Pontiac Repair: 2000 pontiac grand am overheating due to freeze plug, head gasket, pontiac grand am

Question
QUESTION: I have a 2000 pontiac Grand am that has been giving me trouble from the beginning.  The latest problem is that antifreeze is leaking out thought it was the head gasket but on further inspection it looks as if it is leaking around the freeze plug on the driver side rear.  This is a very hard part to get to to remove, the cap itself seems to be intact it is leaking from just underneath.  Is this a sleeve that slides into the block? Is this a problem I can fix or do I have to take it to a dealer?

ANSWER: there is a special tool for removing and installing the freeze plug, as for getting to it, that is going to be rather difficult without a hoist, as you would need to lower the engine cradle and possibly remove the exhaust to access it

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QUESTION: What I really need to know is if this is a dealer job and if there is some type of gasket or sleeve in the hole or is it just metal to metal?  The mechanic doing his job seems to think that the engine is gone because the fluid is leaking from underneath the cap itself. (Mechanic has never done this job before and has given up do I need to give up on this car also?)

Answer
i would not give up on the car, its not often a freeze plug leaks but it can happen, there is no seal really for it, it has some material around the edge that when installed helps to seal it.  The repair could be done outside the dealer, probably for slightly cheaper, not sure what kinds of shops are in your area.