In February, I bought my son an 06 registered Astra 1.9CDTi 16v SRi from a local garage. Earlier today, he went on holiday in it to France, and on the way broke down on the French motorway system. He called out a local breakdown garage and was towed to their premises where a faulty alternator was diagnosed. It will take until Thursday for them to obtain and fit a new one. My son has therefore hired a car from the garage to enable him to continue to his holiday destination and will pick up his repaired car on the way back next Friday.

I seem to remember reading recently - it was probably in your excellent column in the Telegraph - that the selling garage is responsible for any faults developing in the first six months after purchase. If this is so, please could you let me know the appropriate leglation that should be quoted to the selling garage. I would also be interested to know the extent of any claim that can be made against the garage - just the cost of the repair, or will the cost of breakdown recovery and car hire also be able to be claimed?

Any advice you can give would be very much appreciated. Many thanks