^^^Thats very true. A twice a week old lady grocery getter is a find for sure. A car thats been sitting since 2000 can be a nightmare.

I'd say give ALL the hoses(vaccum, coolant, etc.) a good squeeze and listen and feel for dry rot. Start it up, let it warm up and just let it idle, see if it can maintain a consistant idle for a long period of time. Slowly rev it through the RPM band and listen for strange noises. Drive it and beat on it a little bit, make sure it doesn't hesitate.