Pennsylvania has yearly inspection and makes you do emissions testing too.

I'm not a fan of the whole "let's do away with it all" because you would have some unbelievable unsafe shitboxes on the road here worse than you already see.

NJ used to be really bad, unlike PA where you can go to any dealer or your own mechanic, it used to be that you'd have to drive through a government-run inspection station where they would be complete dicks and it would be an all-day affair. I think there was such an outcry and pushback against that they made it more like PA's around 20 years ago.

Germany has the most stringent inspection standards in the world I think which is why you just don't see rattletrap shitboxes on their roads. They simply will not allow it.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
Pennsylvania has yearly inspection and makes you do emissions testing too.

I'm not a fan of the whole "let's do away with it all" because you would have some unbelievable unsafe shitboxes on the road here worse than you already see.

NJ used to be really bad, unlike PA where you can go to any dealer or your own mechanic, it used to be that you'd have to drive through a government-run inspection station where they would be complete dicks and it would be an all-day affair. I think there was such an outcry and pushback against that they made it more like PA's around 20 years ago.

Germany has the most stringent inspection standards in the world I think which is why you just don't see rattletrap shitboxes on their roads. They simply will not allow it.

See my earlier post. There are ways around it & it's a problem here in TX.
I've told people that if you see a sketchy car with a temp tag, steer well clear of them. Odds are that they on a fake plate & probably don't have insurance.
I saw an article a couple years ago on it & forget the number of how much $$ TX is losing in registration revenue to these scam tags.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
There is always a shop willing to pass ANY car for inspection. As noted earlier the state run inspections are different. Just like the DMV, wait in line and if your headlights are not perfectly aligned you fail. A whole day affair so the state can make some extra money.

In Ohio, you run what ya brung.

When I lived in Germany, they did have strict inspections BUT things like safety glass, at least to US standards, were not required. I recall my first sergeant cursing because it was going to cost him a couple of thousand to modify his Mercedes to take it home. I also remember the mobile hospital units that travelled the autobahn. Crashes nearly always resulted in very serious injuries, and the standard first aid kit (required) had to syringes of morphine inside.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
^^^^^^^^^^^^
There is always a shop willing to pass ANY car for inspection. As noted earlier the state run inspections are different. Just like the DMV, wait in line and if your headlights are not perfectly aligned you fail. A whole day affair so the state can make some extra money.

The TX inspection isn't even that tough. Lights, horn, brakes, tires, ODBII check. They checked my front window tint last year as well.

I was stationed in Bremerhaven Germany, almost all cars from the states arrived there and anyone stationed in Germany came to pick them up. Huge carlot behind the inspection station with all the cars that failed the German Inspection and were waiting on parts to bring them up to compliance. It was either 1985 or 86 and the brand new Corvettes couldn't pass the brake test. They put them on the machine took them up to speed, hard brake, repeat. 3x I think. Once they got hot they started to fade, so fail. They also checked the speed ratings on the tires, most US cars that came over were not equipped with the right tires for the cars top speed. Yes first aid kits but I lived over there from the 60's-20s, never saw any morphine in the kits, smelling salts maybe?

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
I’ve only had to do this twice and both times it was a scam. I agree that in theory this is a good idea. In practice it sucks. Being a certified inspector and being able to charge for the “repairs” is the definition of letting the fox guard the henhouse. So put me in the NO category.

The vehicle owner has the option of getting a Reject sticker valid for 15 days and going somewhere else for a re-inspection and/or going somewhere else for the repair and returning for re-inspection for $1.00. A pain in the ass, yes.

I get your arguments for why you like it. I don’t agree though. It’s a system built for corruption and graft to grow. I bet you still have to pay for a second inspection though. I also would bet hard cash money that if you took the same car to 10 different places, all state certified, you would get 10 different results. All of which would cost you money and most of which are unnecessary. Screw that.

quote:

Truck drives better with new tie rod ends …

Nothing better to do at the moment A slight drift, but still related. A client wanted an alignment on his Dodge Caravan because it had tire wear. Upon inspection, I found the inner tie rod ends (rack & Pinion steering) to be almost ready to let go. I replaced them (I think I did the outers too), aligned it and gave it back to him. He drove it a little ways and came back saying the steering was too quick. I told him that's what rack & pinion steering is supposed to do (unlike a gearbox and linkage, there should be no play in any part of it) and he'd gotten used to the sloppy steering over time. He grumbled and groused a little, but eventually told me I was right.

