[:@] My '04 Mazda6s has 60K mostly highway miles and has started to burn a QUART of oil a week. It belches out a cloud of white smoke when started and pings loudly at low rpm. The dealer tells me that I need a valve job. Has anyone heard of this happening before at such a low mileage? The car has been maintained well.. Fluids maintained and changed at regular intervals. Any input would be appreciated.

 

White smoke is coolant, not oil, I would suspect a head gasket if it is white smoke. Are you sure it's white? or is it kind of bluish? (which would be oil) A quart of oil per week is a ton. I assume no leaks anywhere?

If it is blue smoke on start-up, suspect valve seals - a valve job would replace these, but I don't think valve seals would burn a quart/week.
If it smokes blue all the time, suspect piston rings - big engine tear-up to do.

That's an unusual failure at that kind of mileage. See if you can go to the dealer and take a look at the broken parts, they have to provide them to you...for you to lose that much oil, something had to be majorly munched. I'm surprised they aren't saying you need to replace the whole cylinder head.