I was state vehicle safety inspector here in Virginia.
About that. Things are getting crazy here in PA. WAIT they have been! I have used a number of garages for inspections over the decades. 99% of the time they would look my fleet over. Then check what needs to be checked. If there was something close to being a problem they would tell me. The 1% of the time it just can't be seen with out tearing the car apart. They know I keep after my cars. I do appreciate the input. He caught a ball joint and idler arm going bad on my plow truck. Nothing like a truck broke down with a plow in it!
SFGHTU^&TR%E^#$R!!! Good that didn't happen! YET!!!
The 3 of us would each drive a car to the garage twice in same the day. He would slate a day for us if need be.
So any how in the last few months. The garages I go to and have gone to. There being shut down for infractions. I know of 6 right of the top of my head in my area and a number of them elsewhere.
The garage I have been going to misplaced a sticker. So the state set up a sting. What I understand. They sent a car (not a state car) there for an inspection. He went through the inspection and every thing was good. Brakes, tires, exhaust, cats in place excreta. Did the emissions gas cap check. Then was sent a letter to show up in court. They said he missed a plug that was unplugged for the emissions control that they unplugged. His defense was that the car has to be torn apart in order to find it and it wasn't showing a code.
Case and point: Has anyone worked on the newer cars! It takes hours to take thing apart and put back together. Then if something breaks it has to be fixed. Who pays for that! Not to mention the time for inspection. He won on those statements. But they still suspended his license for a few months. Just to make a point.
When I go to an other garage. The first thing I ask is. What Are you going to do with my car. I know what's done to it. I don't want it taken apart.
Back to the misplaced inspection sticker. Before they came and got everything he found the stick under the mouse pad where he does the emissions test.
When the person showed up he showed it to her and the numbers matched the missing one. She rudely said: THAT'S NOT IT! They went thought with the suspension. By the way. She is the same one for the other shut downs. There's are a lot of garages in the woods here. Just saying. Don't go in the woods here! They still haven't found a state official here after decades. They found his laptop! Not implying anything just saying.
I have a real sore spot about the emissions inspection in PA. Back in the mid 90's PA built 84 emissions stations across the state for that use. The cost was 1 million each and they were never use! Do the math in todays dollars. I work on a dozen or so in western PA. Sorry about the soft language but it just pisses me off!
Just to line someone's pockets!
I think all of you know how that works.
