Well, today I took my car in for its second service, nominally 18,000 miles but as I do low milage it was actually 14,000.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, the cost was £296.90 inc. VAT! Ouch!

It wasn’t even a really major service, just adjust a few things, change the oil, change the brake fluid and that’s it. At least they tell me that the front tyres aren’t as far worn as I thought they were, they have 4mm of tread left, so I have 2.3mm to go. If I go carefully and don’t accidently spin the wheels much they should last another year.

Still they did wash the car, or attempted to. The fact that it looks slightly more dirty than it did when it want in as it has run marks where dirty water has run down it. I think they must have used a dirty cloth or something. At least a lot of the scratches from the bushes have faded to slight lines you can see if you shine light off them is good. Though a few do look as though they might have gone through the colour coat after all.

I think the weekend after next I’ll pop down to the SAAB approved body shop and get a quote on the repair of the keyed scratch and the other marks. I want my car to be perfect again.