Carfax, Buying Used, & Craigslist.org

I finally got serious about looking for a second Honda
Civic, c. 1989-1997. A few observations:

-- A friend of mine convinced me Carfax was worth $35 for 30
days, unlimited checks. For the four cars I checked, it
revealed: (a)
Odometer tampering with two, with the advertised mileage
being over 100k lower than the Carfax title reported
mileage; (b) lying about the number of owners for a third;
it had had four owners in 18 months. Many reports attest to
how Carfax is not perfect, but so far it sure saved me some
trouble.

-- Most persistent major mechanical problems have been poor
air conditioning and suspect CV joints. I watch especially
for blown head gaskets. So far for around half a dozen cars
I have actually examined: no residue on the oil cap; oil in
the reservoir; smell from exhaust pipe; white puff from
exhaust pipe.

-- craigslist.org has been my best resource. (Thanks to
regular poster JT for sending me there!) Ebay,
autotrader.com and dealers have turned up little. Dealers do
not like to deal in cars that do not involve financing, so
low price beaters generally are not advertised for sale by
them. Though oddly, on my Carfax checks, there's always an
advertisement by dealers for a 199- Civic, complete with
VIN. Then I call the dealer, and the car is not there. Maybe
when a car is traded in, carfax automatically retrieves it
and its filter puts the ad up? But in fact most of these
cars are sold at auction? Craigslist people have all been
good about meeting at the designated time and test driving
(though I almost always have a friend with me). Craigs list
sellers where I am have been mostly but not entirely honest,
at least insofar as the carfax checks indicate.

-- used car dealers are a hoot! Unless you know what to look
for on these older Hondas, do not buy from a used dealer. A
fine looking Honda Civic DX came up on Craig's list at a mom
n' pop used car dealership. I went to see it. Great body,
engine compartment sparkled, fluids looked clean and topped
off; but no muffler; no radio; check engine light was on;
windshield was cracked, miles advertised were 124k and
carfax said it was in fact over 271k miles a year ago. I am
considering making a very low offer (after telling the
dealership about the flawed title tampered odometer) just
for the shell.

Further advice?