Do I go local or cheaper?

I've been feeling a little bit guilty over the last couple of weeks. My guilt isn't really justifiable as I have done nothing wrong - at least, there is no reason for me to feel guilty about what is causing my guilty feelings.

It all started when I took the car to our local garage for it's first of what will henceforth be annual MOT tests. (MOT = Ministry of Transport. The test is an annual test of road-worthiness of cars three years old and more. My car's third birthday was this month.) I was in the office sheltering from the rain and chatting, as one does, to the proprietor about all manner of things when two other men came in. It transpired that all three are members of the same Lodge and what followed was pretty much the sort of thing that happens when three members of the same Lions Club get together. My car was ready and I managed to escape before they tried to recruit me.

We have been using this garage for donkeys' years (I think that apostrophe is correct) and have always had excellent service - little jobs done for just the cost of the part, people kept back on overtime to finish a rush job before I go to France - that sort of thing. But last year the Institute of Advanced Motorists introduced a benefit to members (I am one) whereby garages belonging to a particular trade organisation would service cars at a low price, picking them up from the members home and delivering them again after washing and vacuuming the car. As the quoted price was quite a bit below that previously charged by the local garage, I had my car serviced under this scheme last year. That's what I feel guilty about. After all the years of excellent service, should I blow the local place out for the sake of saving a few (albeit quite a few) pounds? And what if I need a bulb changing or some other small job? It would be much easier to drop into the local place.

If this was rural or semi-rural France I would have no option. I heard of a man who wanted to change his car. The local garage had nothing he liked but he found just what he wanted in a town some distance away. The local garage owner admired the car but said, ‘You needn't expect me to service it'. He hadn't sold it so he wouldn't service it.

There are just 6,000 miles to go before my car needs its next service and before I have to make the decision. I think I will probably bite the bullet and go local.