Well, the car failed its MOT... chassis corrosion on the wheel arches, suspension bush split and ineffective handbrake. Bummer.

Finally managed to find somewhere not turning its nose up at a rusty 13-year-old, on an isolated little industrial area past a very low bridge under the railway in a fairly desolate area of Reading. Yummy. It'll still cost somewhere in the region of £500, though. Argh!

Still, if it was a reasonably new car, it would depreciate by more than that... at least that's one running cost I don't have to worry about...