I have a 2001 Vauxhall Corsa three-cylinder with about 70,000 miles on the clock. The emissions light has come on and stayed on. It seems to run OK - no coughing and spluttering. My local garage has done readings on it and say the fault is on the intake side, not the catalytic converter side. They also say it won't break down any time soon, and that it could be due to the age of the car.

Should I take their word for it and keep driving with a light that must be there for a reason, or take it in to my (quite expensive) local Vauxhall dealer, possibly to be told the same thing but at a much greater cost? Nine years old is not geriatric.