Hi! I would appreciate some advice on a brake-rotor-caliper situation. In a week or so, I will be moving from Atlanta to New York City. I am driving myself and my dog up there in my car, so I feel time-pressured to get my car fixed. I have always liked the people at the Volvo specialist repair shop I take my car to, but I have some questions about the $600 estimate they just gave me for a new caliper, considering that this same shop just worked on the brakes three weeks earlier and is who did the new brakes on the car last year!

New brakes -- all four wheels -- about a year ago (6k miles). I park the car in a covered space, but not an enclosed garage. About six weeks ago, I took the car in for its 110K mile service. I asked them to investigate the squeaking brakes, which had been an intermittent problem ever since the new brake job. The service tech found some rust build-up and removed it.

For a while afterward, the squeak seemed to be gone. Then, near the end of a very humid, wet, rainy two-week period, I began hearing a terrible high pitched screech when I let off the brake pedal. This sound was louder and more ear-piercing than any brake squeak I had ever heard before. There was also a new rumbling/dragging sound -- also high-pitched, not as loud as the screech -- that was especially audible when turning to the right. Typically, I drive the car only a short distance each day (I have been working from home, so no commute!). Two Fridays ago, I drove probably 35 miles in city traffic. Somehow, this caused the screech to mellow. Lately, I just hear a mini-screech when I put the car in reverse.

Ten days ago: I took the car in again. I was told $275 for new caliper part, $175 for labor and $50-xx for rotor depending on whether resurfaced or replaced. The service manager said it was rare for the caliper to fail and that he couldn't think of more than two that ever had been replaced at their shop. He showed me the rotor on the driver-side rear wheel and how it compared to the others. It looked orange rather than like metal in several orbits at the periphery of the rotor -- does this mean the brake pad is showing through? Is it possible for the caliper/pistons to have been damaged when the "rust was removed" earlier? What if all the parts aren't reassembled properly -- could this have happened after the brakes were inspected at the 110K service?

Any advice, comments?

THANKS!!!