Driving Style?

[Selmer mk6]

As some of you may know, I purchased my car about three
weeks ago. One thing I noticed was that the front brakes seemed to be grinding
when I applied the pedal. I am aware that when the car is parked for a day or
so there may be a bit of build-up on the disks. However, the grinding feeling/noise
is still around when applying the brakes after driving several miles. I reported this back to the dealer on Saturday. A technician phoned me today and said that the brake dust builds up and needs to be removed. The way to do this is to brake hard which releases the dust and therefore stops the grinding.

It appears that my driving style is like ‘Driving Miss Daisy (my words not his). I thought that bombing around town and anchoring up at the light wastes fuel and also shorten the life of the pads. The tech said the car is not designed to be driven around feathering the throttle and brakes (he has a point).

I will be out tonight to see if this solves the problem.

It seems plausible to me, what do you guys think?

[stevet]

There is a lot of metal in the standard ISF pads so sounds like metal on metal when you apply the brakes lightly. Makes for great stopping power but reduces the life of the disks.

[MNMJ]

I've never had anything like this and I try and avoid using the brakes. It amuses me to practice my anticipation and road reading and does certainly help fuel consumption. I occasionally, perhaps weekly, do a bigger stop at the end of a motorway slip road just to clean the disks.

The explanation seems odd; if you Drive Miss Daisy, where is the build up of dust coming from. I would have thought rust on the discs was more likely. I once had to write off a set of discs on a Mk1 Impreza Turbo because it had been standing outside and I hadn't braked off the rust. Do you keep it outside?

[Selmer mk6]

The car is parked outside on my drive. I suppose the problem is that I do not drive it every day. However, I do recall a lot of brake dust came from Kimi R's when he was braking hard. I know there is no comparison, but I will try and find out later this evening.

I doubt it is the pads, as this would have been picked up on the pre delivery. Maybe as stevet has said it could simply be the material in the pads.

[stevet]

Be warned that the dealers know very little about the ISF. They may only come across one a year.

[stevet]

Be warned that the dealers know very little about the ISF. They may only come across one a year.

[stevet]

Be warned that the dealers know very little about the ISF. They may only come across one a year.

[stevet]

How did that post three times :)

[Selmer mk6]

Just returned from a fast round trip A21,M25 and A2. Did some heavy braking. Do they feel different? A bit. The grinding is still there but not so much. I will have to see how it feels from now on.

I could have easily lost my licence this evening, the car is deceptively fast.

I know everyone is talking about the sound of these cars. I heard a M3 drive past in the opposite direction and that sounded good. I will have to get my bro to drive my car past me and let me hear the sound from the outside. Sad I know.

[lotusdave]

if you were on the a2 you cant be far from me, a stone throw from the Dartford tunnel. picked mine up today, post some thoughts tomorrow. What i do know is the radar cruise jams on the brakes when a lift would do. Maybe its to clean the pads!

as

[harey]

I've found the pads, especially new ones, can squeak when there is a build-up of dust.

[MrW]

My brakes were always noisy when compared to other cars i've had. Especially when braking on the motorway from high speed, I would never describe them as grinding though, more of a heavy hum. Put it down to the drill pattern.

[Selmer mk6]

Thanks again everybody, I shall see how things go. It maybe just me having to get use to high performance brakes at work!

[lotusdave]

maybe leave braking until the very last second. The squeal from the tyres will hide the noise from the brakes.

[Selmer mk6]

Hmm seeing that the front pads from Lexus cost £408 (Sidcup Lexus) I want to make sure this is sorted!

By the way I am not opening another brake pad debate, more of a way of identifying driving styles.

[North west beast]

To be honest I don't drive mine hard atall, I just sit back and let it purr along knowing what I have if I di need it feels good . It overtakes safely so fast it's a safe car .

[lotusdave]

had the abs trigger today when i was playing on some roads i know well. Deliberate really to know how the car feels on the limit / emergency stop. Still cant say i hear any unusual brake noises, but they sure work well for a heavy car.

[Selmer mk6]

I have had the car a few months now and can advise that the brakes feel better. They don't feel like the other heavy powerful cars I have had. Anyway, the stopping power is great so I will roll with it.

[lotusdave]

on th topic of driving style. Just had a late night run to a hotel and on the way threw it into a tight roundabout at i guess 25mph. Its 6' here but dry roads. After a bit of understeer from the weight of the engine (i guess) as i squeezed the throttle i had a lovely balance and then a hint of oversteer. as i had all the safety nets fully on i got beeped at before anything else happened. good fun, and a safe enough speed on a late night empty road to fund how it reacts.

by way of comparison i think the Elise wouldn't understeer initially but the transition to oversteer is a knife edge and there are no stability systems to sort it out and beep to tell you off. Id have had to have been quick if the Elise back had stepped out that's for sure.

[North west beast]

I find mines a bit scared on damp roads etc so I drive very carefully in those conditions , it feels like a wild horse trying to bolt off lol