I think its definitely important to find out what the maintenance has been and how the car was driven. A well maintained vehicle can usually go another 100K if it was religiously maintained and not beaten badly.
One thing to consider if your buying around or above the 100K mark, would be the larger wear items. Suspension is something that usually needs to be addressed and perhaps the clutch on a manual around neither of which are cheap.
Also make sure there are no signs of leaks, seals can get very expensive quick. If looking at an ATX especially the CD4E make sure your confident there are no signs of slippage and that the fluid and filter, if applicable, have been serviced on a regular interval. Even cars that say they can go 100K without a tranny flush need to have it done long before 100K!
Like any used vehicle that you buy, I would run the vin and search for signs of previous damage. A car with a clean accident history will usually have a better chance of worry free driving.
Do your research. I have bought 2 cars with over 180,000 miles on them and only needed minor repairs. I had a 89' Bonnivelle SSE that only needed an alternator,but the 3800 engine is known for running well over 100K and even 200K. As are Camry's and Accords. Any vehicle with a CD4E that has over 100K and has not been religiously maintained is almost destined for a rebuid in the near future.
