steering issue, major leak, something seems broken..

[retsteel]

so I am really new to these forums and I don't know if this is even the correct place for this. but here is my issue, I recently purchased my first car. It is an '87 325. it has a plethora of issues and most pressing among them is the steering.

I wasn't very bothered by the lack of power steering, it worked when filled and leaked out, but once my father and I finally got it up on ramps this is what we found [see picture], it is not pretty, and more importantly when turned there is a little bit of a popping action, not a sound but an action, not dissimilar to cracking one's knuckles, and it is emanating from beneath this decimated boot. basically I have been advised not to drive it heavily until fixed and my dad has been convinced by a manual that the steering gear needs replacing because of what is broken. I was just thinking that this does not seem at all right to me, but he is the expert and I am the clueless person, I am looking for other opinions, I am fairly broke so the cheaper the fix the better.

thanks everyone!

[jlevie]

Fluid leaking from the boots means that a steering rack change is necessary. The other problem probably means that new tie rods and perhaps control arms and/or upper strut bearings are needed.