clutch pedal broken & plastic bits lying around - wtf?

[2seas]

yesterday i heard a crack while trying to move off and the clutch on my audi a3 (1.8 ST) has jammed against the floor. the RAC guy says this is common in slightly older cars (mine is 2001) and the plastic built into the clutch pedal can get brittle over time and break. apparently it's there as a safety mechanism to stop your legs breaking in an accident. according to him it's a simple case of replacing the clutch pedal.

i called the garage and they however think it's a problem with the master cylinder (based on my description of the problem). a google search hasn't helped much other than to indicate this is a common problem.

any ideas guys? the reason i ask is i want to make sure the garage wont try to bum me for any unnecessary work - i'm a bit paranoid due to bad experiences in the past...

(ps sorry to double post - mods please feel free to remove the other post as this seems the more appropriate area)

[stevieturbo]

If the garage is that untrustworthy, go somewhere else !