An interesting legal question, which I admit I don't have the answer to, is whether the garage technically sold you the filter; if so, I would have thought they, and not the manufacturer, was responsible for the whole problem.

Your query is really about consequential damages and I know this can be tricky. For example, you now have AA membership, which means you have certain benefits that you didn't have before. You cannot possibly claim for the whole cost of membership; the only thing that you might be able to claim for is the cost of the tow home; can that be quantified?

I wonder whether you might have to go to a lot of trouble and expense to achieve very little recompense. Maybe someone else can offer a view here.

Edited by FP on 18/08/2016 at 15:56

FP, RobJP, thanks for your replies.

I'd be looking to recover about £120, which is roughly what I recall being told I'd be liable for if I cancelled during the cooling off period. The garage used their own supplier to obtain the filter - don't know who this is, although I have asked.

I've always been happy with the garage, and certainly don't want to make an enemy of them, so I'm guessing this will have to be put down to bad luck. Another way to look at it is that I had breakdown cover up until I changed jobs three years ago, so don't think I'm significantly out of pocket versus having paid for 4 years cover.