Thickness variation and runout (warp) will be almost the same on the car as far as vibration and pedal pulsation goes. However, if you measure the runout on BOTH sides and its the same but opposite, you have a thickness variation problem.

Some rotor makers seem to leave the material very susecptible to carbon impregnation, allowing them to form hard spots that the wear much more slowly that un-impregnated spots (the gist of all the metalurgy in the article). This was quite common on GM products in the 80's and 90's -- replacement rotors would "warp" almost instantly. Removing a couple thousandths of material from both sides would usually cure them permanently by removing the hard spots.

This is worth a try, although you must make the machinist understand that you only want the very surface removed, not a complete "turning" job, else they will be too thin when you get done.

I've been told to always rough up the rotors with sandpaper when installing new ones to eliminate the machining marks -- the rotors I've gotten for the fronts on the W124s have tool grooves in them (machined instead of ground to size), and if you don't rough them up with coarse sandpaper, the pads will groan forever. Should have done this on the 280 as well, same problem. Proably a result of the pads following the spiral marks, and they never seem to go away completely.

Try a different brand of rotors next time. Good luck, as the 202/210 cars seem to have terrible problems with rear brakes -- most common problem is squealing brakes that even new calipers won't fix, and I seem to remember that "warped" rotors are a complaint, too.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!