Well, after getting some tools together and deciding to 'go for it' or so to speak, I am now no longer in posession of a functional XBOX 360.  Basically the DVD Drive is gone. 
 
I spent ages stripping it to pieces, cleaning the lens and trying various other 'Internet' fixes for the unplayable discs - no joy.  At first I thought I was enjoying some success, Guitar Hero WT worked after it hadn't worked - but then Gears of War 1 didn't so a bit more messing about - and eventually I can't read a damn thing. 
 
Not that surprised - not all that bothered, it just means I need another BenQ drive installing - but my wife is now pissed at the amount of hours I've spent on it - and fashing the drive or swapping the circuit board on a BenQ is more of a pain than the others or so I'm told.  I've found a local boy who mends and mods XBOX 360's as a business, so I'll ring him for a price on Monday.  I'm guessing it's a sub £50 job to replace the drive and that will do me.  It just annoys me that the 360 is such a flimsy piece of cack. 
 
I suppose it's the console equivalent of an Alfa Romeo - nippy, great fun, nice looking, works brilliantly when it's working - but the compromise of owenership is being willing to sit on the 'gaming hard shoulder' from time to time waiting for the AA... 
 
This is a great quote from a guy on another forum about Alfa's :-  
 
"  I'd say Alfas and wives are very similar. Certainly when my brother had an Alfa all the other blokes in the street had a go in it.

And it used to randomly break down for no reason.

He got rid of it when the bodywork started to go."