HomeFairfax General ForumArrest/Ticket SearchWiki newPictures/VideosChatArticlesLinksAbout
Fairfax County General :  Fairfax Underground fairfax underground logo
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Inspection scam
Posted by: Inspection scam ()
Date: July 10, 2019 09:59AM

Took my car with airbag light on. There was a recall on the airbag wiring harness so I had it fixed. Mechanic claimed he drove it around and airbag light was still on and was due to a the passenger seat sensor. Told them to reject it and I would pick it up until they could get the replacement costing $1000+. Turns out the airbag light was off when I drove it. Asked for reinspection and they said no claiming the fault was still valid. Then they said drive it around for a few days and “we’ll see”. WTF?

This is why vehicle inspections are crap.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: where did you go? ()
Date: July 10, 2019 10:01AM

I have never seen a gas station inspector drive the car around, if you know where to go they don't even bother jacking up your car or removing your tire.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: Inspection scam ()
Date: July 10, 2019 10:04AM

where did you go? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have never seen a gas station inspector drive
> the car around, if you know where to go they don't
> even bother jacking up your car or removing your
> tire.

I needed to go to a dealer for the recall fix. Not a gas station.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: where did you go? ()
Date: July 10, 2019 10:06AM

Rule 1 - Never go to a stealership to get an inspection done, you're guaranteed to fail

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: Inspection scam ()
Date: July 10, 2019 10:12AM

where did you go? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rule 1 - Never go to a stealership to get an
> inspection done, you're guaranteed to fail


Needed the recall fixed. Normally I don’t.

Why should it matter? Why isn’t it an honest process across the board?

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: Lololol... ()
Date: July 10, 2019 10:15AM

I have never been failed at my dealership. And I have never been charged for an inspection either. You low-lifes are simply doing it wrong. As usual.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: Inspection scam ()
Date: July 10, 2019 10:19AM

Lololol... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have never been failed at my dealership. And I
> have never been charged for an inspection either.
> You low-lifes are simply doing it wrong. As usual.


Troll, what are you talking about? I’ve paid $2 so far. Got the car reinspected elsewhere.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: Officer Friendly ()
Date: July 10, 2019 10:20AM

You have the option to report this location to the Virginia State Police.

If the station is not following the required rules, their inspection license could be suspended.
Attachments:
Officer Friendly of your local Police Department.jpeg

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: easy prey ()
Date: July 10, 2019 03:08PM

They saw you coming.

If you put something small - maybe 10 lbs - on the passenger seat of most cars, the airbag light will come on when you are driving.

This is because certain stage airbags are required to disable if they "sense" a child seat is there...which is only done by weight.

They make lots of cash when the customer looks like they will fall for this.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: info desk ()
Date: July 10, 2019 03:10PM

go to a different station.....

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: They were fucking with you... ()
Date: July 10, 2019 04:46PM

SRS errors (aka the airbag system) don't reset on their own like other OBDII diagnostics. If there's an error that lights up the light, then it stays lit until it's specifically reset. If there's an error and you reset the light, then it will just light up again.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: dealership made $20k on you ()
Date: July 10, 2019 05:01PM

Lololol... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have never been failed at my dealership. And I
> have never been charged for an inspection either.
> You low-lifes are simply doing it wrong. As usual.


Not paying for it? Keep thinking that.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: Laughing Back Louder ()
Date: July 10, 2019 06:42PM

Lololol... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have never been failed at my dealership. And I
> have never been charged for an inspection either.
> You low-lifes are simply doing it wrong. As usual.


Right. Meanwhile in the real world...

Letting the dealer inspect your vehicle when you bring it in for recall work is always a risky proposition. There are some dealer service departments that are very honest and will give your car a fair inspection. There are others, too many others, that look at recall work as a way to drum up repair work. When you couple the recall with an inspection you have far less ability to say "No thanks" and walk away. Unless you know your dealer's service department well asking them to inspect your car while doing recall work is simply inviting them to hold your car hostage.

Don't bother reporting the dealer to the VSP. Chances are good they can either find something in the regs to support their position or they will claim the problem resolved itself after it left their service department. Instead take the car to a full service repair shop you trust that is authorized to do inspections. Yes you will need to pay a full inspection fee. You will probably also have to pay to have them check out the car. My guess is the total cost will come in well below the four figure repair bill the dealer service department tried to stick you with. If you don't have a full service repair shop the lesson here is get one. I do a fair amount of car work myself, but I still have one.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: Sparks ()
Date: July 10, 2019 07:02PM

Back in the day a six pack left on the bench of a mechanic was usually the going rate in unfairfux county.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: Advise of a good friend ()
Date: July 10, 2019 07:19PM

Obvious that the OP has no friends.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: old guy ()
Date: July 10, 2019 10:39PM

several years ago i took my admittedly older car in for an inspection.

Also told them there was a clunking noise in the steering The "Master" mechanic called me later to say I need a new rack and pinion and a "cracked dog bone motor mount".well over $1200 to repair.

Went to another shop, guy tightened the bolt holding the rack and pinion in. $25.

The "cracked motor mount" was just the mold seam. Passed inspection.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: ....... ()
Date: July 10, 2019 11:14PM

It's funny how you peasants still haven't figured out registering your vehicle in another state. Lol.

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: Inspection scam
Posted by: KMDSW ()
Date: July 10, 2019 11:29PM

....... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's funny how you peasants still haven't figured
> out registering your vehicle in another state.
> Lol.


My DeSoto is registered in New York. I keep it that way because the gas station that does the NY inspection has been run by the same family since the 1930s.

Those old hemis smoke. Those guys know it, so they don't fail it for smoking. I don't run antique plates on it b/c I want to drive it when I want to drive it.

Options: ReplyQuote


Your Name: 
Your Email (Optional): 
Subject: 
Attach a file
  • No file can be larger than 75 MB
  • All files together cannot be larger than 300 MB
  • 30 more file(s) can be attached to this message
Spam prevention:
Please, enter the code that you see below in the input field. This is for blocking bots that try to post this form automatically.
 ********   *******   **         ********   **    ** 
    **     **     **  **    **   **     **   **  **  
    **            **  **    **   **     **    ****   
    **      *******   **    **   ********      **    
    **            **  *********  **     **     **    
    **     **     **        **   **     **     **    
    **      *******         **   ********      **    
This forum powered by Phorum.