I have a 99 S70GLT, purchased new, 97K, dealer serviced. I bought it back when I was driving a lot, mainly because of the comfortable seats. Now I'm retired and drive maybe 5K/year, mostly in the summer.The front rotors stay nice and shiny, but the back ones get cruddy. Car is garaged. I just had the rear pads, rotors and calipers replaced, they lasted only 33K miles, 5 years of driving. I'm thinking I would be better off with a car with rear drums, maybe they would last longer. Any thoughts?

 

What do you mean but the rear rotors get cruddy?

 

I mean the rear rotors do not stay shiny like the front ones. They get a rust buildup. They told me the calipers had become corroded and the pads were not moving right on the pins.

 

If it sits for a little which you will get surface rust on them but when you drive it will all come off.

 

I think my mistake has been that in the winter, I let the car sit for a week or 2, because I don't need to drive anywhere. Then the pins get rusted and the pads no longer function correctly.I think what I need to do to prevent this problems is - drive the car at least once a week so rust does not build up. And once a year have the mechanic check the pins in the caliper for rust buildup and if needed clean it up or put in new pins.But this only seems to be a problem on the rears, not the fronts.

 

If they line the pins with silicon grease that should help as well.