A common problem that you may encounter with your car is that it may leak oil.  Since most oil leaking problems are generally easy to fix, there are some things that you should do before you take it into a mechanic and pay top dollar to get it fixed.

Check your levels - The first thing that you want to do is check your levels.  Open up your hood, grab the dipstick and see how much oil you have in your car at the moment.  If it’s too low, you may want to add some more oil.  This will start to give you a better idea on how much you’re leaking.

Keep track of your oil consumption - If you find you are adding at least a quart between your 3,000 miles, it’s probably a big enough leak to take into the shop.  If you know where the leak is coming from, you may want to look for some tips on how to fix it.  Since it will vary on each model of the vehicle, you’ll want to consult with either mechanic or find a manual that caters to your make and model.

See how much you’re leaking - If you think you’re leaking a lot over the week or even overnight, grab a piece of white paper and place it under your car.  This will give you a better idea of how much oil you’re leaking.  If it’s a lot overnight, you’ll want it to be repaired as soon as possible.  If it’s just a drip or so, you may just want to wait.  Regardless of the situation though, you’ll want to get a leak fixed sooner or later for the car’s own good.

Over time, the leak is going to get worse and it’s not going to fix yourself.  I would recommend that you get it checked out as soon as you can.  As I mentioned, I would find either someone that knows how to do it or take it to a repair shop.  If you can catch it early enough, it may not cost you a lot of money.  In the meantime, explore your options, get quotes from repair shops and hopefully it will be solved.