My wife currently drives a SEAT Ibiza Bocanegra, which she leases through Cornwall Primary Care Trust (CPCT). She has had the car serviced as per the manufacturers guidelines and tops up the oil, when required, between services. The car service light came on last week and she immediately booked it in with our local SEAT garage for its 10,000 mile service. On the day prior to service the oil warning light came on temporarily whilst going around a round-about, despite a top-up only two weeks earlier. But as the car was due into the garage the next day she took no action.

The following day, whilst the car was being serviced, she received a phone call from the Transport Department of the PCT stating that the car required a new engine at a cost of £4200 and that she would have to pay for its immediate replacement. We are very concerned that the car was driven to the garage that morning with no hint of a problem and that somebody had authorised an engine replacement without her permission. Now that the car has had a new engine fitted should she accept it back or would that mean that she has agreed that the engine did indeed require replacement and she is willing to pay? I would have thought that CPCT would at least require a second opinion on the damage to the engine and/or a comprehensive report from the dealer stating the reasons for a complete replacement. The car is a 60 plate, covered 20,000 miles and is on a 3-year lease.