My wife is not at all pleased with our diesel-smelling garage but have given up complaining.

My nightly ritual includes popping up the hood to check the oil, coolant, brake fluid levels. I also check for oil in the clear filter I installed in the vacuum line to the shutoff valve which will indicate faulty shutoff valve. I keep my engine pretty clean and with a flashlight I inspect for possible fluid leak and any abnormal change under the hood (e.g., loose vacuum line, etc..). I have a piece of cardboard under the engine to capture any oil leak, if any, that may drip. I wash my car once a week without a miss rain or shine. So far, ALL buttons, gauges, levers, switches and flaps work the way they were designed to function without any trouble.

I feel rewarded when from time to time a note is left on my windshield with a name and telephone number of a potential buyer should I decide to sell my car.

Is this an obsession?