[RedDevil]

So today I went to get my car inspection sticker at a place called Driver’s Edge. I’ve been going there for over 3 years and never had any problems with them until today. I walk in and notice allot of new faces, including the manager. I tell him I need an inspection sticker and they take my keys and insurance card.

I then watch the mechanic drive my car around and test it. He stalls the car the first time after going from reverse into forward. Then starts up the car and stalls it again. I start to shake my head in disgust, and the manager asks me “is there something wrong”? and I say, YES, THAT GUY CAN’T DRIVE A STICK!” He then tells me that the driver can drive a standard and that he was only testing the brakes. And that it’s standard procedure. I asked him is it standard procedure not to use the clutch when using the brakes!!!? :cuss: He then tells me that all car’s brakes are different. While this is true, it doesn’t mean he has to stall the car by using the brakes with out the clutch, this is common sense! The second time I witnessed him stall the car was right after he started it up again the second time and left the car in 1st gear and let off the clutch killing the car again without giving it any gas. I pointed this out too. By this time the new manager is mad at me for arguing with him. Clearly the mechanic did not know how to drive stick or just did not drive one often enough to drive it properly. They should only let qualified people drive a standard when doing an inspection test.

The driver finally gets the car in the bay to test the other stuff with the smog detector and then the manager comes out of his office to tell me that the side markers that I have that are smoked/slightly tinted are illegal “black out” turn signals. I then point out that they are indeed NOT blacked out and are merely tinted and that you can clearly still see the amber colored bulbs when they are on and flashing! He then points out my license plate cover, telling me it too is illegal.

I then said, “You know what, I’ll just go some place else then.” I took back my car and left. Went down the street to Kwik Kar and they did my inspection in 20 minutes and never mentioned anything wrong with my tinted turn signals nor the clear plate cover. Some people are real as$h#les! :brentil:

 

[TX08manualGXP]

I would have been pissed too. you're supposed to depress the clutch before you step on the brake. Could have been worse, he could have made you pay since technically your car failed. I had a place charge me cause my car failed and they give you 30 days but I went there with my CEL on and the guy went thru all the checks and test drive and all that and I thought for sure he was going to just pass it and when it was all over he said, oh, the CEL was on so it failed. I said you could have told me that the second you got in the car and just let me go. I'd been there before and another guy would just pass it. I ended up taking a sticker off another car and getting that one inspected. somewhere else. I'm sure most of us had one problem or another getting a sticker. makes no sense.

 

[EarthNTX]

I'm lucky where I live. They don't even start the car. They make sure the brake lights are working, the turn signals are working, the wipers are working and the horn. That's it.

I would be pissed too if someone drove my car like that. Jerk!!

 

[JAX06]

What state?

 

[Rusty Boltz]

I've had my SKY and another vehicle inspected this month. No problem.

 

[cooper1340s]

I love FL. NO inspection of any kind here!

 

[chickenwire]

Some people are real as$h#les! :brentil:

Yeah, but we love ya anyway dude!

 

[OSUCherokee]

No inspections in Oklahoma. They dumped that program 10 years ago. Realized that it was too costly for no real benefit. Thank goodness.

 

[RandB]

GOOD for leaving! I would have done the exact same thing. Over the years my patience have worn out dealing with knuckleheads.

 

[duckSol]

Law needs to enforce whatever state vehicle law and pull over the sh!t buggy's. Over 70% of them will have no valid Driver Lic or Registration.
Then there are the outstanding warrants, driver intoxication and dope.

State inspections are a racket benefiting parts replacement technicians.

 

[RedDevil]

What state?

Texas, "it's a whole other country." as they say here.:lol:

 

[shadowsonic]

Try living in massachusetts worst place for inspection stickers.. Let's just say i have a guy that does it for me. Cause i went to 3 places and all 3 were trying to make a big deal of nothing.

 

[MidniteBlues]

I love FL. NO inspection of any kind here!

+2

Texas, "it's a whole other country." as they say here.:lol:

Dang, a reason to not move to Texas...:nonod:

 

[bobbob160]

There was one place I took my car (way before the Solstice). They failed 75% of the cars that came in the door, I overheard the CSR talking to the customers as they handed out the failure notices. If they couldn't stretch something out to a failure, they said the headlights needed alignment ($45). I think it is their version of an up-sell. A $0.50 marker bulb, marked up to $2.00, then a $5.00 charge for installation, do it enough and you can make a decent profit.

I did have a "friend" in the business, he said most shops loose money doing inspections, but it gets customers in the door. He also knew if he failed me for something, I would be fixing it myself and bringing it back for the $1 reinspection.

 

[njtex]

In NJ we now only test emissions due to state funding issues. I'd feel a lot safer on the roads here if we tested brakes instead! :crazy:

 

[Rusty Boltz]

I prefer a legitimate state inspection. There's too much unsafe junk on the road.

 

[Texas2Gun]

Texas is not bad place to get an inspection… you just need to know where to go.:thumbs:

It also helps to have all your cars registered in a no emissions test county.

 

[Rusty Boltz]

I've had my vehicles registered in an emissions check county for 19 years. Never a problem, and I don't look for "special" inspection stations.

 

[Texas2Gun]

I've had my vehicles registered in an emissions check county for 19 years. Never a problem, and I don't look for "special" inspection stations.

Why would someone assume that I or anyone else would go to a “special” inspection station? Do these places exist?

I simply stated that you just need to know where to go! I guess the Solstice forum is becoming more like the rest of the forums on the internet where every post is read into and people just assume you’re some kind of “bad” person.

Knowing where to go is important if you don’t want to deal with a jerk! Not all car inspection station want your business… they don’t make money on inspections! If you go to one of these places you are going to get a jerk doing your inspections! I simply go to a shop that does not mind doing inspections… I guess or I’m assuming by the previous post that makes me a bad person! LOL

Although I have lived all over Texas and around the world I have never actually lived in an emission testing county since they started testing. So if anyone is assuming that I’m a “BAD” person because I live in an emission test county but have my car registered in a non-test county… oops!!! You are wrong!!! :chill:

 

[chickenwire]

I don't think Rusty read anything into your post - just stated that he hasn't had any issues with an inspection.