Peter -- thank you for the very thoughtful reply! I appreciate your time in offering such a thorough explanation. As for the brakes... they don't do much of anything 'til just before the pedal bottoms out, and then I feel a vibration like a warped rotor. I have yet to pull the wheels to inspect pads, but I can feel a fair-sized wear groove in the rotor with my fingernail, so I am sure they'll need to be swapped out. Thanks for letting me know not to bother resurfacing! I'll flush the brake fluid too, while I'm at it. It's pretty dirty!

Thanks again,

Chris

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)