You won't want to hear this, but I think you should choke on the full cost. If you had insisted on the compression check and found out later that your mechanic didn't do it or misled you about the results, that would be one thing. But you didn't insist. In your own words, you suggested. You let him talk you out of it and then you OK'd the install of a new radiator. You made all the choices here, so you can't blame the mechanic. Just my opinion. Live and learn.

As someone else suggested, you could consider the new radiator insurance toward the head gasket job.

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'81 300TD turbo <<sold 12/05 to another diesel nut