State Inspections

[Nardly]

New cars after 4 years, then every 2 years.

That's really nice. We have it once a year with no emission testing. More congested areas do have to test for emissions though. I agree, a new car shouldn't need an inspection, waste of time and money. Like the idea of being able to be in the shop with the inspector.

Sponsored

 

[Zelek]

Fixed it for ya, glad I live in a free State.

You mean you live in a state with very few high population cities. Every rural city outside the big cities in Texas has no emissions testing.

 

[Les]

In Massachusetts the inspection requires the car to be jacked up to check ball joints. Yes, even when it’s new! Also they take digital pictures of your Vin #, the miles on your speedometer, front and rear license plates (I put it on for the inspection and remove it) all while being video taped with camera’s for the RMV. A friend of mine just got a rejection sticker for not having windshield washer fluid! His plastic container has a crack in it and the fluid leaks out. Long story short it’s a pain in the a$$!

 

[K4fxd]

Every rural city outside the big cities in Texas has no emissions testing.

Yes but you still have to get that stupid sticker every year and put it on your windshield.

I spent some time in TX, there are just as many junk cars on the roads there as here.

After living there for awhile I found Tx is not as free as it's reputation says.

 

[shogun32]

After living there for awhile I found Tx is not as free as it's reputation says.

yeah. I can strap a loaded 6-shooter to my thigh and walk around the local police station/community meeting place here in VA. Try that in San Antonio.

sorry, back on topic.

The price of the annual 'safety' inspection is $20 or 25 and is legislatively fixed. From a billing standpoint it doesn't cover the labor of the effort, but it's part of the 'deal' the shop has to take. Very few people pre-flight their cars so if for no other reason it's helpful to find things before they get too out of hand.

The People's Paradise of Maryland however the inspection only happens when vehicle changes hands and the shop can charge you a boat-load to 'fix' all the findings. But you get to skate on safety inspections (not sure about emissions) till the end of time so long as it stays in your name.

 

[jcttraveler]

I take my cars to the local Sunoco. There's one guy who does inspections and emissions testing all day. He's efficient, courteous and I've been taking my cars to him for years and now know the guy and know he cares. (When I owned a motorcycle, he'd have me sit on it as he did the inspection. It took less than 5 min.)

 

[Cobrajet70]

Never seen anyone mess up the pinch welds on s550s, now the lower rockers...yes and often.
Get jacking rails.

 

[GoGoGadget]

Just had mine done today. Was due in March but kept forgetting. $20/year is not going to bankrupt me or keep the state solvent so I don’t see it as a revenue scheme. Driving through states without safety inspections makes me glad that I live some place where at least once a year someone competent takes a look at the rolling deadly weapons I am surrounded by in traffic.

 

[Mr. Met]

We do emissions every year and safety every two years, but I have never had anyone try to look at anything on any of my cars, let alone jack it up. I think the idea of a safety inspection every so often is a good one, but that's not what happens. They just plug a device into the OBDII, I guess to check for codes, and your done in under five minutes.

 

[ay1820]

Well I guess this is one of the few ways that Connecticut doesn't overdo things as we have no annual vehicle safety inspection requirement. We do have an emission "inspection" every 2 years with a $20 fee, but they just do a readout from the car's computer.

Where they really get us is on registration every 2 years with:
$120 Registration Fee
$15 Greenhouse Gas Fee
$15 Clean Air Act Fee
$15 Passport to the Parks Fee

For a whopping total of $165!

I especially like the mandatory $15 fee to park at state parks I never go to

 

[FUN2RIDEFAST]

I know most of us are particular about people working on and jacking up our Mach 1. In Virginia you’re required to have your car inspected once a year at an inspection station, so you’re limited to who you take your car to. Do y’all use your local dealer or an independent shop? I dread going to the dealer to sit all day and I’m definitely not going to leave my car there. I.found a local shop that will do it by appointment and they have a huge window to watch them work on the car. My fear is them jacking the car incorrectly and messing up the pinch welds. What’s been your experience getting it inspected?

Steeda full length low profile jacking rails. Worth every penny and easy install.

 

[sox3]

Damn,
I like Delaware inspections.
New vehicle you can get a 7 year tag. Then 2 yr tags from there.
We also have drive thru inspection lanes. Fast and easy.

 

[Ant]

What part of Virginia are you in? I’m a Virginia state inspector.

 

[paulm1]

I know most of us are particular about people working on and jacking up our Mach 1. In Virginia you’re required to have your car inspected once a year at an inspection station, so you’re limited to who you take your car to. Do y’all use your local dealer or an independent shop? I dread going to the dealer to sit all day and I’m definitely not going to leave my car there. I.found a local shop that will do it by appointment and they have a huge window to watch them work on the car. My fear is them jacking the car incorrectly and messing up the pinch welds. What’s been your experience getting it inspected?

Doesn't matter who you take it to, dealer, or inspection station, or local shop, morons are everywhere. Just had my first service at the dealer and they put the wrong oil in my car, at least on paper. Tell me how hard is it to do a friggin oil change for an ASE certified technician? PA inspection is once a year too, find a place you can trust and hopefully nothing goes wrong.

 

[Ant]

Doesn't matter who you take it to, dealer, or inspection station, or local shop, morons are everywhere. Just had my first service at the dealer and they put the wrong oil in my car, at least on paper. Tell me how hard is it to do a friggin oil change for an ASE certified technician? PA inspection is once a year too, find a place you can trust and hopefully nothing goes wrong.

The “techs” doing oil changes are usually young kids right out of school. Good techs with years of experience aren’t the lube techs changing oil all day.

Sponsored