Eric the Car Guy video about safety inspections

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EricTheCarGuy and ETCG1 are both channels in my YouTube subscription list. I watch nearly all new ones he posts, and usually agree with what he's saying, current topic included.
 
While our emissions inspections can be terrorizing they are also good. Today I can see the mountains by Cajon Pass and Wrightwood clearly.

30 years ago I could not see them for the layer of brown smog.
 
Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed hearing his position on the subject.

He stated that to his understanding, there is little if any difference in accidents caused by unsafe vehicles, between states with safety inspections and those without. I have also read similar reports. This really blows out of the water the entire foundation of those that are proponents of safety inspections.

Here in Utah just a few years ago a bill was brought before the legislature to discontinue safety inspections. The bill failed. But the reason why was very revealing. By an overwhelming factor, the largest lobby group was an organization representing Utah auto repair shops. They lobbied to defeat the bill, and almost entirely on the platform of the income that safety inspections bring into the repair shops. To me it was very telling that no lobby sought to defeat the bill based upon highway safety. It appeared to me at least, that the reasoning was the evidence had already been considered, and there was little to none to support that platform.

As Eric mentions, there are those of us that are going to take care of our car regardless of if it goes in for a safety inspection or not. And there are those that know their car won't pass a safety inspection and will find a shop that will pass it anyway. There is always a shop like that. I know of one that I use for those jobs that I don't want to do.

Last time I took my car in for an inspection, the mechanic had me stay in the driver's seat. He had me turn lights and turn signals on and off and run the wiper blades. Then he checked the side window glass for light transmission, and quickly glanced down at a tire to check tread. He didn't measure tread. He didn't pull a wheel and check brakes, nor did he inspect the undercarriage and exhaust. While I'm not a fan of inspections, I was rather disappointed, as I didn't feel I got my money's worth.

I have been rejected by a shop, but for an item that I felt was unfair and seemed to be nothing more than a money maker for the shop. It is possible to appeal an item in Utah, but it involves having a Highway Patrolman inspect the item the car was rejected for. It's easier to just fix the item and suck it up. That's what I did.

I've lived in three other states that don't have safety inspections, and never did I feel any less safe from other cars around me because of the condition of their car.
 
Michigan has no safety inspections, and no emission testing. I see few problem cars on the road, and the air is fine.

One less "tax" to pay in Michigan.
 
NY allows bad ball joints, very rusty brake lines and holes in the body. Rust only fails if the frame is affected at a suspension attachment point.

Some quick lube oil change places will rev your parking brake up to 1200 RPM, if it budges you fail.
 
Having worked in a shop in high school I do believe inspections prevent accidents. The tire replacements alone are cutting down on risk. Though Pennsylvania is more thorough and frequent than most states. Once a year (was twice a year long ago). Up on a lift, a wheel on each side comes off, prying and pulling. It is hard to find a shop to roll you through, you have to know someone because there is no incentive to take on the liability for neglect.

On the other hand I had a lower ball joint separate not long after a inspection by a dealership that I specifically requested they look the front end over well.
 
I posted this in the other thread but I was recently in Florida, and man I saw some real clunkers that had no business being on the road. There were numerous occasions where traffic came to a complete standstill because of a broken down car in the lane. Got pretty annoying after a while. A lot of cars with busted lights would also creep up near you and were difficult to see as you can imagine. I'm not a fan of going in for inspections yearly in my state but my time in Florida was indeed interesting.
 
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Don't have emissions in my county but some do but not very many.

they do safety inspections tho. It's quite simple though, lights horn making sure tint and exhaust is legal wipers etc not a big deal, more of a waste of time IMO.
 
We do them both here in Missouri and I inspect cars all the time rarely do I find a major issue that would kill someone. The biggest plus is the revenue for the shop it's a negative for he consumer but a positive for the business. But I do think it should be stopped. The govt doesn't need any more money and the shops pay through the nose for the equipment and the stickers for the cars it's really kind of ridiculous.
 
I would love to see the statistics, if available, on maintenance being the cause of accidents in passenger cars. It seems funny that we hold commercial vehicles to a different standard.

I think a useful inspection (like ball joints, rust, tires, lights, etc.) isn't a bad thing. An inspection as a money maker is bad for everyone.
 
Originally Posted By: JBinTX30
Don't have emissions in my county but some do but not very many.

they do safety inspections tho. It's quite simple though, lights horn making sure tint and exhaust is legal wipers etc not a big deal, more of a waste of time IMO.


My brother Lives in Tarrant County(Ft.Worth), they Do have the Emissions inspection, and from want i've seen, it's mainly an OBDII plug in. don't think i've even seen them put a sniffer in the tailpipe. they just go by what the computer says.
 
