I recently bought my daughter a 1989 Mitsubishi Mirage with 65,000 miles on the odometer for US$1,100. It appears to be in good running order except for perhaps the thermostat. I drove it tonight and it took about five or six miles for the temperature gage to register above what appears to be the lower normal operating temperature on the temperature gage. On my way home the gage registered somewhat higher at first, but dipped down at higher speeds on the highway.
I suppose I probably need to replace the thermostat, but what has me a bit puzzled is that the windshield has a tendency to fog. I once owned an old VW beetle, but didn't expect to have to carry around roll of paper towels in the Mitsubishi to keep the windshield clear.
It almost seems that the lever that switches from fresh air to recirculating is reluctant to switch to fresh, but that's just a guess.