starex - gear box problem

[julie-ann clyma]

Hello, i am new here and very ignorant about vehicles in general. hoping someone here can help as I am feeling a bit unsure about advice from my local garage.

My hyundai starex van recently broke down on the motorway. It was a very hot day (30C+) and in the early part of the afternoon I had noticed problems changing into 3rd gear (a 'crunching' that I put down to sloppy work on my behalf). However, two hours of driving later and suddenly the whole gear box 'siezes up'. I could not get any gear to engage. I called out the rescue services and got the van towed back to my local garage (I live in a french speaking part of switzerland). The mechanic could get into 5th gear but nothing else.

Initially my local garage thought it might just be the clutch, but then after a second look said it was the gearbox and I would need to buy a new one. That's going to cost 1000s of francs! A mate told me I should check something as simple as the linkage in the gear box.

I am completely out of my depth because my lack of mechanical knowledge and difficulty with french relating to vehicles. Can anyone give me some ideas about what questions to ask at the garage to make sure they have explored all possiblities before I purchase a new gear box and clutch.

Many thanks.