m10s will NEVER die if taken decent care of. if the car has any service records, thats a MAJOR plus. if the wiring under the hood looks like its not factory, dont buy the car. theyre messy from the factory, but if you see butt connectors or spliced wires, run. make sure all the lights/wipers/etc work. if theres any check lights on (the little display in the ceiling), ask why theyre on and check any fluids that are related to them if theyre on. the odometer isnt gonna work, so ask about the approximate mileage of the car. power windows? test them. check for rust around the rear lights and behind the rear wheels under the bumper. the power steering pump will probably leak a bit, but not enough to worry about. when you drive it, make sure you wind it out pretty good in 2nd and make sure it doesnt act weird under WOT. listen for wheel bearings and diff/tranny noise.

all the rest of my knowledge applies only to 325's, so thats all i can really help you with. its gonna be a REALLY slow car, so be prepared lol.