help desperatley needed

[uksaint]

guys
need help
I have a 2005 A8 3.0 diesel. I bought the car a month ago and last week one morning it failed to start. Now I work away during the week so I arranged for the car to be towed to my local garage (who have worked on all my cars over 10 years) They informed me it was the starter motor and that it would cost £220 for a replacement and 4 hours fitting so the total bill was £480. I thought this was a little on the steep side but paid it. My wife picked the car up on Wednesday and did not use it again until Friday when she picked me up from dropping off the hire car. I got in the car and guess what did not start did not turn over same problem.
Car was picked up on a low loader taken back to garage. I have phoned them this morning they now think it is a diesel problem. Diesel leaking into the chambers then making it impossible to turn the engine over????
Never heard of this problem before. They have said that it started allright this morning with a little help from a jump. I am going on holiday Friday morning canot hire a car this week. hoping someone out there might be able to throw some light on this problem
Thanks in advance
Mark

[PsYcHe]

These cars are very sensitive to battery life. Try a new one and you may need a software update on the battery control module.

[uksaint]

PsYcHe
Just picked up the car because I have no option but to risk it this week and it started on the button. After about 200 yards it smoked badly for 30 seconds then cleared does this help with any kind of diagnostic
Mark

[Somerandomguy]

Was the bad smoke white or black? White smoke could well be leaking injectors

[snapdragon]

I suppose it could be hydrolocking on diesel.
These injectors 2004-2006 are certainly ropey, but usually manifests itself as white smoke at prolonged hot idle (traffic lights/queues) or a diesel knock on startup - have you had either of these?
Be careful, this is a potentially disastrous problem. It is also possible that your previous starter motor was ruined by traying to start the locked engine.
When you did try to start it? What happened? Did it crank? What kind of sound? Did the lights go dim?

[uksaint]

ok
First off thanks guys for all the help
1) had the car for about a month
2) Never noticed any white smoke on tick over had a little when I kicked down hard but with 105k on the clock thought this was acceptable
3) When the mechanic changed the starter motor he said that I should get a refund on the one that was fitted because it looked nearly new
4) The first time it let me down it had been sitting idle all night that when it went in for the starter motor
5) The second time the car had been back from the shop 2 days had not been used my wife then drove it 5 miles pick me up and failed.
5) Each time it let me down there was virtualy no noise just a click engine did not turn over at all.
6) When it went back to the shop this time they did nothing to it put a jumper on it and it started.
7) They left it overnight and it started fine the next morning.
8) They did say that on one of the occasions when it started it filled the garage with white smoke. They took it for a drive and it cleared
9) When I picked it up it started on the button drove down the road white smoke billowed out for 30 seconds then was ok.
10) When I got it home (about 2 miles) very strong smell of diesel
11) Left it a couple of hours then it started on the button again no smell
I am a convert from a 7 series I love the car but I do not know where to go next
Thanks in advance
Mark
Sorry guys tried to put a pic of the car in but no luck will try latter