@remodeler You are forgetting another reason to regularly check the oil level, especially in an older engine. The engine can burn oil leading to low oil level or at least lower than proper oil level before time to have an oil change.
It is very simple and easy to check the oil dipstick regularly.
Again, I never had a problem with ANY of my cars because I didn 't check the oil, because I took it in so often that if there ever WAS a problem it would be caught well before any damage was done. But I will check the oil now.
Also, I don’t consider any of the other “problems” problems. As far as I’m concerned, if I can replace or repair it, it’s not a problem. Becomes a problem if I can’t replace or repair, which is what I was told about these gaskets. THAT, I’m told, is the reason to obsess.
Your points 1-5 and 7, thank you for understanding. #6 - I never said I’d ignore the advice to check the oil. In fact, I said that I will now check it seeing as I have a leak. So for people to keep complaining that I’m not checking the oil and almost inferring that that’s the reason I have a leak is…can’t even think of a word for it.
Well, I will now.
So I will now check it.
No issues. Something the dealer told me is a problem, a relatively big problem according to him, although he did say the “car COULD last another year, who knows?”
As for the new engine, crateengines.com says their engine are all new build, not refurbished or anything else. So that, to me, means I’d have all new everything, which hopefully would last another 16 years. But I’m not considering doing that. Maybe as a last resort way down the line, but I’d have to research it first. Right now I’ll be watching the leak.
If that was the case, because of leaking gaskets, you would be noticing oil on ground, smoke from oil on the exhaust, along with rapid oil use. So far none of that is happening, right?
The dealer could be wrong. And with periodic oil level checks, you’ll know. Car could be good for another 10 years. Lots of cars have smal oil leaks with no problem.
You have been lucky. Just because you have always done it that way doesn’t mean that is why you have never had problems nor that it is correct.
I had this exact discussion with my engineer father about checking the oil in his Oldsmobile when the oil light was flickering… and he was 3 quarts low out of 4.5 quarts capacity.
Correct. None of that is happening. And now that I’ll be checking I’ll know. With any luck it will last longer than me.
I’ve never had an oil light go on in any car I’ve had. Oil ight has never gone on in this car either. Maybe I have been lucky the past 30+ years. Seems it’s still holding.
Found this on carcomplaints.com so maybe there’s hope for mine. The exact same car I have and this guy spent $6k !!! on a car with 162k miles !! and is glad he did. Here’s his comment:
Well, currently the car is at a professional speed shop for diagnosis. I am just waiting for the results and will add the corrective cure to this newsletter in hopes to help others with the same problem.
Update from Nov 7, 2015 Well, after the shop ran wet and dry compression tests, they found that the rings were worn out. Apparently, the quality of the ring material is poor, so this seems to be the oil blow by problem. THE REPAIR: the 3-5 K estimate to completely overhaul the existing 3.0 became 6 K due to the need for new headers/cat converts (attached type) (Calif.) car !! So I had the overhaul done in 6 weeks and now have 1 K on the “new engine”. It runs GREAT and of course, the body is excellent (worth the repair). Dad Toth is now a Happy Mazda 6s driver … Hope that this helps someone else !!
I just don’t know what to say. A guy that spends $6000 on a 16 year old car and remains happy is something that needs to be examined further.
I don’t know why we keep going round and round on a simple valve cover gasket leak. This guy had worn rings, no relation to a valve cover leak except they both involve oil. Don’t confuse oil pressure with oil level. That little red light doesn’t go on until there is a lack of pressure. You can be way low on oil and still have pressure.
Didn’t know that low oil and pressure are different. And I posted that from that guy because he had a lot more major things wrong with his car than I do, and he STILL spent a ton of $$ on it where probably any normal person would have junked it. Must’ve liked the round vents more than me. 
Yes, sometimes people make an emotional decision to keep or repair a car, house or other thing that doesn’t seem logical to others.
I would maybe do the same thing because for $6k he basically has a new car and not payments on a $30k+ new one
In post # 20 it was noted that the VVT control valves are leaking and the valve cover needs to be replaced. The valve cover has been discontinued and the dealer won’t get involved with used parts. The OP needs to take the vehicle to a different repair shop.
You posted multiple times that you don’t check the oil because the engine has never seized and the oil light has never come on, even after being told you needed to check it. That sounds like ignoring the advice to me.
The engine not seizing or the oil light not coming on are pretty low bars. By the time the oil light comes on the engine is typically 2 quarts low or more. In other words you’re missing half your oil. Imagine if your joints were missing half their cartilage and think what kind of shape you’d be in.
In the short term, follow @Nevada_545 's advice and find a shop that’s willing to install used parts. It will go a long way toward keeping your Mazda on the road a while longer.