So towards the beginning of fall I noticed what appeared to be a leaking rear main seal (oil buildup between the block and the trans plate), so I parked the car figuring I will work on it in the spring.

I plan on doing this myself and putting a new TOB in while I'm there (squeaky until you put light pressure on clutch).

My question for you 03-04 owners is, is this a common thing to happen just with time? Or are there other possible factors that may lead to this failure? I drive my car very lightly given what it is, and I find it hard to believe that after 8 years and 66k miles that it would just randomly start leaking.

Also, is there anything else I should check for, or any recommended seal to use? I've read there are a couple different kinds, but just want to get some opinions. Sorry if this post seems to be overkill, I just like to know about my car and try to prepare for what I may expect beforehand.

Thanks!

Dan