Disc brakes

Supposing your brakes didn't feel right and they squealed, but they still stopped the car. So you put off having them checked. Too bad, because by the time you took the car into the shop for your mechanic to take a look, the rotors were damaged.

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Ignoring the symptoms of brake trouble won't make it go away, reminds the Car Care Council. In this case, like the ostrich who kept his head in the sand, the rotors became badly worn. The price of a routine brake job went way up because you had to invest in two new rotors. That's the price one pays for neglecting brake work.

Once the pads or shoes... that's the friction surface .... are worn too thin, the grinding of metal-to-metal wears grooves into the rotors or drums. Minor damage can be corrected by machining the surfaces. But when wear is excessive, the parts become too thin for safety.

The first ominous sound of brake wear comes from a device that squeals when wear is approaching the serious point. That's when it's time to call your technician. The Car Care Council says it could save you plenty. For more maintenance information, log on www.carcarecouncil.org.