I am convinced that the tie rod ends were at end of life, after a few days of driving. I am happy with the repair. What bothers me most is that I am forced by a statue to spend money.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

Truck drives better with new tie rod ends …

Nothing better to do at the moment A slight drift, but still related. A client wanted an alignment on his Dodge Caravan because it had tire wear. Upon inspection, I found the inner tie rod ends (rack & Pinion steering) to be almost ready to let go. I replaced them (I think I did the outers too), aligned it and gave it back to him. He drove it a little ways and came back saying the steering was too quick. I told him that's what rack & pinion steering is supposed to do (unlike a gearbox and linkage, there should be no play in any part of it) and he'd gotten used to the sloppy steering over time. He grumbled and groused a little, but eventually told me I was right.

Back when I turned wrenches I worked for a VW/Mazda dealership a few years. The air-cooled Beetles would come in for service and the brake pedal would engage very low due to the 4-wheel drum brakes being out of adjustment. Brake adjustment was considered part of a maintenance service so by the time I was done the pedal engaged at the top again (where it was supposed to). We got occasional complaints from some customers that the brakes were now "too good" and almost "caused" them to wreck.

As for VA State Inspections: When I got my license in the mid 70s VA's state inspections were every 6 months. They changed to annual somewhere around 1980 but prior to that it was required every 6 months. What a treat that was...

I don't believe that you should be allowed to put any vehicle on the road regardless of it's condition . Some people may think that the inspection where they live is too intrusive but that's a separate issue .

^^^^^^^^^^
Should all drivers have an annual physical just like truck drivers?

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

Should all drivers have an annual physical just like truck drivers?

Maybe not annual, but periodic exams to cover essential items would be good. Florida requires eye tests -- I don't think at every renewal, but I have had to read the chart a few times at the DMV.

If I were In Charge Of Things, I would even take it a step further and require periodic driver re-certification for all drivers on a schedule, as well as unscheduled driving tests for those who have been found guilty of certain violations, or have been at fault in accidents.

Yes, that might increase some costs, but those increases might be offset by lowered insurance costs.

quote:

Originally posted by Lt CHEG:
But I want to ensure that the vehicles on the road are safe, and safety inspections are the most effective way to accomplish that and get some of the unsafe heaps of crap off the road.

Utah dropped the inspection a few years ago. Before they did, they did a study to determine the effects of dropping the inspection, and found that having an inspection did not increase the safety of vehicles on the road. IIRC, Utah determined that enforcement by LE brought more benefits to safety than an annual inspection.

I believe this to be true, and I believe the government believes it also. CMVs must be inspected annually, but everybody (including CMV LE) knows the annual is worthless. They will perform a Level 1 inspection at a scale house, even if you just got your annual that week. Heck, I had a level 1 inspection in CA, and then have Oregon try to perform a level 1 about six hours later. If enforcement doesn’t put much stock in inspections, then why make everybody do the inspection routine every year?

If you really want vehicles on the road to be safe, you need to figure out a way to have people put down their cell phone while driving. It’s an epidemic.

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:

If you really want vehicles on the road to be safe, you need to figure out a way to have people put down their cell phone while driving. It’s an epidemic.

The timing on your comment is great. Just this afternoon I was driving on a toll road. Three lanes in each direction, posted speed limit 65 mph. I overtook a car that was doing about 45 mph -- I say "about" because the speed was varying quite a bit. Driver seemed to be having a bit of a problem keeping the car in her lane. I looked over as I passed and she was holding a phone directly in front of her face, between her eyes and the windshield.

I dialed *FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) and reported an impaired driver, with full description of the driver, vehicle, license plate number, etc. Dispatcher did not seem to be at all interested.

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:

quote:

Originally posted by Lt CHEG:
But I want to ensure that the vehicles on the road are safe, and safety inspections are the most effective way to accomplish that and get some of the unsafe heaps of crap off the road.

Utah dropped the inspection a few years ago. Before they did, they did a study to determine the effects of dropping the inspection, and found that having an inspection did not increase the safety of vehicles on the road. IIRC, Utah determined that enforcement by LE brought more benefits to safety than an annual inspection.

But does that mean that there is NO benefit in inspections ? That's bullshit . Common sense there .

Arkansas did away with inspections several years ago. The variance in inspections statewide was tremendous. Glad they are gone.

Hey, at least we can make an appointment to get an inspection now. A few years ago you couldn't and had to find an inspection site and wait in line. Sometimes it took hours.