Okay, so it was hot, so I decided to drive with the windows down the first time since picking up my GV. And what do I hear? Really loud clattering noises every time I go over a bump. The smallest of bumps will set this off, and it sounds like metal on metal slapping.

Is this normal? Or is my suspension knackered?

Also, there's a slightly wierd noise from the front when accelerating between 20-30MPH, sounds like the car is struggling, generally around 2000-2500 RPM, but performance is still good, just an odd sound. Is This normal? (1.6 16V engine, 3 years old and only 16000 on the clock)

And the last of my "Is this normal?" questions; Sounds like my exhaust is blowing for the first minute or so of driving, but then quietens down to normal. Is this normal? Not that I mind this one, it makes the car sound BEASTY.

I'm starting to worry that maybe the previous owner ragged it round and bust it up, then sold it. When I bought it, the Throttle body and central locking had to be replaced within a week, and its only three years old! Lucky the showroom added a nice years warranty for me, eh?

Crawl under your truck and check out your exhaust system for looseness.  I mention this because sometimes you CAN'T determine where the banging is coming from when inside the cab.  Grab it and shake it around (AFTER it has cooled off).  If you can make it bang into your frame cross overs or some other metal piece under your truck, then you may have found the problem.  Also check out your muffler and cat converter.  Heat shields could be loose or banged up.  If you can see areas where you have blow-by, you may have some exhaust issues besides just being loose.  Course if the PO off-roaded the truck you may have some tubing bent or crushed.

The shop that put my turbo muffler on rotated the tail pipe too much when they welded it onto the new muffler so it was about an eighth of an inch from one of the cross over members on the frame.  Everytime I hit some small (or large) bumps the exhaust pipe would bang off the cross member.  Certain RPMs on the engine even caused the vibration on the frame rail.   I took it back and they cut it off and rotated it back a little.  Then it began banging off my tow bar frame.  I finally had enough of the banging and clanging and took it to a REAL exhaust shop.  They bent and installed a new tail pipe.  Now it occassionally hits my tow bar  frame?  It's almost as if the rubber hangers have softened and lost some of their rigidness.  What's up with that???

If the exhaust appears to be secure... raise up the front end, secure it safely on jack stands on the frame rails and then check out your front end components.  Check the fasteners to ensure they are in place and snug, try to shake the tie rod ends, sway/stabilizer bar, etc for movement.  Check out your struts for oil leakage down the side of the strut bodies (blown strut seals).  Other than that... I don't have any other ideas, off-hand.