Dreaded Annual Inspection

[krismoriah72]

My state of WV has annual inspections.

My mothers car that gets driven roughly 1500 miles a year needs an inspection now. She bought it two years ago and it has been inspected twice.

Its a 2008 Honda Accord with 44000 miles.

I fill up her car for her and have been noticing her has mileage is 15-18 mpg. I didnt think much about it, attributing it to short trips she takes to stores and doctor appointments and idling alot.

I decided to pull her wheels and check the brakes a couple of weeks ago due to the upcoming inspection.

One side of the rear brakes was totally shot, rotor was destroyed and pad gone on the backside. I am assuming that it has been stuck since she got it.

I did my homework and sure enough its a common issue with the parking brake design.

So two years of passing inspection, and probably a few other years before she bought it..never caught it.

No telling how much extra gas was bought and the possibility of the caliper seizing up..

If you dont do your own work.. I think everyone should have their car inspected by a trusted mechanic every couple of years at least, pulling all wheels and inspecting everything for safety.

 

[eljefino]

They're great here. Wheels don't come off. Can check ball joints with them on, just grab the tire and rattle for unloaded joints or put a jack under the LCA and lift the tire with a prybar for loaded ones. This definitely gets done; takes very little time and show bad tie rods, drag links, wheel bearings all at the same time.

Inspections set the bar for used car values-- it's easy to get a running driving car here that fails for major issues for $300 so long as you register it in another state and take it with you when you leave. Anything inspectable miraculously is $1000+.

I go to a tire dealer where they get lots of rookie mechanics who aren't as good at their craft and either pass me or back down when presented with the state handbook.

 

[Tomioka]

I'm jealous of your states that don't have safety checks / reconstruction (modified vehicle) inspections.

In many years of passing my annual safety check with flying colors I've only failed once which was because of an inop horn on the 01 Tundra where the problem lied beneath the steering column which became an expensive fix.

 

[Electromotive]

One day people are going to get tired of all of this government mandated stuff. Something else you have to take time out of your day to do . SC and GA both did away with vehicle safety inspections some years ago. I don't really see any more or any less unsafe junkers on the road. And for the emissions inspections, a couple of locales have done away with them for certain age ranges of vehicles as I understand.

 

[JTK]

They're a real pain in NY, especially for older OBDII compliant vehicles. They have to plug in a diagnostic computer which sends your results to the DMV. Any codes present and you fail. They check wipers, tires, brakes, obvious suspension issues, all exterior lighting, large glass cracks, etc. I've been charged $25 for a simple marker lamp replacement that I didn't catch and $45 for wiper blades that were near perfect to me. These were at local mom/pop shops too.

 

[skyactiv]

I should have added the EPA does require 7 counties in Ohio to test emissions. There are self serve kiosk to do the emissions check:

http://www.ohioecheck.info/self-service-kiosks

 

[maverickfhs]

Not to mention, we have emissions done every 2 years too!

 

[Electromotive]

Privately owned vehicle state mandated inspections. All in the name of safety, or is it all in the name of money? Thankfully, GA and SC (have owned vehicles in both states) did away with these "safety inspections" on privately owned vehicles some years ago. And I don't see any more or any less vehicles that a reasonably informed vehicle owner/driver might classify as unsafe on the roads of these two states.

Get your politicians involved and demand change on this issue.

 

[maverickfhs]

Originally Posted By: Electromotive
Privately owned vehicle state mandated inspections. All in the name of safety, or is it all in the name of money? Thankfully, GA and SC (have owned vehicles in both states) did away with these "safety inspections" on privately owned vehicles some years ago. And I don't see any more or any less vehicles that a reasonably informed vehicle owner/driver might classify as unsafe on the roads of these two states.

Get your politicians involved and demand change on this issue.


Old data, but based on it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Department_of_Motor_Vehicles

7.8M x $16 = $124.8M/annually

That's just for registered vehicles. Not sure if it's easy to lose?

 

[Mainia]

Originally Posted By: Timo325
Yeah, I don't like paying for it but then I remember that it keeps dangerous vehicles off the road..

Inspectors in Germany were the worst, they failed my brand new car. The inspector said my tie rod was bad.

When I went back to the dealership, the head mechanic looked at me puzzled.

Then he asked, "Who inspected your car? I will have a word with them."

