Used Car Shopping How bad is rust?

[EngiNerd]

I am shopping for a new to me used car and am considering a 04 Honda CRV with 138k miles.  I like the that year model and although it doesn't have the best mpg it does have the ground clearance I need for accessing hunting and kayaking locations.  It is a standard, which is hard to find and best of all the seller is asking for $2600 where blue book suggests $3800 and I commonly see them listed for 5k.  However, I took it to my friends shop and we determined the AC system is not working, not because of freon it appears the compressor does not kick on for some reason.  And that the calipers and rotors and backwalls are all extremely rusted.  He and the tech immediately said do not buy the car.  I would think that if I can replace to the rotors brakes and calipers and still come out ahead of blue book I'm great.  The CRV should run another 100,000 and I'll have like $4k in it or so, however there stern warning does not sit well with me.  What other problems can the fact that the vehicle was obviously driven in salty conditions and not properly rinsed lead to? 

And apparently that generation had significant issues with the ac compressors possibly causing significant damage to the ac system.  The $ amounts I just skimmed over in crv forums were pretty high so I guess I should factor that in.  I could make due with no ac but my wife most certainly could not so maybe it is best to just let this one get away. 

[Spork]

I would say rusted rotors means it has been sitting/not driving for an extended period of time.  Unless it's MAJOR rust... that will disappear just by driving it.  I am assuming it stops okay... but probably a little jerky/noisy on stops.

However, if I had a trusted friend/mechanic that said "don't buy it" ... That advice would be huge compared to a bunch of internet geeks that have never laid eyes on the car.  That said: I'd go with friend's advice.

[EngiNerd]

This friend runs a shop for chain car maintenance corporation, he is really more of a skilled manager than knowledgeable car guy.  His tech definitely said to stay away and my friend does have a high opinion of this tech.  I felt like his perspective was more of you may come in some day for a brake job and have to do calipers, rotors, and maybe even cables too.  Look at this unexpected expense in a normal brake job also the frustration of some bolts seizing up and breaking! But to me that would be minor if the price of purchase reflects this expected expense.  Now I do no know what other big expenses might be down the road for a vehicle that was driven in up north in salty conditions and apparently not properly cared for. 

[Secretly Saving]

Keep looking.