[Citroënbender]

What about temporarily looping the heater hoses and getting a leak-chasing sealant into the motor? Even if you do that annually, it should see you good. Look for one that mentions the block, not just a radiator leak temporary fix.

I understand the mechanic’s reticence about a head off repair, the issue is these usually come after overheating and that’s when you have all the joys of stuff like precomp chambers loosening.