I recently took my car into a recommended garage to have a look at my 2003 Mondeo 2.0 TDCi because it was puffing out smoke on acceleration and cutting out, as well as making a bad knocking noise.

Before the three mechanics drove it they diagnosed the fault as being with the timing chain tensioners and hydraulic tappets.

'Great!' I thought, and they gave me a quote of £460.00.

They kept my car and a week later I went to the garage to see what was happening. Nothing was happening.

They told me they had changed the timing chain, tensioners, etc. and it still sounded bad and smoked like my Gran.

They kept the car for over five weeks telling me they were waiting on a "spare" engine to take bits off and to try to find the fault.

I got very angry. They then proceeded to tell me it was a valve or 2 gone which, all in all, would cost me £1,000.

They ended up getting a second hand cylinder head and they fitted that instead, not even bothering to tell me what they had done until it was time to pick it up.

I test drove it and told them "it still smokes a bit and is a bit noisy", and they told me "thats because of all the excess fuel in the exhaust and the engine needs to settle down."

What a load of rubbish. But I had to pay him or he would not let me have my car back.

So I paid, but the last few days my car has been cutting out and is so, so hard to start in the morning. What should I do? I don't trust them to do the job and cant afford to go elsewhere.

please john can you advise me on what i should do..

thanks...micky.