I have just a little over 20,000 miles on my Journey. I checked the front pads about a month ago, and they looked to have about 1/4" left. I figured that would be enough to get me through our family vacation....... Not!
We went to VA for a week. On the way, I stopped for fuel, and nearly blew through the station! I nursed the car to our vacation cabin, about 200 more miles along the interstate, unpacked, and tried to unwind for the night. The next morning, I started calling dealers in the area. Five use to exist and only one was left, thanks to the bankruptcy. To add insult to injury, that last dealer didn't even have the brake pads in stock!! So, I started calling auto-parts stores, only to find one with after-market pads. The last set too! I nursed the car another 50 miles to this store, and thankfully they were very helpful in assisting me with a workplace and tools to change the front pads. They were worn to nearly nothing, but the rotor only had scoring where the "squeaker tab" rubbed the edge. The new pads burned for the remainder of the trip, smelled terrible. I've not noticed it since we've returned home. I still need to get the rotors turned.
That shocker on vacation has me wondering if I should stock-pile maintenance parts so that I have something to work with!! Man! it wasn't like the family and I were out in the boon-docks either! We were less than 100 miles west of Washington, DC!
Other than that, We love our Journey!
-John H.
Dayton, OH.
