I was at baghdadi (at DHA boulevard Lahore) yesterday getting another car fixed, and asked him about a GURR GURR sound from the left side of my 1.5 L Prius thinking it must be faulty shock absorber or ball joint- but the mechanic pointed out that the "kanghee" has a dry bush located towards the passenger side- he further said a lot of people think it is ball joint or faulty shock absorber and get the shock / ball joint etc. changed for no reason- where in fact it is the sound coming from bush of the steering column.
when I asked him to quote he said 5,000 (magar tuhaday naal kar laan gaaay) which means there is still margin for negotiations.
now i know yours in the 1.8 version but still the difference shouldn't be that much. 18K is a lot for this job I remember I got a 03 Prado's wheel column bush repaired for 7,500- a few years back
seems the thugs in ISB don't only live in the parliament lodges after all:)
will get mine fixed in a few days in shaa Allah and post further details