Hi guys,

my car is in the shop. I noticed some small droplets of radiator fluid in front of my driver's side tire, on the garage floor. the small droplets have appeared maybe twice in a 3 month span. Anyway, I took it to the shop. I called to check the status of my car. they said it needs a new hose. This wont cost much, but the labor involved to get to the hose, purge the system, etc... will cost about 500.00 bucks. OUCH! sounds like a lot to me. my extended warranty wont cover the hose, but I will have to confirm this. Does this sound excessive?

R

OEM coolant is very expensive. Often, you can find lower pricing at an independent shop but make sure you are comparing the same work. Indept shop may reuse the coolant if it's relatively new. Personally, I'd feel better if the coolant is changed if not flushed.

There is no way to repair a hose. You have to change it. Check if the hose clamp is tight though. It may just need to be tightened.

changing the hose is a 10 minute job. the coolant is expensive if they are not reusing it. They have to get the air pockets out and that takes a little time. they are charging you book hours...

This is probably a lower radiator hose, which is like a boost hose, the quick disconnect style with the lock in clips.