You can always remove the complete hose assembly and take it to sombody who fixes hoses, they can cut out the old hose and replace it using your ends. It will cost a small fraction of what they quoted you for a new hose, and you won't have to worry about any squirrily repairs giving out later., then put it in yourself and have an AC shop suck it down and recharge it.

That design flaw shouldn't suprise you. I figured out a long time ago that if you were to get all the engineers from the different departments at GM together in one room... none of them would know each other.
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-------Robert, '93 940t, '90 240 wagon, '84 240 diesel (she's sick) , '80 245 diesel, '86 740 GLE turbo diesel, '82 Mercedes 300SD for sale