Incidentally, it took ages to locate the right fuse thanks to the Golf's rudimentary fuse box map. In the end the local VW dealer told me which fuse to remove and recommended fitting a 15amp in place of the original 10.

Anyway, a blown bulb. How difficult can that be? Er, very, actually. Xenon bulbs can only be changed by the dealer so I tried to book the car in at VW in Battersea, but they couldn't fit the car in for ten days. Another dealer on the Old Kent Road in south London tried to squeeze me in, but on a day I was out of the country. Meanwhile, I'm driving around on dark winter days with one dead headlamp. Of course, on the way back from evo I'm pulled up by the police in Regent's Park. 'You've got a headlamp out sir.' I explained that you can't just nip down to Halfords for a new bulb and I had tried to book the car in to have it fixed. 'Well, that's a good excuse sir, so I'll let you go with a warning.'

Eventually I found VW Monaco Motors' service centre hidden in a South Kensington mews. The exceptionally helpful Gavin Kirton booked the car in for the following morning and the job was completed in three hours. Even better, the bulb was replaced under warranty. Otherwise, the bill would have been around ΂£120. Great headlamps, but life's more complicated when they go wrong.