Is purchasing a Ford Escape with 198,000 miles on it a bad idea?

I'm looking at a 2005 Ford Escape limited with 198,880 miles on it. As I can see by the pictures I have viewed, it looks to me like this car has been very we'll maintained. By this I mean the body of the car is rust free, the leather interior is in very good shape, and all together the car looks fine to me. I'm seriously considering this vehicle and I'm just not sure if the mileage of this car is something I should worry about. The car is priced at $5,000.

Five Grand is Way too much for a vehicle with 198,000 miles on it, despite it being "pretty." I wouldn't spend more than $2,000 for it, expecting that I'm going to find $500 in repairs very quickly.

Even if the vehicle is in pristine condition, $5000 is overpriced. Try more like $3500.

have a mechanic check it out before you buy it. But keep in mind that it's a 9 year old car & it probably only has 2 or 3 years left before you need to do major engine or transmission work or just plain need a whole new car.

This is not a reliable vehicle
Look for a Toyota 4 runner or highlander

Have your mechanic look at it