What should I ask a previous owner before I buy the car?

A couple thousand bucks isn't likely to get you a decent car.

It doesn't really matter what you ask the owner because they could lie about everything and you would have no recourse for returning the car or getting your money back.

Unless you can live with the possibility of pissing away a couple of grand on a hunk of junk, then you need to have a professional inspect the vehicle before you buy it.

Mileage, if it has any electrical problems(those are the worst) check if it grinds between shifs, check doors well to see if it was ever crashed or ifbthey changed the doors. .. It doesnt matter what yo ask really, theyre guna say whatever to get their car sold, you just have to get some knowledge... If you find just one thing wrong, move on, cuz imagina all the other things u cant spot right away.

In addition, try to test turning on the car when its cold, not hot. This way you can see everything thats wrong with it(if it starts wrong).

Also, when the car is still, the revolution measure should stay either in one, or a bit above. But it should be steady, it shouldnt be going up and down

A decent car for a couple thousand bucks is not possible.

You need to see service records, and the opinion of a mechanic after an inspection of the car.

Best money you could possibly spend