Check for uneven wear of tires too. Tie rods, idler arm center link ball joints and other parts on a front end can wear out with time and can be very costly to replace. If any of these parts fail, they can cause a serious accident from loss of steering. Another way to spot bad front-end parts is during the test drive. If there is excessive play in the steering wheel, or if the wheel pulls to the right or the left, there may be a problem.
Brakes are another important thing to check.
If the pedal goes to the floor, or if the pedal is too hard on power brakes or if they squeal, then there could be serious problems. It's a metal plate that's attached to the dashboard, but is viewable through the windshield. With this number, do a title history through your local dept. of motor vehicles. They will be able to tell you if the car has been previously salvaged and placed back on the road. These kinds of cars are very dangerous to drive because they could have hidden defects such as front-end problems that could cause a wreck.