i was lucky enough to get a cancellation slot on monday morning, so with almost no preparation, went to my garage with fingers crossed.
FAILED!!
not too bad at all though really, it only failed on emissions. i tried the petrol additive followed by a quick rev-limiting blast down the local straight and straight back for a quick probe up the back passage 
no luck!
i was advised that the cat had probably lost the last of it's nine lives. damn! enquired at ATS....£185!!!!
after much scouring of breaker's yards, i managed to find one locally, so shot round there to get it off. after asking the fork-lift boys to get the car in a position and height where i could work on it, the fun began. what a PITA that proved to be. all four downpipe nuts were seized. what a surprise
i eventually managed to snap off three of them, the fourth decided to break the top welds and therefore just turn and turn. i managed to get a junior hacksaw in between the manifold and downpipe and saw through the remaining bolt. off!!
"did they quote you a price" asked the lad in the office. yea, £20! i said
(i wasn't in the best of moods)i paid a mate in Portsmouth Exhausts and Tyres £40 to fit it, then 'phoned the garage and was asked to take it in "in an hours time". this i duly did...PASSED!
all in all, an mot for around £75 (+ fee, of course) and a bit of graft, so mustn't complain
