Bah 2

Bah indeed. I walked home, the plumbers came at 2, the car was ready at 4, I walked back to town to pick it up.

The knocking at the back is not a couple of dodgy shock absorbers, it's "excess movement on the rear subframe bushes" which sounds expensive. PLUS both rear brake cylinders are leaking. PLUS one of the engine gaskets is blowing. So we're looking at about at least £300 worth of repairs. 

Bang goes my work bonus! Lucky I had it, really...