I own a 2000 1.4 Renault Clio with about 114,000 on the clock. The head gasket recently went so I took it to a local garage recommended by a work colleague. After inspection, it also needed a new exhaust manifold and pulleys. Price quoted for the work, including the gasket, was £750. Taking into consideration the mileage, age and what the car is worth, I asked the garage if they thought the work was worth doing. They said that apart from the work outlined it looked solid and would be good for a couple more years. So I gave the go-ahead to do the work.

I received a phone call three days later saying the car is unrepairable. One of the piston rings has gone so it is heat seizing. Clearly it's not worth fixing so the garage is going to hit me with a settlement bill for work already carried out. Do you have an idea (with the little info I have provided) what might be a reasonable figure for the garage to bill me for work carried out? I understand they replaced the gasket etc so work has been carried out, but I don't want to pay over the odds for work on a car that is now dead, so to speak.