[aigel]

Oil leaks may be common, but they are nothing you *have* to live with. If you check out a used, older 911 that leaks, it generally is a sign, that the owner does not do the maintenance 100%. Otherwise he or she would get it fixed. There also may be the fact that the cheap fixes (e.g. oil return tubes, as mentioned above) would not work, and it is more involved. The more involved oil leaks generally require an engine drop, complete or partial.

So, what I am saying is that you should not take oil leaks too light hearted if you are shopping for a car. If you own it, it's a different story. The PPI will give indication where it's coming from. In any case WHINE about it as much as you can, it will help you set the price lower.

My car did not leak a drop when I got it. Unfortunately, after a few days of driving the cobwebs out of it, I had some leaks. They got worse and worse (from autocross to track events) and I ended up replacing both sides cam endplate gaskets and o-rings and resealing all 12 rocker arms with the RSR seals. This would have been a couple grand at a shop here in the Bay Area, no question.

Cheers, George