Warning About Inspections

[fordnmerc]

If you live in a state where inspections are required, be aware that millennials and other younger techs who perform safety inspections do not know how the older headlights in our cars turn on. They may first attempt to rotate the knob to get the headlights to come on, as it goes with newer vehicles. They may end up leaving your interior courtesy lights on. This just happened to me and it killed my battery.

[Arquemann]

Next time I'm taking mine for inspection, I'm leaving a note on how to disengage the parking brake. Mine has the automatic release, so no handle anywhere.
Inspector had broken the rubber pad on the parking brake pedal...

[GM_Guy]

Did they catch the error of their ways and pass you?
The other thing to, all the timed lighting (the 2008 cvpi will kill power to lights or accessories after 20 minutes), along with those ridiculous slowly dimming dome lights don't help people catch the fact they left a dome light on either.

Alex.

[gadget73]

There is a manual release in there, but its mostly hidden up inside the dash. If you pull it manually the pedal will come up and smack you in the back of the hand. Can't see it if there is vacuum on it though.

[87gtVIC]

Sucks to hear.

[Tiggie]

I found a shop that lets me do all the operating. Illegal yes. But I am happy... so it works.

[fordnmerc]

One of my two license plate bulbs was burned out, but that was all and they passed it anyway. I will get a new one soon. I didn't take issue with the battery, because it was ready to go soon anyway. It was 3 years old, cheapest available, that the previous owner installed. Friends gave us a Die Hard Silver as an early Christmas gift, so it's all good.

[Mainemantom]

In Maine, If I have antique plates, I do not have to have an inspection. I am very happy about that. I stay up on the maintenance and repairs more than most people. I HATE when people find stuff that isn't bad or dig deep just to say " well technically it is defective" I even HATE IT when any old "Joey bag of donuts" gets in the car just to move it into the bay.
Even with the newer Subaru under warranty, I expect old Joey to be the bearer of bad news. He even has the sad eyes, the sigh. Oh my,such drama! Am I going to have to seek therapy after I drain the bank account to finally get my sticker ?

Afterward, I have to clean up the donut crumbs and grease marks that Joey left all over the car, pass or fail.

[packman]

I have been doing private inspections since I got my Malibu. Rather pay for my sticker than have the state (which hates old cars) fail my car and tell me to take it to a mechanic anyway.

[bgreywolf]

Two vehicle fails at the hand of younger techs:
1990 Ford Ranger (at a FORD DEALER, no less!): "The third brake light doesn't work!". I had authorized an hour of labor to fix bulbs and other stupid stuff, so they tried to charge me parts and labor on top of not fixing it while I went to have lunch. The problem is, they were trying to operate the bed lamp, as there is no 3rd brake light on a 1990 Ranger. Upon pointing this out, the service manager started laughing and brought over a couple older techs, one of whom put the sticker on the truck. I got the inspection, didn't have to pay for anything besides the sticker, and we were all laughing when I left.


Another shop, more recently:
"Your hood release isn't working, so I have to fail it because I can't open the hood!". Another tech heard me protesting that it works EXACTLY AS DESIGNED AT THE FACTORY and pointed out to younger tech that the secondary latch is in the grille. The younger tech then couldn't operate the high beams with the floor switch and the older tech basically pulled him out of the truck, finished the inspection, and pretty much explained to the kid that he should talk to another tech if he can't figure something out, instead of making a fool of himself with the customer. I got my sticker, and we all laughed, but I kinda felt bad for the younger tech.

[Arquemann]

Well I guess I'm lucky to be in Finland, most inspectors aren't complete idiots, but the "old guys" are still very much appreciated especially when dealing with older vehicles.
I actually prefer a certain inspection station where most inspectors are young, but mostly car enthusiasts, so they are "fair". And knowing a couple of them often helps...

Latest inspection with the Volvo, as the inspector took my keys I did mention "I'm trying to get another year out of the car". As he came back he did say he had to fail it for a ball joint... Then he said that pretty much all the rear bushing and mounts are quite done, and need to be changed "if I drive the car much longer". Also the bigger favor of him for to ehm... fiddle with the throttle to pass emissions. And that's pretty much I need to get rid of the Volvo, it's not going to pass emissions, and most likely an advisory for every single fucking piece of rubber on the car, which wouldn't look good trying to sell it.

Shit's strict, but being able to drive the car and get stuff fixed feels much nicer than a FAIL and 30 days to fix before driving ban. Certain failures warrant an immediate driving ban (except to take it home or to a shop). Even the most lenient inspectors don't go soft on rust, if there's a hole in something structural, it's a fail.

[DerekTheGreat]

Cheeze'n'rice... So when they break shit do they just pass that expense off to you with a shy smile and shitty chuckle? "Joey bag of doughnuts." Ugh. Guess if we ever had inspections I'd put a seat & steering wheel condom and floor mat down myself before I had to go in.

[massacre]

In my state, they teach the inspectors to give high mileage vehicles extra scrutiny.
Example-
Back when I had my MGM, I took it in for a sticker. I had just replaced the entire front end with new parts. Upper/lower ball joints, idler arm, pitman arm, upper and lower control arm bushings, tie rods and sleeves. Sway bar bushings and endlinks too.
5 minutes in, I see the inspector guy with a 5 foot pry bar wailing on my brand new parts.
I ran over and asked what he is doing? All the parts are brand new, he is going to ruin my new parts.
His response was that since the car had high mileage, there “had to be something wrong with it”
I asked if he had actually looked at the parts, he said no.
I was beyond pissed, went to his boss and complained. Boss man told guy to stop prying on my shit and give the sticker.
Never went back there ever again, this was a little over 10 years ago BTW

[DerekTheGreat]

That's an awful mentality many have. The cars in our fleet which sit outside essentially look like shit, however I'd trust them to go anywhere based on how well we maintain them. There are no funny noises, you can drive at any speed and you don't have to fear left turns or whatever and we don't have any disclaimers before one gets in and drives. Well, my truck, the parking brake doesn't work so there's that.

[bgreywolf]

One thing I've found is the relationship one has with a shop makes a huge difference.
I rarely bring my cars to the local shop, but the owner knows me. He's a good shop/good reputation, so I make sure he sees my car from time to time, even if he's not working on it, I will pick up a friend whose car is being worked on, recommend him to non-mechanical friends, etc.
I don't do my own alignments, so I give him my tire and alignment business, even if I do parts replacement myself.
When inspection time comes, he's usually too booked to handle my car; but if I can leave it with him, I know he's going to give it a reasonable inspection and not be stupid about it. The problem is when I need to go somewhere else.

However, shops need money to survive. So when I get my inspection, I am willing to spend: I tell him he has an hour to do bulbs and stuff. I have him do an oil change, whether it needs one or not. I have him rotate the tires. A waste of money, sure, but it gives him more than a once-a-year 10-minute glance at the car. He knows it's in good shape, he knows I'm not a moron with an old junker, and he knows I'm giving him a few extra bucks in exchange for a fair visit. It also lets him know I'm not a state inspector; those guys often have an ex-official Crown Vic or similar and are looking for the lax shops. I certainly got more scrutiny in the CV or F150 than I did in my Mustang or 300ZX.

Massacre, I was a vehicle inspector in Mass in the early 90s. It's definitely much more stringent now...