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Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: SH ()
Date: April 10, 2009 10:45PM

Can anyone recommend a good, quick and easy shop where I can take my car for the annual safety inspection? I have an older car and don't want to fail for a 2nd time. I'm looking for a location where they are not overly detailed and strict, preferably in the Herndon/Reston/Sterling/Dulles area.

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: TomMadison ()
Date: April 10, 2009 11:23PM

I thought that one of the purposes of the state inspection was to keep unsafe vehicles such as yours off the road. Have you thought about slipping the inspector $20?

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: Prada Denim ()
Date: April 10, 2009 11:38PM

Just go to one of those small rinky dink gas station/garages. They are ALWAYS more willing to pass vehicles, no where as strict as taking your vehicle to a car dealer's service station.

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: SH ()
Date: April 11, 2009 08:02AM

Thanks. I had been going to the same rinky dink station for 5 years or so and always passed; the location changed hands and owners earlier this year though and they no longer do inspections now. I failed inspection last week at another gas station so that's why I was interested in a less strict locale. My car is perfectly fine and safe. If anyone has a specific recommendation in the county that fits my bill please let me know.

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: dumbshit ()
Date: April 11, 2009 01:10PM

How can your car be perfectly fine and safe if it failed a safety inspection?

What did it fail for?

Get your car fixed and have it reinspected. Do the right thing and stop trying to find ways around the system.

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: glophead ()
Date: April 11, 2009 01:19PM

If you are willing to go out to Springfield, the Sunoco on the corner of Rolling Rd. and Old Keene Mill Rd. isn't the most thorough. If I'm in a hurry and know my car is fine anyway, I just take it there. They pretty much just beep the horn and send me on my way.

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: Bummer ()
Date: April 11, 2009 02:37PM

glophead Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you are willing to go out to Springfield, the
> Sunoco on the corner of Rolling Rd. and Old Keene
> Mill Rd. isn't the most thorough. If I'm in a
> hurry and know my car is fine anyway, I just take
> it there. They pretty much just beep the horn and
> send me on my way.


Now that you have publicly posted this, that's over.

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: Ed ()
Date: April 11, 2009 04:28PM

Hey SH, I can relate to what you're experiencing. I'd suggest the Shell on Route 7 and Dranesville. I got an inspection last month and failed because I needed two new tires (got them), a brake light bulb (replaced) and because one of my fog lights on the front had a cracked lens... The fog lamp still worked though. I couldn't understand why they were so picky over the lens. I paid $16 new for the reinspection at this Shell station and had no problem.... Even though the cracked lens was not fixed.

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: John Coyote ()
Date: April 12, 2009 10:47PM

The problem with this whole inspection-system is that the inspections stations have a conflict of interest. They can, and will, fail you for stupid crap like your cracked fog light, or (my favorite) a slight tear in a wiper blade. They will then charge you a huge premium to fix these minor issues, thereby making a fat profit.

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: wtf ()
Date: April 12, 2009 11:11PM

You don't have to get it fixed by them...

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Re: Easy state inspection locale?
Posted by: SBS ()
Date: April 13, 2009 07:45AM

True, but the station knows that 90% of the time, the driver will let them repair/replace the faulty equipment rather than having to drive around with the rejection sticker, then come back, probably wait in line again (not sure about that one), and get the inspection completed.

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