thanx for your help everyone. I have posted this on behalf of a mate who i work with. before i had chance to recieve your replies, he had booked it in to have the work done as he needs the car for getting to and from work. he has been quoted £700 for the work which by now will have been done, and no doubt, the quote will have rose by a couple of hundred, once they take the engine apart. anyone got any advice as to where he should go next. i told him to pursue the accident claim, and see if he can get the insurance to pay, but as with everything you have to produce evidence, only wish i had found this forum earlier. but again FANX.