I am thinking about buying a 1997 Dakota with 125000 miles from a friend, but first I thought I would ask you guys what the common issues are / mileages at which they happen?

I have been browsing the forums and read about paint pealing off the hood and cab being a common problem, and also about needing to replace the transmission at about 130000-150000 miles. Are there other big maintenance issues coming up that I should be aware of / budget for?

Also, what should I expect to pay to replace the transmission?