S40 2.0D Won't Crank

[philaustin]

I had trouble starting the S40 a couple of weeks ago. When I turned the ignition key all the dash lights came on but the starter motor seemed to be dead. This happened twice over a week. A few minutes later the car started okay on both occasions. Worried about this, I booked it into a garage to get the problem checked as I have to travel to a wedding this week. I took out a mechanical breakdown insurance when I bought the car - AA Gold Cover. A year later when that expired I was asked if I wanted to renew it. This time the company had changed to 'Car Protect', a member of 'Motorway Direct'. They told me to take the car to my local 'Prestige' garage, which turned outto be a body repair shop. I did this over a week ago. They tried all day to repeat the starting problem but it started every time. When I went to collect it, very annoyed, it wouldn't start. The garage said it was the ignition lock and over a week later they'd got a new one and fitted it. Motorway Direct said the ignition lock wasn't covered by their Mechanical Breakdown policy and that I would have to pay nearly £300 for the new switch, fitting it, and their £54 charge because the broken part wasn't covered in the policy!
The new ignition switch didn't work. I was fuming.
The garage then suggested it could be the starter motor. They had tried jumping it and it dodn't work. Why they didn't do that in the first place I don't know.
The starter motor Is covered by the breakdown policy so Motorway Direct should pay for it, I think. It is now Saturday. I have to be on a Ferry on Wednesday morning to get to the wedding. The garage says it takes 2-3 working days to get a copy started motor. A genuine Volvo one would take much longer. From what I've read on various forums about these starting problems I still don't believe its the starter motor somehow. I am just hoping it is, and the garage can get a replacement and fit it in time. Otherwise I'm stuffed and I can't see any way I can get my wife and family to the wedding to give my daughter away (as they say). As for the new ignition switch - would you expect to have to pay for something that didn't need to be replaced?