Take a good luck underneath at the rockers. They are known for rusting easily. Also take a look in the trunk at the strut towers. Those are the major rust areas.
Run the car past your insurance carrier as to which is good for your son.
On the mileage, the numbers you came up with are about right depending on driving style.
Premium fuel or pistons chip when it's beat on. That's unfortunately all too common.
Intake gaskets, when you look at the car, look for the updated metal gaskets by the thermostat housing where the intake manifold meets the head. If it's black..you will want to do it as preventative maintenance.
