little update:
things have gathered pace a little over the last few weeks, new back box hangers fitted, replacement back box in place, but it turns out the rattle is the cats chatting to themselves
Jamie confirmed this by kindly hooking it up to an emissions machine and she's right on the limit....finger nail biting for MOT it is then. As a cat is over £170+p&p for a pattern one. for lol's i phoned BMW (Trainer) and nearly crapped myself when he said £600+vat
as for the back brakes, new shoes and a spring kit was ordered, but it turns out the back plates are rotten...so i got around it by fitting some drilled and bent washers.
there's a few other bits and bobs i'm not happy with, the drivers door card keeps popping off, but apart from that things are ok