Heyyooo. So this month I need an inspection, and live in upstate ny the 21$ inspection. But I would like to go to down state and have the full inspection 44$? I would like for piece of mind to know smog and other emissions are in spec. Buttttt, question, I have the typical gm loose steering column. It's not bad at all maybe only moves up about one inch, and I can stll safely drive the car. Would NYC inspection fail this car because of that? It's a pain to tighten then 4 hex screws that work loose over time so I'm trying to avoid that. It has 4 new tires and new pads, ebrake locks the rear tires up, seat belt light and seat belts work fine, horn, all lights, mirrors, so I don't know what they can fail it for other then smog or the loose column. And smog is only because I think it has a burnt valve (doller bill test, and puff puff sound at muffler) but it has been fine for 10's of thousands of miles and not gotten worse. Still gets up to 60 in around 7 seconds, and gives me 27mpg or better on the highway. Thank you and have happy holidays/days in general.
Ny state inspection question?
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I doubt a shop would fail you for the safety inspection downstate, but each shop is unique. However, you might have a hard time passing emissions as that is a tough one for older cars to pass in the lower counties.
If you're getting a consistent 27 mpg highway there can't be a lot wrong with the engine.Spend the money on oil and transmission fluid.
Thanks. So it kinda sounds like I should save the money, time, miles, aggravation (if it fails) and just get it inspected upstate. I get around 21 mpg doing 50hwy/50city and 27 doing 90hwy/10city. I know it would pass inspection up state even with the slight looseness. I guess I should take that piece of mind along and not worry about it. Fluids i keep in check. Oil is changed every 4-5k miles or once a month, and transmission fluid every 2-3 oil changes.
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Originally Posted By: eljefino
It can only be bad news if you fail. (Do they report it to the DMV?) If you want an exhaust gas analysis you can get one seperately.
In Maine your loose column would flunk you if it's noticed which it probably would be.
Exactly. Depending on where you bring the car NYS inspections are typically a green light for a shop to make a lot of money. Cat converters and 02 sensors are hot items for shops to sell upon failure on the sniffer. If I were you, I'd get the sticker upstate, then go to a shop and tell them you'd like them to check the exhaust gas analysis seperately. If the car fails any part of the NYS inspection you will have to make the repairs. OTOH if you have the sticker and aren't going for an inspection they can't fail you, although they might charge more for the testing. Something to think about: I wouldn't want to be driving around in an unsafe vehicle, and would want something that can effect safe operation of the vehicle repaired.
It can only be bad news if you fail. (Do they report it to the DMV?) If you want an exhaust gas analysis you can get one seperately.
In Maine your loose column would flunk you if it's noticed which it probably would be.
Exactly. Depending on where you bring the car NYS inspections are typically a green light for a shop to make a lot of money. Cat converters and 02 sensors are hot items for shops to sell upon failure on the sniffer. If I were you, I'd get the sticker upstate, then go to a shop and tell them you'd like them to check the exhaust gas analysis seperately. If the car fails any part of the NYS inspection you will have to make the repairs. OTOH if you have the sticker and aren't going for an inspection they can't fail you, although they might charge more for the testing. Something to think about: I wouldn't want to be driving around in an unsafe vehicle, and would want something that can effect safe operation of the vehicle repaired.
There are many cars on the Cross Bronx and Brooklyn - Queens Expressways which had no business passing a NYS inspection.
http://buickperformance.com/tiltsteeringcolumnwobble.htm
That's what I would need to do for 4 screws that become loose. They only need locktight and them to be tight to spec to fix this issue.
Here is a YouTube video of another gm with the same issue. The first 25 secs you can see exactly what's going on. It's a about how this Buick is, maybe a hair worse. http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?xl=xl_blazer&v=DqGNc7gE3uo
That's what I would need to do for 4 screws that become loose. They only need locktight and them to be tight to spec to fix this issue.
Here is a YouTube video of another gm with the same issue. The first 25 secs you can see exactly what's going on. It's a about how this Buick is, maybe a hair worse. http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?xl=xl_blazer&v=DqGNc7gE3uo
After watching that YouTube video. Seems like I can very well do this job, it would be nice to have a nice tight wheel
U want to drive down so they can put ur car on that old hunk of junk dyno rollers and stick a sniffer in ur tailpipe? Thats crazy imo.
Ur car sounds like its running good so save ur time.
Plus the dyno is gonna be going bye bye for 2011
Ur car sounds like its running good so save ur time.
Plus the dyno is gonna be going bye bye for 2011
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I've been getting inspections in nyc for 11 years, and they hook it up to the machine, and thats it. They are supposed to inspect everything from safety to belts to exhaust, but they don't. They just do the rollers. You'll be fine.
Originally Posted By: hardcore302
I've been getting inspections in nyc for 11 years, and they hook it up to the machine, and thats it. They are supposed to inspect everything from safety to belts to exhaust, but they don't. They just do the rollers. You'll be fine.
Most shops do just that, dyno sniffer and nothing else. OTOH there are a few I know of that have flunked "new" customers for bad brakes, wiper blades, or bulbs that were out. Flunked as in sold them the part installed it and then passed the car. It pays to have a good business relationship with a NYS inspection station.
I've been getting inspections in nyc for 11 years, and they hook it up to the machine, and thats it. They are supposed to inspect everything from safety to belts to exhaust, but they don't. They just do the rollers. You'll be fine.
Most shops do just that, dyno sniffer and nothing else. OTOH there are a few I know of that have flunked "new" customers for bad brakes, wiper blades, or bulbs that were out. Flunked as in sold them the part installed it and then passed the car. It pays to have a good business relationship with a NYS inspection station.
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