The day I departed for the airport I noticed my tire had lost significant air. Couldn't find a nail or slash so I think there's a small leak somewhere. Put the doughnut on and enjoyed my vacation. Two-and-a-half weeks later I returned and decided to bike to work for a few days. Finally drove to work, yet noticed something else is wrong...with the brakes...and it sounds/feels familiar...and serious.

(I'm not the best at describing symptoms but I'll try.) There's a pulsating feeling and clunking/clicking sound when I brake. I could almost swear that there's a steady slow clicking when I'm in drive too, but I wonder if it's the donought. It made me cringe to have to use the brake. I didn't drive above 35 mph because of the doughnut. It seems like I had the same problem before (less than a year ago!) and I ruined my rotors from driving a few days with these symptoms. I don't have warranty on my rear Revelation tires from Sears.

My rear tires are new as of December and I my brake pads and rear rotors are still fairly new as of last summer. I had supposedly needed front rotors too, but held off on those, for they weren't as bad as the rear (I don't think I snuck a peak though I wish I did).

Could the fact that the car sat for weeks contributed to the brake problem somehow? Which problem do I fix first? I think I should go back to Sears since I bought my tire there, but of course I want to go elsewhere for brake work, if needed. (If it's not simply low brake fluid.) I'm not sure if the import repair place could get the same tires, because I would like to change the front ones while I'm at it...I couldn't afford all 4 back in Dec.

An important aside to all of this: I also am about to loose my exhaust system. There's a lot I'd like to do to my car but I'll save some other questions for a separate email. I'm to the point were every other month something goes wrong...I suppose that's normal for a 13 year old care that I don't always maintain as well as I should. I'm currently analzying the expenses I've put into it. When I take it in for a tune-up they list so many things wrong that it's overwhelming, depressing and I feel guilty that I don't fix it all. But I also haven't found a mechanic in NW Indiana that I have 100% faith in. Probably been to a dozen in 4 years. I love my car but am starting to wonder if it's time to move on...

Thanks, in advance, for any input you can give.

Valerie