Subject:	1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS
Question:	Hi I just found out that my car is leaking oil like crazy and the mechanic told me that it is the oil seal that needs to be replaced. He said that although the actual seal only costs under $20 the labor will be around $500.00 because in order to replace the seal the transmission needs to be moved. Is this true or am I being scammed? My car is a 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS automatic and not a turbo. There's around 63,700 miles on it right now and as far as I know there hasn't been any major repairs done, but I do get my oil changed every 3000 miles. Thank you so much for your help. Kristen
Answer:	Kristen, If you're leaking oil like crazy as you say, you do probably need you oil seal(s) replaced. For that job I have good news and bad news: Bad news: It is a very labor intensive job and will cost you in the hundreds of dollars. Good news: The seal is only about $20, replacing the actual seal is easy and quick. And I don't think your transmission needs to be "moved". I'm guessing your mechanic is referring to the drive shaft oil seals. I've done that job myself on an older Eclipse. I didn't have to remove the transmission to do it, but I did need to remove my wheels, hubs, disconnect my steering, tie-rods, and drive shafts. Once I did all that, the oil seal took 10 minutes to remove and replace. $500 does seem high, even for a labor intensive job as this one. The average mechanic charges about $60/hour. Even if this job took 5 hours to do, that would only be $300. And a mechanic that really knows what he's/she's doing, it could take as little as 2-3 hours. I'd recommend calling around for a new quote. Find out from your current mechanic if its the driver side or passenger side drive shaft oil seal. Then, call around to other mechanics and tell them what you need and ask for a quote. You may even want to contact a local Mitsubishi dealership service center and ask them for a quote. Most places will give you a quote. Once you find your lowest quote, go back to your original mechanic and tell him/her the cheapest quote. If he/she cannot match it, take your car to another mechanic. You could save a few hundred dollars and gain peace of mind and knowledge. Good luck!