Waited, what did this guy actually say was wrong with it? Like did he point at rust holes you could see through, or was he just eyeballing some black gunk and calling it dead? Because those are two very different problems (one you can fix with a lye bath and some elbow grease, the other you truly cannot). If the pan is cracked or pitted so deep it catches a fingernail, then yeah, fair, it's a lost cause. But if he never even picked it up or touched the cooking surface, his whole opinion is worth about as much as the $6 you paid. So what does the pan actually look like up close, any cracks, any wobble, or just ugly buildup? Give me the details and I'll tell you if this guy knew what he was talking about or was just playing expert at the flea market.