Opinion on garage not having inspection license?

[ARCOgraphite]

Place in small town that I live. Just opened up alittle over a year ago. Older gentleman that owned it retired and younger guy -- mid 30s purchased it off him. Come to find out he has no inspection license. Takes the vehicles down the road to a Mavis Tire to get them inspected and charges 1 hour labor for a 2 mile drive one way. I personally used to take my cars and truck there for inspection before Mr.Kurtz retired and he physically inspected them and slapped the stickers on himself or his mechanic.

If I don't see and inspection license and sign, I will not give that garage my inspection business,
In the States around me, vehicle inspection is a set State fee no labour rate is charged.
No double dipping allowed.

Did you get bamboozled by this guy? if he didn't tell you before hand, I would make quite a ruckus.

Simple Solution. Drive it to an Official safety and emission Inspection garage yourself.

We didn't like having to tie up a service bay twice a year (Spring/ Fall) in the 70's. Inspection was NOT a big moneymaker.

Funny Story, I was in Florida and went to get an oil change, lube and inspection sticker for my Mother's '89 Caddy.
The guy said what would you like us to inspect? I was confused am mumbled, I don't know, the usual stuff?" Then a guy behind me from NY piped in, "They don't have safety inspection down in Florida!"

It was then and there I realized why there were ten's of broke down cars littering the median off I-75 near Fort Myers.

 

[nomas]

Funny Story, I was in Florida and went to get an oil change, lube and inspection sticker for my Mother's '89 Caddy.
The guy said what would you like us to inspect? I was confused am mumbled, I don't know, the usual stuff?" Then a guy behind me from NY piped in, "They don't have safety inspection down in Florida!"

It was then and there I realized why there were ten's of broke down cars littering the median off I-75 near Fort Myers.

These cars were littering the median because the blinkers or horn didn't work ? What is it you think they are supposed to inspect ?

 

[PiperOne]

If his labor rate is lower than a licensed shop, and he does good work, then I'd happily take it to him. Getting licensed and maintaining it costs money, and as a shop you pass that on. I remember going through the decision process about getting our shop set up for emissions testing (just for our fleet, no retail) Didn't do it. Cost for a mobile guy to test each truck $2100 yr plus $450 to have one of our guys there to help (union rule). Cost to have the license and licensed guys, $5800/yr plus equipment.

As mentioned earlier, the guy could be waiting to get licenced too. Government works at a snails pace, and Covid killed the snail so now it's glacial pace.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Government works at a snails pace, and Covid killed the snail so now it's glacial pace.

ROFLMAO

 

[thastinger]

Place in small town that I live. Just opened up alittle over a year ago. Older gentleman that owned it retired and younger guy -- mid 30s purchased it off him. Come to find out he has no inspection license. Takes the vehicles down the road to a Mavis Tire to get them inspected and charges 1 hour labor for a 2 mile drive one way. I personally used to take my cars and truck there for inspection before Mr.Kurtz retired and he physically inspected them and slapped the stickers on himself or his mechanic.

Inspections here are 20 bucks, I do not know a single person that would pay 120 for one when you can get one for 20 on just about every street corner.
The mechanics I know who are certified to conduct inspections should be testament that certification is obtainable by a large % of the population.

 

[SeaJay]

NY is a state with a requirement that a car be inspected annually by a mechanic licensed to do inspections. A boyhood friend ran a super successful repair shop in a wealthy NY town for decades. He was not licensed to do inspections and as a result did not perform inspections. His clients used him for most of their repair and maintenance needs while using a different shop every year at inspection time for that particular service.

 

[aquariuscsm]

These cars were littering the median because the blinkers or horn didn't work ? What is it you think they are supposed to inspect ?

Here in Tx they inspect brakes, tires, emission systems in some counties, and all drive belts as well. Any of the fore mentioned could make a car inoperable to a degree.

 

[chrlsful]

separate inspection cost from "other work",
each state seems to have different items (by age of vehicle) ie safety v emissions of interest.
Some state - nuttin (but U can get pulled over, cited for anything the cop wants - at any time).
Aquire an education re: ur state, commonwealth, territory, APO or (in my case) cave

 

[Delta]

Typical inspection here in PA is $31-$34 with sticker and tax. No real profit in it anywhere unless they find something. So, I can understand why the guy would not pay to keep a PA inspectors license.

