[200q20v] leaking hoses oh my!

[Tomsaudi200 at aol.com]

I thought it was a simple short in the dash. I thought my wife's complaints
of stiff steering and hard brake pedal were due to the fact that she rarely
drives the 20Ver.

If ignorance is bliss, that's where I've been living. Dropped my wife off
this morning to pick up her '95 90 since the windshield washer pump and
suspensions bushings were replaced. It being the holidays, I wanted to drive
the 91 200, so off she went to the car wash, then to get her oil changed.

After the service was done, the stern German mechanic is staccoto english
asked if I'd noticed my parking brake idiot light was lit all the time. I
told him yes, just thinking it was just a short or something. No such luck.
Turns out my car is pissing brake and power steering fluid. He said the best
way to go is to just replace all the hoses, but he did say if he had the car
for a day he could crimp the parts where fluid is bleeding out.

Any of you guys had this problem? If so, what did it cost you?And just in
time for Christmas....

Tom