Originally Posted by Pete Burton

Hattie, I would not discount the front rotors. I knew my rotors were in need of replacement last year, but I was honestly rather surprised at what a difference it made. The old rotors really had some hard spots in them, and the uneven wear really limited the proper contact. I replaced them with ATE power discs - they have a wavy slot undulating back and forth on the surface. It made a really big difference actually, and a year later it's still great. The ATE's were only like $43 each, and were well worth it. I understand that your SD is a beater, while mine is a 12 month driver, but still, $100 for strong brakes is worth it. Check the surface of the old rotors with a spoon file - if they are hard, I think it's worth it to replace.