And the phrase of the day is "How much?!"

I took Miss Millicent into the BMW garage in Stockton today for her second service. Jesus, that was a painful experience. Not for the cost of the service; Millie is covered by Mini TLC so I get five years or 50,000 miles servicing for free, though at the rate I rack up miles that 50,000 doesn't look fantastically far away on the horizon. What caused the sharp intake of breath was the cost of the two new tyres she needed on the front wheels. £343! I almost said "Hold on, mate. I want two tyres, not twenty-two".

As bad as that is, it could have been even worse; I was initially quoted £195 each. I got them for the bargain price of £171.50 because they are currently price-matching and that's what Kwik-fit had them for. I suppose I should stop kvetching, really. I've needed new tyres for ages anyway and it's my own fault for buying a Cooper S in the first place and then having 17" wheels; the 16" version was £95. Plus the bloody things are low-profile run-flat models. I could have told the garage to shove it and gone to Kwik-fit to get the "cheap" £135 ones, except they weren't run-flat and the Cooper S has no spare wheel. OK, I know, I know. Poor, poor me that I can afford a Mini Cooper S (not it feels like it right now, mind). Wah wah wah. But still... three hundred and forty-three frickin quid for two measly tyres! I shudder to think what a service will cost when I have to start paying for it. And I've got to buy a new tax disc tomorrow, too, to add insult to injury.