Before I bought my car my friend told me that it had a horrible noise that comes from the right wheel. He has took it to the garage twice and "supplied and fitted two new top mounts" hoping that it would solve the problem. The problem sounds like something is about to snap off, only when I full lock left and do a sharp turn OR when I come off a kerb with my wheel turned left. I've also noticed that I do not have a steering lock. When the car is off I cannot put the steering wheel into a locking position.

 

Does anybody have any indication to what this could be?

Is it keyless start?  If so it's an electronic steering lock. 

I'm struggling to work out what this snapping sound sounds like, can you describe it any differently?

Yeah keyless start mate yeah. When you're coming off a kerb for example it sounds like a DING DING DING and then you're off the kerb. Really strange noise.

Ok, it sounds like a snapped spring but I can't believe a garage would miss that when replacing top mounts, it might be worth checking they've seated the spring correctly in the cup, the tails should fit into the groove.  Did the garage not suggest anything else it might be when the mounts didn't cure it?

Outer CV joint would be my next guess for a repetitive noise while turned, that's usually more of a 'clack' or 'knock' than a 'ding' though.