[fatmike]

I know, I know -- yet another RMS thread... But, this one is mine. So its different!

Here's some background & my questions:

I bought the car 4 months ago with 11K miles on it. It currently has 17K. I plan to keep this one for a while if conditions permit.

When I had the car inspected at 11K miles (PPI) the RMS was very dry. It still had cosmoline on it (from the factory). It has now developed to a full blown leak, with a small puddle of oil on my garage floor. If you go underneath and look up in the RMS area, it has the telltale "bluddy nose". I suspect that the car got so little use during its early life that it provided an opportunity for seals to dry out, etc.

So, what do I do?

OPTION 1 - Change the RMS & Intermediate Shaft Seal now. $1700 from my dealer. The dealer doesn't know which is leaking, but suggests doing both once its open.

OPTION 2 - Wait it out & change it at 40 or 50K miles. That should be in about 1.5 years and I can do the clutch at that point too.

I've heard people on this forum say to let it drip -- who cares. I'd like to understand if an oil leak can lead so something worse like an intermediate shaft failure. Does letting it leak increase my chances of this happening? PLEASE ASSUME that I will stay diligent on my oil changes and oil level. I'm asking if a leak in that area can lead to an "out of true" condition that will lead to the engine failure.