HI All, Posted here before regarding clunk from the front of my 2007 cooper s. Its only over bumpy roads, not at speed on the motorway etc.
I thought it was drop links - replaced them.
I thought it was tie rod ends - replaced them..

It went to a garage today (MOT) - and the team there say they think its the steering rack. They quoted £900 GBP to do the job! Really? They say theres play in the inner joint - is that normal.
Car has full BMW/MINI service history - and only 50,000miles, one lady owner.
I'm not convinced its the steering rack. I was convinced it was antiroll bar (sway bar) bushes. They say not.
Is this a common fault that causes knocking in the passenger foot well over undulations and speedbumps?
Thoughts?

 

You could jack up th front end & wiggle the wheels (to work the rack). I would think that it would be noticeable then, if it is truly worn out.

 

The rack on mine has up and down play on the passenger side. For a year I thought that was the clunking noise I was hearing, but I recently discovered that 100% of the noise was caused by the stabilizer bar bushings. There was a lot of play between the bar and the bushings, and the bushings are so hard that it sounded like metal on metal contact. The play in the rack doesn't make a sound on mine.