So why do they do state inspections on autos?

[Microcell]

I was taking out the trash and realized I need to get tags for my car- I am 13 days late

So I call the Total station and explain that I would like to get the state inspection done today, but they probably won't haul me off to jail before next week. No problem, there is a spot at 930 today. Great... wait, I have a check engine light that my DH is supposed to get around to checking.. I guess not then. No, we can do your inspection... But it won't pass if there is an emmission problem so maybe I should wait... No it should pass.

HUH?

How do they know over the phone that it will pass? They are supposed to be checking emmissions (which, really I have not been smelling anything strange, but all the same). I hope I am not out 12 dollars.

 

[golfgal]

I was taking out the trash and realized I need to get tags for my car- I am 13 days late

So I call the Total station and explain that I would like to get the state inspection done today, but they probably won't haul me off to jail before next week. No problem, there is a spot at 930 today. Great... wait, I have a check engine light that my DH is supposed to get around to checking.. I guess not then. No, we can do your inspection... But it won't pass if there is an emmission problem so maybe I should wait... No it should pass.

HUH?

How do they know over the phone that it will pass? They are supposed to be checking emissions (which, really I have not been smelling anything strange, but all the same). I hope I am not out 12 dollars.

I think they are probably thinking that if your car is new enough to have a "check engine" light come on there probably isn't an issue with emissions. It is mainly older cars that have issues.

 

[HayGan]

I hope I am not out 12 dollars.

Be glad you don't live in most counties in PA. Our inspection and emissions test each year are now over $60 That doesn't include our registration fee of $24 per year (Is it $24 or $32 - PA residents help me out here.)

Hope everything is ok! I'm sure it will pass inspection

 

[Beth76]

My tags are due at the end of this month. The emissions inspection and the safety inspection are seperate things. I've always had my safety done before my emissions.

 

[Carl]

to answer your original question - to make money. In Texas it now costs 39.00 dollars. You still see old cars running around smoking, so I doubt it is really for safety reasons.

 

[septbride2002]

My tags are due at the end of this month. The emissions inspection and the safety inspection are seperate things. I've always had my safety done before my emissions.

I hate our state's policy on this. I had to pay $23 so they could look at the gas cap on my 2003 Hyundai and tell me it works. It would have been cheaper to go buy a new gas cap.

~Amanda

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

Don't get me started on state inspections.

We are permanent residents of Texas. Texas has a law that if you are in the military and reside out of the state, you are not required to have a state inspection sticker on your car. The law says you have to get an inspection when you return to the state.

So I go to visit Texas. Less than 24 hours after I return to the state, the Selma, TX Policeman gives me a ticket for not having a current inspection sticker. I proved to him that I live out of the state, and it still wasn't good enough for him.

To add insult to injury, he said that because my inspection was more than 90 days expired that the ticket was going to cost me $169. I contacted the state to clarify the issue, and the person in charge told me that state police give a 3-5 day leeway, and at the very least give people a warning on the first time they see the car with expired inspection stickers.

Of course, when I spoke with the police chief in Selma, he said they didn't have to give me leeway because they were within their rights based on the letter of the law...even when the state police don't treat people that way.

Funny thing was that my husband stayed in Texas for nearly 4 weeks with expired inspection stickers and tags and was never pulled over, not even once. (He had the tags in his glove box but hadn't placed them because of his broken windshield, but no one even asked...)

Yeah, I think inspection stickers are a FARCE...especially on cars that are newer than 5 years old.

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

I have a check engine light that my DH is supposed to get around to checking.. I guess not then. No, we can do your inspection... But it won't pass if there is an emmission problem so maybe I should wait... No it should pass.

HUH?

How do they know over the phone that it will pass? They are supposed to be checking emmissions (which, really I have not been smelling anything strange, but all the same). I hope I am not out 12 dollars.

By the way, did you check to be sure you are putting your gas cap on tightly---i.e., several clicks or as the instructions say? I had the check engine light come on and took it to the dealer, and after having it 4 hours, they came back to say the gas cap wasn't on tightly.

 

[Microcell]

Turns out it is a safety inspection, I think. Can you believe that I was all done by 10:30 this morning! I walked into the DMV and pulled a ticket and it was the next number up. Thank goodness they split up the renewals and the Drivers license now.

They didn't look at the check engine problem, but were sure to tell me I needed 300 dollars in work to do the transmission fluid and radiator fluid. I have noticed that the gas cap does not go on as tightly as it used to, but not for lack of trying. It just clicks and clicks and no tension. I wonder how much that would cost to fix!

Thanks for helping me clear up the inspection part. Now I just need to get over the fact that DS put on the "07" sticker crooked. That is going to bug me until we get new plates!

 

[Chuck S]

Don't get me started on state inspections.

