My daughter has a 1998 XC70 with 140K miles. Recently she noticed that large oil puddles were appearing under the car. An honest independent Volvo shop in Northern Va diagnosed the problem as a failed rear main seal.

Repair estimate is over $2000 because of extensive labor time (2 full days) to access and replace the rear seal. The oil leak is probably 1 quart per tank of gas, so something will have to be done soon.

Are there any other checks that should be done first - such as clogged PCV system ? Or are there any tricks for replacing the rear seal in less time ?

With the age and book value of the car, it might not be worth $2000+ to keep driving it.

Thanks,

Mike