ok, so just before I purchsed my jazz I had an independent garage check it out. He said one of the rear brake pads needed attention. I mentioned this to the dealer and he had it replaced (Ive seen the garage receipt for that work).
Immediately post purchase I drove the car to Kwik Fit to get the rear tyre replaced as it was well worn. As the car was on the ramp I asked them to check the tracking. They did this, but then said that the front brake pads were VERY thin, and needed changing. Cost, around £200.00.
I declined this and went back to the dealer and told him about the issue, he wouldnt wear it and asked me why the independant garage who spotted the rear brake issue, did not mention it before? I then went to the independent garage guy and he convinced me that the brakes were fine and that Kwik Fit were just trying to upsell. I left it at that.
Since then, I've noticed that the rear handbrake is very weak. Parking on a hill can lead to the car rolling if the brake is not pulled extremely tight.
The other day, I parked in a layby, which had a very small doward gradient. I looked up from my book and realised that I was rolling forward! I pulled the brake up as hard as poss, but it was a concern.
So, the question is, does the handbrake utilise the front brakes or the rear? If the front, then it seems that Kwick fit may have been telling the truth, and if the rear, then it seems that the work was not done correctly by the dealers garage?