The garage I usually take my car to for inspection no longer does state inspections anymore because they recently got flooded. That guy was pretty cool, he did the minimum which was to only check my exhaust... seems like all the new people are pretty strict! I failed one test at Mobil because my high beam indicator light in the dash burned out. I replaced that and went to another shop and failed again because of my tint. They offered me 15 days to "get it fixed" and they will give me the sticker without requiring me to pay again. He doesnt seem the type to "look it over" either. what should i do? try and find another shop or what? i'm might as well flush my money down the toilet..

p.s. any one in houston please recommend some shops in the downtown/med center/west u area?

 

Daymn that sux. Move to Florida, No inspections

 

don't go to houston to get inspect, go somewhere out of the city, i know in austin is a little easier, they don't have the exhuast inspection, that if you want 3 hours drive down here

 

Don't go to a chain mechanic shop, like Mobil, etc...try and find a small owner/operator shop to do your inspections. Also, ask the guy you used to go to if he can recommend someone for you to go to...I'm sure he knows who else would pass your ride...

 

I have a mechanic shop near me who does state inspections. They don't care about tints or whatever because half for the ppl around town have tints and blue lights...etc.

 

See this is why I say you guys are so lucky.
Here in Washington D.C. we go to one inspection station only.
Everything including city buses,trucks,taxi cabs, passenger vehicles go thru that one inspection station. They check everything so if you have a crack in the side window or it won't roll up or down you will not pass. I had to take off my very light tint on my windows a few weeks ago to pass. I did pass & its good untill March 2004. I am going to get the tint put back on this Wed. I don't think $100.00 is going down the toilet. I don't smoke or drink do them types of things so I can afford that extra $100.
You figure how much people spend on that stuff everyday.

 

At least it is fair. When independent garages are involved, your at the mecry of the inspector.

 

That is very true. I've been going to the same guy for years and I have gotten away with quite a few things. So I guess it goes both ways. They probably assume that if you can afford a car that nice, then you can pay to keep it up to code. That's the system...

 

They make it a lot harder to pass thru inspection now here.
The guys that work there are city employees & they watch them close. A few years ago they had Police & FBI stings at the Inspection stations. The last sting about 15 people got caught & were arrested for taking money to pass cars & cabs. They got computer generated stuff nnow that makes it harder.Since they remoded that inspection station a few years ago they have cameras & vidieo to watch employees. I think they work in teams of 2 or3 & switch them around with each other to deter corruption. Its not worth jail time & loss of a good steady job just to pass some car. This was what the 15 did about 3 or 4years ago they were stupid.

 

Just one more reason not to move to D.C. for me...Radar detectors are even illegal to own, let alone operate...

 

Yes yes they stopped inspections a year or two ago b/c of cost

 

Wow no inspections so you can get rid of your cat converters?