[geronimo]

Swiveltech,

I'm not a genius when it comes to cars by any means and have had no experience working with the power steering system. However, I had (at 60k!) some of the same problems you have and they were remedied by bearings, bushings, rotors, and pads. Maybe have your mechanic check
those a little more closely. Also check the CV boots and joints.

Question: Is the growling at idle happen when you're in drive and moving (however slowly) or in park? If you're moving I would point to your bearings.

That dealer was definitely pinching you. One thing I can say is that you probably do need new bushings. They're weak sauce and a lot of people have had them replaced much much much earlier than 111k. Bushings at my dealer ran about 250 installed. For little pieces of rubber, those things are a B to replace. The dealer charges for 2.5 hours or so per side.

Hope this helps give you an idea where you should look. Your new mechanic can probably give you more insight into your car than I can. Best of Luck. Keep us posted.