Oil leak (should I spend money to have mechanic find it?)

[DaveA]

Hey guys,

I have a 2007 LS sedan. I used it primarily during the harsh winters here in the northeast(other car is a Camaro convertible).

For about two years now the car has had an oil leak. It's minor; I literally put in maybe a quart of oil between changes. If I stop driving and pop the hood, I can see a bit of smoke from the oil burning off the engine or exhaust. There's also an oil smell in the car from the burning - my wife hates it, though shes hardly ever in the car.

I have a mechanic - small shop that a guy runs out of the back of a big professional garage at the back of his house. He said it would be a few hours just to diagnose it because he has to yank some parts out to figure out where it is leaking. He said he would have to pull out the a/c unit and something else - it seems to be in that general area. He mentioned another method - I think something about putting in some special liquid that helps show where the leak is. Regardless, I have been putting it off. Every time I get the oil changed they tell me I have a 'huge oil leak' (usually a Jiffy Lube type place). It can't be that huge because it's not losing that much oil and all other fluid levels are good.

I do hope to keep the car until at least March 2017. I'm wondering what you guys would do. Would you pay for the repair or roll the dice and see if you can make it as is? While I do drive it during the year to help keep my Camaro mileage low, I'm thinking about using the Camaro exclusively from April-November and making the Aveo a winter only car. We are hoping to move to Flordia in 2017 and I wouldn't need a winter car at that point.

I'm the type of person who likes to have stuff fixed and this has kind of been eating away at me. I would hate to have a major issue in the middle of winter. Yet here I am two years later and it hasn't gotten any worse. On the other hand, I would likely give this car to a family member so it would be nice to have it in respectable condition. I just can't get over the bluebook is around $2000-$2500 and the repair is likely going to cost $500 or so, plus I plan to sink money into shocks/struts and snow tires.

Thoughts? Comments? Advice? Thanks!