I'd probably pay extra for some additional checks like cholesterol - I know I can get them from elsewhere but I never get round to it, so a trip to the AME would seem opportune.
I paid £155 in 2010 for my class 2. Seems a fair price to pay for a professional for what probably took an hour, plus I guess he has to pay for the tests etc. Always nice to pay less of course.
No interest in flying in - it would be too unreliable.
A friendly approach to put pilots at ease is important - no point in raising stress levels to get false negatives!
For a booking which is only needed occasionally, I'm not too bothered about online booking. And I use a diary to remind me, although it doesn't do any harm to receive a reminder of course.