My MOT came with an advisory that the rear bushes were fucked at the bottom of the shock arm (where it meets the linkage). If you pull the subframe up and rock it you can hear it clicking and see it moving.

Anyway just phoned up the mechanic to see how it's going on and he said he's struggling (right now) to get the rear bushes out because the exhaust is in the way.

Is it possible to do this job without removing the exhaust, because if it isn't I'm fucked. The exhaust took me like 6 fucking hours to get on right last time, I think the plate that bolts to the manifold on the rear headers is bent, definitely not something I ever want to have to deal with again.

Depending on what he is struggling with...

On T595's it was common to get the linkage bolt half out, cut it with a grinder, pull the other half out... then replace, inserting the bolt from the other side.

Not sure if this is what you are getting at?

Man...you really need to do your own mechanic work. It can be done with the pipes int he way, the guy might need to undo the top of the shock to allow more movement of the linkages.

I do most of my own work, I've done the rear caliper, electrics, clutch and a few other bits and bobs on my own, this is the first thing it's been to the mechanic for and it's only because it went there for the MOT too!

Anyway I'm not really sure which bit he was struggling with but he said it'll be fine for a while seeing as though I'd like to replace the entire shock at some point in the next year or two. So I think I'll just wait until the shock replacement comes round and make a job of it.