Mitsubishi Repair: 2002 lancer, valve seals, head gasket

Question
I can't believe a 5 year old car is burning a quart of oil a month. Is the only solution a ring job(rebuilding the motor)? and If I have that done, how do I keep it from happening again?

Answer
Toby,
Worn rings, worn valve seals, and/or worn valve guides can all contribute to burning oil.  Even a warped head gasket can contribute to this.  Getting a cylinder head rebuild and rings replaced will most likely fix your oil leaking into your combustion chamber.  

Preventing it from happening again should be easy.  Always keep your car properly maintained per the owners manual, and address problems early before they get as bad as they are now.  Drive your car within the tolerances recommend by the factory (i.e., never drive at high speeds in lower gears and never let your RPMs reach red line).  You may have just goten an unlucky engine when the car was assembled.  
Good luck!