took it a different, more local kwikies this time (you can tell its birmingham - they charged me this time) and apparently it was "all over the shop" before they did it... well I'll give em the benefit of the doubt as they used a full digital setup with a computer monitor and everything, but i dont think they spun it at any more than about 20mph equivalent.
did it in enough time this time to take the key back, and go for a quick zap up and down the motorway, and report in at the service centre again. minor improvement (probably from having the rears done as well) but not fixed. Guy couldn't really say what it would be, except the tracking was spot on when I originally brought it in and that they didn't even need to touch it - he suggested a lower suspension arm (?) or a front bearing (a suspicion of my own). After I asked if he could also quote me for adjusting the rear brakes (bit of asymmetrical bindage going on) he also said that might also be an issue?
He also offered to swap the rears onto the front which didnt go down too well with me

And for one of his guys to take it for a test drive - then went a bit "um" when I pointed out how far we were from any roads that weren't under a 30 or 40 limit.
Knackered shock .... well its seemed to be giving a little more oscillation than normal when going over bumps today, so i think i'll have to go out and lean my weight over each corner, see what happens. There's rust blisters on a couple of them so it's plausible, though certainly won't be welcome!