Antony, just a thought… If your gear lever movement is excessive and as you say the mechanic left a socket wrench under the bonnet. There is a small possibility that he was distracted before completing the job and just may have left the gearbox/engine mounts loose or not installed. Very bad practice I know but as I said just a thought.
This is true and is for me the first definitive failure recorded here in a 1.5, I’ve seen the odd rumour elsewhere and in Japanese cars that have been boosted or raced. The ICON also was a year or so after the launch too.
3000 miles so far in my ND, I have never noticed any wobble on the gear lever, except in the rare event of almost stalling it on a botched setting off.
The rusty small window frame you mentioned on a courtesy car was a recall issue and is rectified in more recent cars - the window bottom rubbers should be fitted clear of contact with the steel frame piece.