If you go to Jim-Bob's Uncle Brothers Sticker Slap Service it's $45... Not that I would know or anything...

 

[ARCOgraphite]

These cars were littering the median because the blinkers or horn didn't work ? What is it you think they are supposed to inspect ?

In Massachusetts in the 70's and 80's we were required to inspect Tires, Brakes and Ball Joints, body integrity and E- brake along with lights, horn, wipers and HL beam aim.

plus it's sort of a stab at humor, Mr. Cranky

Jeepers!

 

[nomas]

In Massachusetts in the 70's and 80's we were required to inspect Tires, Brakes and Ball Joints, body integrity and E- brake along with lights, horn, wipers and HL beam aim.

plus it's sort of a stab at humor, Mr. Cranky

Jeepers!

So you've gone from Fort Myers to Massachusetts ?

 

[UG_Passat]

Place in small town that I live. Just opened up alittle over a year ago. Older gentleman that owned it retired and younger guy -- mid 30s purchased it off him. Come to find out he has no inspection license. Takes the vehicles down the road to a Mavis Tire to get them inspected and charges 1 hour labor for a 2 mile drive one way. I personally used to take my cars and truck there for inspection before Mr.Kurtz retired and he physically inspected them and slapped the stickers on himself or his mechanic.

Cut the middle man and go straight to Mavis, and save yourself the 1 hour labor that is pure profit for the garage.

If you want to be petty, report the garage to the PennDOT, and have them deal with the shady practice.

Safety Inspection Program

www.dmv.pa.gov

 

[ARCOgraphite]

So you've gone from Fort Myers to Massachusetts ?

Yes, many times. I greatly dislike SWF, but my Parents moved there in the 80's.
I currently reside in NH in a log cabin on a hill.

revisiting the vehicle inspection problem:

"In the state of Florida, there is no requirement for yearly vehicle inspection. There are also no requirements for vehicles to undergo emissions testing." **

In NH the state motto is "Live Free or Die"

I guess in FLA it's really "Live Free AND Die"
_____________________________________
**billallenlaw esq - Gainsville, FL

 

[ChrisMU]

In Texas, the charge for a state safety inspection is $7 in a non-smog county. The shops don’t make much (if any?) money at that price. There has been discussion of eliminating the inspection requirement, which I’d be fine with.

 

[TheOilWizard]

My first thought is he does not want to do inspections… but if you pay him for labor he’ll do it for you. Nothing wrong with that I guess, so long as he is upfront with customers. Some customers may not mind the premium to avoid going to a second shop.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I travel across the entire Southeast by car for work regularly. There is no difference in the number of cars on the side of the road between Florida and South Carolina (no inspection) vs North Carolina that does have an inspection. Realize also that they don't immediately tow your car if its on the side of the road in the South like they do in many States which is why it might seem like there are many - they sit there longer.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Garages are NOT required to carry a Vehicle Safety and Emission Inspection license in states around me, but new car dealers MIGHT be. I haven't researched it fully.

These is no "issue" per se with a garage that doesn't carry an inspection license.

Now of they don't have free Keurig coffee then that's another story!

 

[grisby]

Typical inspection here in PA is $31-$34 with sticker and tax. No real profit in it anywhere unless they find something. So, I can understand why the guy would not pay to keep a PA inspectors license.

If you go to Jim-Bob's Uncle Brothers Sticker Slap Service it's $45... Not that I would know or anything...

In my neck of the woods (Harrisburg,Pa) inspections range from $50-100 buck depending if its a car or a truck. Most places are $75

 

[nomas]

In my neck of the woods (Harrisburg,Pa) inspections range from $50-100 buck depending if its a car or a truck. Most places are $75

Good Heavens …

 

[UG_Passat]

In my neck of the woods (Harrisburg,Pa) inspections range from $50-100 buck depending if its a car or a truck. Most places are $75

Dauphin county is an emissions county, so inspections would have to include emissions inspection on top of safety inspection, which is why it costs more than safety-only counties