I just need to vent
 

So I was driving around the other day and noticed a burning smell coming from my car. I stopped and popped the hood, nothing wrong. The I notice smoke coming from my passenger side wheel. Then I find my problem - the brakes.

Man I just replaced all my calipers and brakes just under a year ago!! What the hell?! The thing is the same problem happened to me before I changed out all the calipers and brakes. It's just that damn passenger side, I don't know what the hell it is. Maybe it's the one SS brake line I had fitted on that side. It's different from all the other SS brake lines. Could that be my problem? Or is it just bad luck? I don't know.

I'm getting fed up with my car. I love it, don't get me wrong, but I just need something a little more reliable you know what I mean? Especially when I don't have a steady income coming in every week. I need to graduate and get a full time job. Maybe then I wouldn't mind keeping it around, but I'm a full-time college student.

I'm considering selling it, even though I don't really want to. Basically it's a '91 TSI with a G4CS block and a bolt on PTE turbo pushing 288awhp on a Dyno Dynamics Dyno. It needs a new passenger side fender, maybe door, and a rear bumper cover. I'll get into more details if I really do consider selling it.

Re: I just need to vent
 

You probably have a seized or sticking brake caliper. Feel your wheel next time and if its hot then thats the culprit. Rebuilding the caliper is pretty easy and cheap, otherwise you could just buy a new one and exchange it for your core.

Re: I just need to vent
 

I feel you man. I love my car but being a full time college student also, I cant afford to keep up with it and at the same time I dont want to sell it. Been trying to get myself to sell it for 3yrs now and never went through with it. It's a love/hate relationship, haha. You dont seem to have too much of a problem though. Just the caliper, which is easy to replace and not as frustrating/painstaking ;) I wish I had that problem, rather than it being my clutch/tranny all these years. Somethings just never right with it.

Re: I just need to vent
 

I think a lot of us have been in the same spot with being in school, wanting to sell our cars, and wishing we all had more money haha. I figure it just makes me appreciate things a little more and just try to be happy with my pos.

Brakes aren't too big a thing to fix like said before. Just let the car sit for a day or two and go work on it when you aren't so pissed. Then hopefully everything comes apart easy enough and you have a car in good mechanical condition again.

Re: I just need to vent
 

Aw I remember making a thread just like this. I did in fact end up selling my dsm, and for me I think it was the right decision. To each their own though. Hope you get things worked out.

Re: I just need to vent
 

Hence the reason my DSM will never be my daily driver again. It worked out OK in the military when if the car was broken, I could just knock on the guys door in the room next to me and snag a ride with him. But even that got old, because if I wanted to go anywhere, I had to borrow someones car all the time. I went and spent 1k and bought a 1985 Olds 98 reliable beater. Since that day, my DSM has never been my Daily Driver, and it will never be my DD again. Having an alternate car that is un-modded, and just reliable A to B transportation, is quite the stress-reliever.

Re: I just need to vent
 

The thing is I replaced all my calipers with brand new rebuilt ones less than a year ago and it's the same F'ing side that seizes up. I just want to pull out my hair. Maybe it's just bad luck, but I'm going to blame it on the damn car.

Re: I just need to vent
 

I agree with Halon, but I am going to try and DD it again now that I have gone thru the car and I feel comfortable with it at this point.

another point, i hated that car and I always will.

Re: I just need to vent
 

My "rebuilt" caliper from the parts store got stuck about two years and 20k miles later. Sucks.

Re: I just need to vent
 

I'm with you too man...although my issues for my car isnt as bad as yours I think, but it's stressful to think about it. My car is a great DD, but it's not as reliable as other cars....but so far, its not leaking which is great. but now, i just want to store the car and get a 1g!!!!!!!!!!1!

Re: I just need to vent
 

Replace your proportioner valve. its probably the culprit. But we have all been in the same situation. Ive had a DSM as a DD most of my driving years. Its a rough path, but dont give up, you will regret it when you do. Thats just my .02 cents.

Re: I just need to vent
 

If it's in the front, why would you have a proportioning valve? Also if you have a line that is different than the others, why not replace that first? I don't know about dsm calipers, but my rears (and maybe fronts, i can't remember) have these slide bolts, and both sides of my rear brakes had rusty, pitted slide bolts. A new set and they slide freely. My e-brake cables were also at fault, but a lot of wd-40 and a friend helped to free it.

Re: I just need to vent
 

Yea I had to rebuild my rear ones on the 1g, probably 2 times in a couple years. The ebrake usually is the culprit as well.

Re: I just need to vent
 

Not on a 2g, the ebrake is separate from the caliper.