Shit happens

Car issues 1: knocking
we have had a bit of a knocking noise from the steering in our Ford Galaxy when turning the wheel hard. Bazza (who used to be an AA and RAC patrolman before he joined the glamorous world of photocopier repair) told me its the CV joints that need replacing. I got the following quotes
Ford main dealer £ 726 for both sides, couldn't do it until around the end of this week.

Delacourts garage, Blackheath (no where near me but highly recommended family business) £331 for both sides, couldn't do it until 18th april.

Nationwide Autocentre (recommended by the AA) £200 all in for both sides and they could do the job on good friday.

£200? seemed a bit cheap to me but they could do the job before the week end and the car was now undriveable so in it went.
Then the problems started,
"we can't get the old joint off"
"we got the wrong part, but there's another on the way"
"the other part is wrong aswell and all the suppliers are closed now for Easter"
We were meant to get the car back on friday and as off saturday it still wasn't done and wouldn't be untill tuesday. Knowing that the cost will have gone up now owing to all the hardship they have had I asked what the cost would be now?
"currently £454" and they hadn't started the second side yet.
"£454 FUCKING HELL! that's a bit different from the £200 I was quoted"
"oh yeah well, Fords you know, expensive etc etc blah blah"
Tuesday morning. " the (3rd lot of) parts I got from Fords were wrong aswell but I've got the right ones on their way"
"I'm a bit concerned about the cost (understatement of the week)" I asked.
"when I get the parts and I know the price I'll break it all down and do the best I can for you"
Tuesday afternoon. "I've got the parts and we are fitting them this afternoon"
"so it won't be ready today then?"
"er, no. but as a good will gesture because we have had the car for so long I'll knock off an hours labour and charge the parts at cost so that'll be a total of £354"
Well, given that I knew £200 had to be wrong, £354 is not bad (half the price of the Ford dealer) and all the hassle with parts wasn't their fault, shit happens so I'm happy with that. The fact that the garage made a concession and knocked money off without me neeeding to complain is a sign of good service. Well done Nationwide Autocentre, Romford.
As I type this I still haven't got the car back though, but I'm assured it will be ready for me to collect when I finish work today.

Car issues 2: The MOT is due in a month. It definitely needs 2 front tyres (around £150 from Costco) I really hope it doesn't need anything else as all this car expense is seriously eating into my new bathroom fund.

Car issues 3: This is the real pisser. Last week when Wifey was at work some dirty little-hoody wearing-low life-chav-scumbag keyed the car. Yes the little toerag ran a key the whole way around it. Every panel except the drivers door is scratched. A moments boredom for a chav has caused thousands of pounds of damage to my car.
If I had a fancy Porsche or something you could say it's jealousy but a people carrier with child seats in it? The unpleasantness I wish to visit upon the perpetrator is immense.