Hi,

I'm considering doing an in-person inspection of a 1993 Mercury Sable. 105,633 miles reported by the seller. Automatic. Private party sale from a retired owner.

The seller is retired, saying that the engine had previously been replaced (unknown date) but at the time the vehicle was their parent's. They say they put new tires recently. No accidents. Technically 1 owner that passed it down to their daughter.

I believe a common issue is head gaskets on these Ford Taurus and derivatives. I don't know if the replacement engine had that issue corrected or if preventative maintenance was done on it. Seller reports no rust on the vehicle. no underbody rust as well.

I checked the values of this car and at this time a good value for a decent example would be around $750 for a car like this.

Should I even check it out or is a car like this a waste of time? Could a Ford taurus or Mercury Sable from 1993 be a decent reliable transport?

If it is worth checking out, what should I look for specifically? I did go thru ChrisFix's used car buying guide so I generally have some idea of how to inspect the car.

Thanks for your automotive experience and guidance!