Janie, get a second opinion! The dealership is NEVER going to give you the lowest price. Click and Clack on Car Talk have a link for finding a good mechanic in your area. See who is around, either near your folks or near your house, figure out what the towing would cost if you had to tow it a distance (or rent one of the U-Haul car dolly things and take it yourself) and probably save a lot of money. Those dealers are expensive to begin with and when a woman walks in you can safely assume they see you coming. So to speak.

MOM says good luck, and kick some automotive butt and get it fixed for a reasonable price.