Go for the gusto and ebay ball joints and tie rod ends. As I just mentioned in another thread it will make a major difference in your front end. Steering play may be in your steering gear. There is a slack adjustment nut on the gear. When I purchased my VX about 4 plus months ago it had major rub rub rub noise when I turned hard left. I thought it was the tire rubbing. after a few weeks it worsened then I pulled into a parking spot and it popped and snapped so loud that people were staring at me. I took it back to the dealer and thier machanic replaced a bad ball joint. She showed it to me it was trashed. So, yes bad ball joints rub, pop, snap crunch you name it.