not saying the T7 is hard to fly, but it turns like the brick it is and the jump range is worse than the T6 and much worse than Zorgon Hauler or ASP. I can deal without the small stations as far as earning money goes, but it does limit your options and it also prevents me from frequenting the stations I like best.
I put all class D modules into my T7, except A power distributor, A FSD, A power plant and A shield gen.
Thanks for the Python advice, I totally agree. I've actually worked out the exact cost of all upgrades I want in it from day one, plus insurance plus trading cash, so I'm actually set for closer to 70 million. before I buy it. Otherwise I'd already have it.
Well not to mention my save is apparently corrupted, so I'm not able to get into the game till what, January 5th probably, which is annoying the crap out of me. I had just found a great new trade route and before I could use it, I got another system permit, so was gonna fly there first, before starting my trade route, and then I started to get a rash of disconnects on the way there, ending in permanently stuck "LOADING GAME" screens.
I also agree with you, that I'll hate the T9, but there's no equally efficient way to earn money in this game, so what choice do you have but space trucking, if you want the nice ships. I plan on keeping the T9 even later on, for when I need some cash boost, but my go-to ships for having fun will be ASP, Python, a few Viper configurations and a Zorgon hauler as a quick, cheap, long range shuttle with its excellent 31 LY jump range.
If you're flying a T7 or T9 only for a day or two to aquire cash for operating costs, the truck feel will be fun for the limited time. Flying them day in day out, cause you don't have anything else - not so much.
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Having just bought a Type-9 after having a Type-7 for a week or so, I will tell you definitively that in terms of credits per hour the Type-7 is the best thing going. There are lots of 15 LY routes which pay 1000+ per ton each way (on average) and with upgrades it handles far, far better than a Type-9 ever will.
You're not going to tell me that a T7 makes more money than a T9 though...? According to the table I've seen, it has greater jump range too, though having to do 2 jumps for a good route is not as bad as having to hop two different stations in one of the systems.
