As HJ has told you: £500 for a head gasket is dirt cheap. The work could not have destroyed the hydractive pump, so that must have been close to failure anyway. The failure of the pump prevented the car from being removed from the ramp because the suspension could not pump itself up to ride height. You cannot take a car to a small garage for a £500 repair on which he may have made maybe £100, then expect the garage owner to fork out for another repair costing £1,100 +. You need to discuss this with the garage owner.

Thanks for your reply. Having obtained several quotes from independent garages for Head Gasket £500 - £600 seems to be the norm in this area. I have been advised by another garage that it is possible the suspension unit could have been damaged during the work. Doesn't your advice rather contradict you reply to the thread below on 8th Sept 2010:

faults after repairs - concrete

Recently my wife pranged both off side doors thanks to those stupid steel bollards that are only about a metre high and cannot readily be seen (Sainburys). I had to claim as it meant 2 new doors and a whole side respray, about £1800 quids worth. When I collected my car it looked great and still does, however that is not the problem. Ever since collecting it, every time I start the engine the computer flashes an audible and visual warning that I have a lights failure(Skoda/VW technology) All the lights work perfectly so the problem is non existent but still very annoying. I persevered for a couple weeks or so, thinking the computer glich will go away, no such luck. Then I had to return the car for the new doors to be adjusted. I pointed out the light failure problem and they said they would investigate. When I collected the car the problem was still there and they said they checked all the connections which are fine but could not cure the problem. They said they would book it into a main dealer for a dignostic check but if the fault was nothing to do with them I would have to pay for it all. I pointed out the fault was not there prior to their work on the car, so ergo they must have caused it however innocently. Also who decides who caused the problem? A stalemate at present. I now have to return my car again to have a door gaiter refitted and would like to confront them again about this problem. I really would like to know where I stand and would I be chasing shadows. They certainly contributed to the problem when they worked on the car as the problem was not there prior to that. Do they have an obligation to return my car in the same state of operation as when they received it? A little tester for the remarkable LucyBC me thinks! Any sensible comments welcome. Concrete

If it went in fault free and comes back with a fault then there is an assumption that it resulted from some action consequential from their undertaking the other repair and hence it is their responsibility to fix it.

I feel I have to contradict the legal advice you have been given here as it is not correct. By replacing a head gasket the garage could have fried the suspension electronics due to lack of care, and by the sound of it the garage has not taken reasonable care and skill of your car, as you have other damage caused due to them removing car from ramp etc.

Garages have a duty of care while your vehicle is in their possesion.

"Supply of Goods & Services Act 1982"

That the supplier will carry out the service with reasonable care and skill.

That the work will be carried out in reasonable time (unless timeframe has been specifically agreed).

That the work will be carried out at reasonable cost (unless cost has been specifically agreed.

I would say the garage has failed in their duty under this act and you have every right to have the garage repair your car at their expence.

I would contact trading standards, I think they would advise you to start a claim through the courts. You would also to entitled to claim any expences ie car hire as they have not returned your car in a reasonal amount of time.

I hope this has been some help regarding your situation and hope it gets sorted soon.

Hi, Lucy BC, I still disagree, as Brooklyn stated "there was damage under front bumper probably caused when being removed from ramp or trailer used for transport." This in its self suggests the garage has not taken care with the car. Also the amount of time taken to do this job suggests that the car was not done in a reasonable time. The garage should also make a report as to the condition of the the car when it arrived at the garage, assuming they did this, they would not have been able to get the car onto the ramp if there was a fault with the cars hydraulics.

When removing a head gasket you would have to dismantle quite a bit of the car engine to do the job. Hydraulic pumps do not just go down sitting on a ramp. That is like saying a washing machine pump would just brake even if it wasn't plugged in.

I will buy a dictionary and I suggest you get "sufficiently technically competent"!

If when removing the head they inadvertantly disturbed or accidently slackened one of the many hydraulic pipes that are in the way then the suspension would collapse.When working with C5's it is normal for the vehicle to be jacked up on the body and let all four wheels hang failure to do so results in the above problems.In this case but not very often HJ is wrong.