My dad has a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora with only 39k miles. Recently, he got a low coolant error message on his dashboard display. He took it in today, and they pressure tested it and want to replace the engine gasket for ,600.00.

The car is only worth or,000 on Edmonds or even less for trade in, so this is not an option.

Can I throw in a can of Stop Leak for him? Or is this just for radiator leaks?

Or, can he just monitor fluid levels and expect to drive it for a few more years? (He never thought he’d have to buy another car, and recently purchased an OnStar contract for it.)

What is the chance that the dealer is over stating the need for this repair?

Thanks for your help.
Anyone know anything about "Steel Seal?" or other products intended to flow into a gasket leak?

http://www.steelseal.com/eng/home.html

bbKing: Yes, we don’t really know how bad it is yet. The dealer let him go topping off the coolant with a warning to watch levels and temperature.

Excellent and informative answer.