We are permanent residents of Texas. Texas has a law that if you are in the military and reside out of the state, you are not required to have a state inspection sticker on your car. The law says you have to get an inspection when you return to the state.

So I go to visit Texas. Less than 24 hours after I return to the state, the Selma, TX Policeman gives me a ticket for not having a current inspection sticker. I proved to him that I live out of the state, and it still wasn't good enough for him.

To add insult to injury, he said that because my inspection was more than 90 days expired that the ticket was going to cost me $169. I contacted the state to clarify the issue, and the person in charge told me that state police give a 3-5 day leeway, and at the very least give people a warning on the first time they see the car with expired inspection stickers.

Of course, when I spoke with the police chief in Selma, he said they didn't have to give me leeway because they were within their rights based on the letter of the law...even when the state police don't treat people that way.

Funny thing was that my husband stayed in Texas for nearly 4 weeks with expired inspection stickers and tags and was never pulled over, not even once. (He had the tags in his glove box but hadn't placed them because of his broken windshield, but no one even asked...)

Yeah, I think inspection stickers are a FARCE...especially on cars that are newer than 5 years old.

Selma was well known as a speed trap for years, then the state kind of clamped down on it...now it seems they have found a new way to make $$$, inspection sticker tickets. Of course, this is also in a town whose original, historic City Hall building is now a Hooters restaurant (yes, really).

 

[AllyandJack]

It's all crap. One year, DH's car failed because of a tread on a tire....then they tried to sell him a tire. The guy at the tire place said there was nothing wrong with the tire.

Another year, my car failed because of a cracked windshield....it was a crack about 3 inches long on the passenger side right near the wipers.

It's a scam.

 

[Kermit]

We don't have inspections in SC. You can drive a car held together with duct tape. I think the state law is that if you do that, though, you have to have a full-size Confederate flag mounted in the bed of your pickup.

 

[poohandwendy]

That doesn't include our registration fee of $24 per year (Is it $24 or $32 - PA residents help me out here.)

It's $36 or maybe even $38 now. ***I just checked, it's $36***

What is really annoying is that it was $24 for a very long time...then they started raising it every year by a few bucks. It's crazy.

 

[RadioNate]

Don't get me started on state inspections.

We are permanent residents of Texas. Texas has a law that if you are in the military and reside out of the state, you are not required to have a state inspection sticker on your car. The law says you have to get an inspection when you return to the state.

So I go to visit Texas. Less than 24 hours after I return to the state, the Selma, TX Policeman gives me a ticket for not having a current inspection sticker. I proved to him that I live out of the state, and it still wasn't good enough for him.

To add insult to injury, he said that because my inspection was more than 90 days expired that the ticket was going to cost me $169. I contacted the state to clarify the issue, and the person in charge told me that state police give a 3-5 day leeway, and at the very least give people a warning on the first time they see the car with expired inspection stickers.

Of course, when I spoke with the police chief in Selma, he said they didn't have to give me leeway because they were within their rights based on the letter of the law...even when the state police don't treat people that way.

Funny thing was that my husband stayed in Texas for nearly 4 weeks with expired inspection stickers and tags and was never pulled over, not even once. (He had the tags in his glove box but hadn't placed them because of his broken windshield, but no one even asked...)

Yeah, I think inspection stickers are a FARCE...especially on cars that are newer than 5 years old.

You're gonna hate me, my inspection sticker expired in JUNE...oops. Both mine are expired but I have them in the glove box, I think....

Watch me get pulled over today.

Selma was well known as a speed trap for years, then the state kind of clamped down on it...now it seems they have found a new way to make $$$, inspection sticker tickets. Of course, this is also in a town whose original, historic City Hall building is now a Hooters restaurant (yes, really).

Double crap....I'm going to this Hooters today. I better not go, I think I'm jinxed.

I never knew it was the city hall. I do know it was the original location of WOAI radio.

 

[Molly Meow]

We don't have inspections here. Your car can be falling apart, and they don't care.

We do have a pretty stringent smog check in most counties. Usually every two years. If your check engine light is on, you fail automatically. They won't even hook your car up to the computer if that light is on.

Our smogs cost about $60 for the check and certificate.

Don't get me started on the registration costs. My 2001 Chevy Cavalier was $208 this year. DH's 1995 Ford Escort wagon was $192. My dad's truck was almost $300.

I have no idea what they base those prices on, but it's highway robbery. All for a little sticker.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Some areas of Ohio have emissions inspections but not our area. Every year we have "ozone action days" declared when it is really hot and humid trying to convince people not to drive, not to gas up before 6, not to mow, etc. Our average ozone level stays below the level that requires inspections, thank goodness! I pay enough taxes and God knows where they go; the state keeps slashing school funding.
Robin M.