Hi there guys,

Just found out that a serious leak in my steering rack has caused all my PAS fluid to leak out, and from the sound of it replacement of the whole rack looks necessary. However, thought I would go over a few options as the car is only a cheap student runaround 1.4 LX that I can't/don't really want to spend massive amounts of money on.

1. If I just shell out for a second hand or refurb'ed power steering rack (looking close to the £90 mark) and either pay a garage or bribe my more technically-minded friends with alot of beer to fit it. = Simplest option, but pricey.

2. Buy a manual rack for alot less (more like £20-30), remove the PAS pump and buy a corresponding drive belt. = Same issue with fitment, and sacrafices my power steering (which is pretty useful for my tiny drive!)

3. See if there's any way to repair the existing rack. = Probably unlikely as the guy looking at it said something about the joint with the steering column that allows fluid to flow through a valve being what was leaking. Thought I'd enquire in case it was possible and would save me the money of buying a new rack.

Any advice you guys have on which of these ideas is best/most plausible would be great, or alternatively if someone is selling a mk5/6 Escort power steering rack for cheap please let me know!