''I said go ahead''

Not the best term to use in a service bay, did the receptionists eyes go round like a cartoon character..;)

It was never going to be a fiver, probably at least £120 an hour (or more in City) at a high image marque main dealer, even 15 minutes works out at £30 plus the govts bung.

I once upset the workshop manager at a classy Volvo dealer sort of workshop you could eat you're dinner off the floor, i was delivering 10 new Micra courtesy cars and taking the previous ones away, got talking to the chap and he mentioned their hourly rate was IIRC £110 an hour, this was late 90's, i happened to quip 'well if they're daft enough to pay it you'll charge it', he took umbrage and that and stalked off.

I'd be interested too to know exactly what was serviced for that figure.

Happens quite often with lorry trailer bulbs Tom, they get a good shaking and eventually get smoke filled, can glow dimly like that for some time before they give up.

Tipper trailer i had at one time on steel springs could blow 6 out of the 8 side light bulbs in one 2 hour cross country journey, our gaffer bought thousands of Ring bulbs cheap when they were a fledgling company, never seen stuff like it, good job he bought them by the tray half of them would blow as you fitted them, that 2 hour trip could require a dozen or more new bulbs by the time you'd got them all going.

Luckily company i'm at now still use Lucas bulbs.