Rear Calipers - What to do?

[kjbrosha at gmail.com (Kevin Brosha)]

Why are these things such a pain in the ass?

In the past two years, I've replaced the rear right caliper on my 16v twice,
the left once.  I take the car in for a motor vehicle inspection, which I
need for insurance and registration, and find out that both calipers are
leaking, the right from where the e-brake cable attaches, the left from the
bleeder screw, and the shop tells me I need to get two new calipers.  WTF, I
think, they can't be serious.

I'm not very good mechanically, but why are these calipers failing so
often?  Is it worth going to the dealer to get their calipers (which cost
over $300 each, instead of the $150 each the others cost)?  Are the
mechanics doing something wrong to cause this to happen?  The e-brake has
been seizing constantly, even the day after the last new caliper was put
on.  Got it adjsuted, thought things were good.  Guess not.    I've gone to
3 different shops for the work, I find it hard to believe that 3 different
shops would all be doing things wrong, I dunno.

I'm at my wits end with this car, I'm ready to abandon it on a roadside -
receipts in the past 2 years totalling over $11000, which I can't afford,
I'm a student for the love of God.  And now, replacing new parts
repeatedly?  Oh, sorry, only 90 day warranty, great.  Don't know if I can
stomach it.  A nice cheap Kia might be in the works.

Can these rear calipers just be junked completely, replaced with drum brakes
or something?  Or are there calipers out there that won't cause these
problems, that will fit on the rocco?  I can't justify spending another
300-400 dollars when I have a deep fear that it's money down the drain.