super6

iTrader: (5)

Going to check out a 98 with 80k, great shape but owner, who isnt car savy, says there is a iny oil leak, doesnt know where its coming from and his mechanic told him its not an issue.

Im guessing its either valve cover, head gasket, or rear main seal?? If its really tiny is it a problem? Is that normal with a 20 year old car? Will it need attention? If its really leaking out of there im not gonna buy. But i will run the car for a while and check. Opinions? I dont feel like buying, even at a good price to have to fix a potentially big problem.

JvG

If you are asking questions like this, I'd advise that you take a friend along who knows about cars.

a valve cover leak is not too bad, especially if it' the front one. The back one means more wirk, because some stuff needs to come off for access.

you might just have a bad o ring on a sensor.

now a drip right between the engine and trans most likely means that the transmission must come out so that you can fix the leak at the back of the engine. This does not seem to be much of an issue on these cars.

where are you located. Is rust a problem in your area. If so, get under the radiator. If you see rust, try to poke at it with a screwdriver. Bad rust here on an unknown car might mean finding something else.

Auto or 5 speed?

check all fluids for colot or smell. If the brake cylinder tank is black, aND so is the power steering fluid, that is no good. The auto trans fluid should be reddish. If black and smells burnt, avoid the car.

It is perfectly normal for a 20 year old car to leak. Or a ten year old one. The key question is what is leaking, and how difficult it would be to fix. Some leaks could be lived with other leaks can damage other parts.

80k miles is low, but how much maintenance it has had makes all the difference. This could be a great car. But it could also be disapponting.

Check the coolant level. If it is low, where is it going? A leaky hose is easy, a headgasket is a don't even think about it situation.