This should be the "Ask El Barto Thread"
Anyway... I've got a grinding noise from my front driver's side wheel when I turn right. The following have been suggested to me:
1. Bearing
2. Hub
3. CV joint
How much are all of those as far as parts and labor?
I've never actually had a car with a CV joint, so I have zero experience with them. However brakes and wheel bearings aren't bad at all. I replaced the front brakes in my car last weekend. The big question is, does the grinding happen when you're braking or all the time? What I can tell you is that wheel bearings don't generally grind, they whine, and it's usually constant. If it's a brake disk, it'll only grind when you're braking and you'll actually feel it in the pedal.
If it's just the brakes, I recommend learning to do it yourself. Brake jobs are one of the few things I actually enjoy doing. It's all mechanical and while it does require some muscle work, it's pretty rewarding. It's also nice to know that it was done right, what with them being your brakes and all. You'll have to replace the disks, which will run you about $35 each, and install new pads which are $40-$80 a set, depending on quality. If it's your first time changing brakes, expect to spend 2 hours on the first wheel, and about 30 minutes on the second (it's all learning time).
If it's your wheel bearings, you'll have to remove all the brake components to get the old ones off. Therefore, unless the brakes are fairly new, you'd generally replace them as well. Same cost as above, plus add 30 minutes per wheel for the bearings.
If you take it to a mechanic, he'll probably charge 2 hours labor for the brake job, plus the aforementioned parts. Probably another .5 to 1 hour for the bearings, depending on whether they're pre-packed or not. Sounds to me like a three to five hundred dollar job.
What I'd recommend is jacking up one corner at a time for a quick inspection. If you know what's wrong, then you can get better info from a mechanic without just taking his word on it. Jack it up, CHOCK THE REAL WHEELS, put it in N and spin the wheel. Does it make any noise? Does it spin smoothly? Then take the wheel off. You'll be able to see the brake disk. Is it smooth and shiny or scarred and pitted? You'll have to feel around for the backside of the disks. Brakes wear unevenly, so only one side of one disk will be chewed up, so you'll need to inspect all four to find one that's bad.
Here's what you're looking for. The inside is normal wear and tear and probably wouldn't be causing any problems, and the outer 1 inch or so is scarred all to hell. That's what was grinding.
https://www.transmissionrepairirving.com/images/worn_rotor.jpgAs for the CV, if that's what it is, get it fixed now. The only thing I know is that a CV joint failure is really bad news.