Ok so my DVD-R on my G4 Mac Mini is shot ...how much to replace?

I have the infamous problem of none of my cd/dvd able to read from the disk drive. I tried the reset thingy (unplug, how power when plug in power cord, turn on) no avail
So has anyone actually brought this in to shop? What is the average cost? If under $100 I may bite it and make the replacement.
I need to do Turbo Tax soon and caught in a bind (also wanted to upgrade to Leopard but that may be shot as well)

Firstly, make sure you have completed the correct PMU reset procedure which applies to G4 minis (posted below). Failure of the optical drive can be due to the power management unit. Thus, to reset the PMU in your G4 mini:
-Unplug all cables from the computer, including the power cord.
-Wait 10 seconds.
-Plug in the power cord while simultaneously pressing and holding the power button on the back of the computer.
-Let go of the power button.
-Press the power button once more to start up your Mac mini.
If that doesn't work, try a lens cleaner to make sure that the problem with the drive is not simply dirt or debris on the lens. The slot-loading drives seem a little prone to this.
If that doesn't resolve it, replacement drives via an Apple Approved Service provider are likely to be around $150 or so, plus some labor charges. You can, of course opt to replace the drive yourself, in which case a replacement bare superdrive can be had for $99 or $109 from sources such as OWC (http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/mac-mini/superdrive/), and while fitting is a bit fiddly, is not beyond the capabilities of most people, with a little care and reference to any of the many on-line guides to taking a G4 mini apart.
Alternatively, as suggested, an external drive may be the best option, with a good basic choice being the drive at http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/MRBFWU2D115/. This drive may need the third-party PatchBurn utility though, and may not allow ready booting of the system for use with macOS installers,

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