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Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 20:36:17 -0500 From: "Kenneth S." <nimrodnopsams.com> Subject: Brakes on 1996 900SE
The brakes on my 1996 900SE aren't as responsive as I would like, and I'm wondering if anyone else has had the same problem, or has found a solution. The feeling I get, particularly during the first applications of the brakes in the morning, is that the brake pads aren't biting enough -- almost as if the surface of the pads is in some way glazed. When this happens at first, it causes me considerable concern, and I have made a practice of applying the brakes several times when I start off, just to get them working better. I mentioned the problem to the Saab dealer when I left the car in to be serviced the last time. The mechanic told me there was plenty of wear left on the pads, which he said were after-market pads, and he said that they bled the brakes as part of the routine servicing. Basically, he told me there was nothing they could do. Last weekend, I took the car to a Midas shop, and said that I would be willing to replace the pads if I could get a different type that had more bite. I mentioned that I feel much more confident about the brakes on my other car, a Mazda MX-5 Miata. The mechanic at Midas told me that he could replace the pads on the Saab, but he could give me no guarantee that the new pads would perform any better. He suggested that the Miata's braking performance was much better simply because it was a sports car. (The Mazda is, of course, much lighter, but I am very skeptical about this as a reason for the difference.) The Midas mechanic also suggested that new tires on the Saab would help, although I don't think this is a factor, since the problem occurs at low speeds in dry weather when there is no question of skidding. Does anyone have any ideas?
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