Originally Posted By: mclasser
I posted this in the other thread but I was recently in Florida, and man I saw some real clunkers that had no business being on the road. There were numerous occasions where traffic came to a complete standstill because of a broken down car in the lane. Got pretty annoying after a while. A lot of cars with busted lights would also creep up near you and were difficult to see as you can imagine. I'm not a fan of going in for inspections yearly in my state but my time in Florida was indeed interesting.


I've seen far bigger pieces on the road in my native New York, where they do have inspections. In all my years in Florida, I have yet to hear of an accident caused by faulty equipment.

Where breakdowns are concerned, I see more late model cars than anything.

If anyone ever tries to bring those inspections back, I'll do everything in my power to shut them down. For whatever incalculable benefit there is (if any), the headaches an abuse is multitudes worse.

South Florida, in particular is a high cost of living area, with traditionally low incomes, and an absolute necessity to have a car. The day inspections came back, the corruption would ensue. Shops would be selling inspection approvals without selling the work.

I once bought a Lincoln from the auction with despicably bad lower control arms, and a rusted through oil pan. Brought it in for inspection, and guess what? Sticker was on the window 15 minutes later. I drove it up the street to put it back on the tow truck, and replace the oil pan and control arms at home.
 
As a State Inspector in VA I'd like to weigh in on this. First and foremost, regardless of what people want you to believe, they have inspections because it is a form of revenue for the state. $16 per car times however many cars are in VA, you get the idea. Second, if you know someone, and they are willing to do it, you can get anything to pass. I will not do that, because not only is my inspection license on the line, I can lose my driver's license, and go to jail/prison. If I were to pass a tire that failed by VA standards for instance, they go out and have a blow out and kill someone, I get charged. People tend to not understand that part lol. We just do our job, while I do not agree with some of the rules, I don't make them up. And I have failed numerous cars that shouldn't have been on the road. Do I believe they help prevent accidents? Maybe, but who knows. Your car might be fine today but something breaks tomorrow, that can't be predicted. A lot of times the only time someone has their brakes, tires, suspension, steering, etc checked is when inspection time comes.
 
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Originally Posted By: ford46guy
NY allows bad ball joints, very rusty brake lines and holes in the body. Rust only fails if the frame is affected at a suspension attachment point.

Some quick lube oil change places will rev your parking brake up to 1200 RPM, if it budges you fail.


I'd love to see them trying to figure out how to do that in my Caddy. (Well, as long as they didn't damage it.)
 
Originally Posted By: BMOC
As a State Inspector in VA I'd like to weigh in on this. First and foremost, regardless of what people want you to believe, they have inspections because it is a form of revenue for the state. $16 per car times however many cars are in VA, you get the idea. Second, if you know someone, and they are willing to do it, you can get anything to pass. I will not do that, because not only is my inspection license on the line, I can lose my driver's license, and go to jail/prison. If I were to pass a tire that failed by VA standards for instance, they go out and have a blow out and kill someone, I get charged. People tend to not understand that part lol. We just do our job, while I do not agree with some of the rules, I don't make them up. And I have failed numerous cars that shouldn't have been on the road. Do I believe they help prevent accidents? Maybe, but who knows. Your car might be fine today but something breaks tomorrow, that can't be predicted. A lot of times the only time someone has their brakes, tires, suspension, steering, etc checked is when inspection time comes.



Is it true that VA will fail you for ridiculous things like a leaking power steering pump or other wetness from a oil source? Heard this [censored] from some lib relatives that are in Alexandria.
 
Originally Posted By: Shark
Originally Posted By: BMOC
As a State Inspector in VA I'd like to weigh in on this. First and foremost, regardless of what people want you to believe, they have inspections because it is a form of revenue for the state. $16 per car times however many cars are in VA, you get the idea. Second, if you know someone, and they are willing to do it, you can get anything to pass. I will not do that, because not only is my inspection license on the line, I can lose my driver's license, and go to jail/prison. If I were to pass a tire that failed by VA standards for instance, they go out and have a blow out and kill someone, I get charged. People tend to not understand that part lol. We just do our job, while I do not agree with some of the rules, I don't make them up. And I have failed numerous cars that shouldn't have been on the road. Do I believe they help prevent accidents? Maybe, but who knows. Your car might be fine today but something breaks tomorrow, that can't be predicted. A lot of times the only time someone has their brakes, tires, suspension, steering, etc checked is when inspection time comes.



Is it true that VA will fail you for ridiculous things like a leaking power steering pump or other wetness from a oil source? Heard this [censored] from some lib relatives that are in Alexandria.


Yes and no lol. When the Trooper gave me my practical he said to fail vehicles for leaking power steering systems, even small ones. I talked with two master techs I work with (have a combined 50-60 years inspecting cars) after the exam and they told me they only fail vehicles for power steering leaks if it leaks as fast as you can pour it in (basically won't ever happen). You can't fail a vehicle for an oil leak, only for a brake fluid or fuel leak.
 
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