I responded with the guys name. The mechanic said, "Oh him.. He fails everyone the first time they see him."

I had my brand new tie rod replaced.

Mechanic checked it and said it was perfect.. He had to replace it anyway..

Came back to the inspector the next day. He didn't even check it and signed me off..

..Germans

..







I call that stupid idiotic socialism, where one guy, who is an A hole can do that without losing his job. He is protected (some how) under their stupid socialist/progressive policies. His name had to come so many times. He's a big problem and is screwing people for a power trip, sorry dude your fired you pric e.

Here in Minnesota 10-15 years ago we had that and it lasted for about 4 years and even though we have nutty socialist here in the "Red Star" state of Minnesota, there is just enough people with a brain who saw it cost way way more then they were catching. So they canceled the inspection program after building new buildings all over the place.

 

[Electromotive]

Thanks for the data link. Kind of proves my point. My thing is, it is one more thing you have to take time out of your day to contend with. And I think one reason people are so edgy in general nowadays is that too many things are pulling at their time to pursue what they enjoy doing, whether attending a child's school event, fishing, detailing their car, etc., etc.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: Leo99
Now, in NJ, they assume you'll take care of the safety issues on your own and they just plug in an OBDII reader and verify there are no codes and give you a sticker good for 2 years.


Yeah, that was one of the best things Gov. Christie did. Two year sticker and eliminated the safety inspection.
And, Surprise! no carnage on the roads from people driving with bald tires and no brakes.

Oh, and no inspections for 1995 and older vehicles. Don't have to hassle with the historic plates and all.

 

[ctrcbob]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Luckily no inspections or smog testing down here.


Back in 1982, (or was it 1972) we found "Safety Inspections" were a RIP OFF. Did away with them. (Although they did keep emissions inspections in a few counties). Strange though, for all of you who want inspections. We DONT have cars crashing all over because they have safety problems. if you get pulled over for any reason, the police will give you a ticket if they see anything dangerous.

No problems in Florida with junk cars. Even the old ones don't cause problems.

To those who want inspections:

Be careful what you wish for, you may get it!

 

[AZjeff]

When we left Pa in 2005 an annual inspection was $20-25 I think. For that price my trusted indie mechanic gave our cars a good look, checked brakes, suspension, etc. and usually found nothing wrong because there was nothing wrong. It was an honest inspection, never gave it much thought and never asked him to slap a sticker. Moved to Az and the number of rolling death machines on the roads is astounding. No inspection. Anything goes, anything. Cars with no front clips with the lights duct taped to the rad support, Cars and trucks with the roof cut off and doors off, bald tires, shattered windshields, etc etc. I saw a car trying to stop that obviously only had one rear brake working. An enforced annual inspection is a good thing to protect you from the brain-dead.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

No inspections here and don't see any accidents etc. Couldn't stand living in a nanny state that required them.

 

[BretK]

Here in NE Illinois, we do not have a safety test, just an emissions test. Basically, if your CEL is off and not recently reset, you'll pass.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Hate inspections...I realized it was a scam when the dude wanted $100 to pass my truck. He didn't need the keys, just the cash!

Last one for my Caddy before I moved, they pencil-whipped it...they couldn't have checked the brakes, because they couldn't have pulled the wheels. (They never had the wheelcover key.)

 

[rshaw125]

Most states have gotten rid of the annual inspection. I wish NC would become one of them. Waste of time.

 

[Silk]

I do inspections here - and yes, your attitude is very important to my attitude. Used to love the staunch biker types - ''NO ONE rides my bike but ME'' ''Sorry mate, no ride, no sticker'. I don't have to road test a motorcycle and actucally seldom do...it's just the attitude that gets me riled up. We do have some stupid rules and I know it can be annoying when knocked back on some apparently minor problem - but it's my ticket and my job on the line. In the 30 odd years I've been doing them I've been investigated twice, but didn't lose my license to issue...scarry though.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: maverickfhs
So got my car annual safety inspection done today....
Am I the only one who dreads it? Because it all depends on the mood of the inspector


Nope.

I've been going to Garcia's tire shop for over a decade with all of my vehicles (4 every year). I know everyone there, they all know me.

I always bring in my stuff in good shape...
they know I take care of my vehicles and never have an issue with my vehicles.