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  • Classics Monthly

    Troubleshooting with Steve Rothwell

    Oct 02, 2020 5 minutes

    VW POLO

    BRAKE PERFORMANCE

    QI have a 1978 VW Polo L 900cc, which I have recently acquired due to a family bereavement. The car has been garaged and is in good condition and runs well. The problem I have is that the brakes seem to require a lot of effort to stop the car efficiently. I know that older vehicles do not have the advanced ABS systems of more modern cars, but I still feel that the brakes should be slightly more responsive. Can you suggest anything I should check?

    Peter Newman

    The 1978 Polo brakes were always a disappointment, and it was not until the servo was added in later years that they were improved. It was a good job that the Polo was quite light and didn’t need too much effort to stop it! I would as a matter of course remove the rear brake drums and check the operation of the wheel

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