Looks like a great car..... I can understand the no test drive till spring.....doesn't mean that you can't hear it run.....so you put a deposit on it depending on how well the car drives.
Looks pretty good. I can perfectly understand the "no test drive until spring" issue. It shows that the guy actually cares about the car and does not want it out on salty roads. That makes me believe that the car is actually in a good condition, otherwise it would not be worth the precaution.