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guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: George ()
Date: April 17, 2008 02:45PM

I had my VA inspection done at a gas station this morning.

The guy took my key and drove it into the service bay. I told him I was
walking to the 7-Eleven next door to get something to drink.

While I was inside the 7-Eleven, I could see the my car in the gas station.

I got curious when the guy opened up my trunk and seemed to be looking for
stuff inside. I immediated walke out of the 7-Eleven and back to the gas
station. I asked him what he needed... I think I might have startled him
because he almost jumped and started mumbling random stuff... he later said
he was looking to make sure my spare tire was there... (yeah, right)

next time I'm staying next to the car.... :)

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: Yeah ()
Date: April 17, 2008 03:02PM

You sjhould stay next to the car...always. But they should check the spare at inspection..that isn't bullshit.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: SBS ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:02PM

The whole Va. safety inspection program is bogus. Nothing but a way for the inspection stations to make money. Maryland does not have any such non-sense and I bet their safety record is no worse than Virginia's.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: Ha ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:08PM

OFF TOPIC, I know....but I fucking hate Maryland drivers.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: Bonfire ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:10PM

Maryland has a 1 time inspection which includes driving over velocity plates to check the alignment. Granted you do not have to do it every year but passing the first 1 is a bitch

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: Bonfire ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:14PM

I am a former state inspector , did it at Backlick Texaco in the 90's to 2000 and checking the spare tire IS NOT part of the safety inspection. Reference

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Safety.shtm#InspectionProgram

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: native ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:21PM

Hm, sounds sketch as shit. Most of the time I am present for an inspection and I have never witnessed such thing as checking for spare. Thats why they check that your tires are in good shape so you dont have to use the spare. This doesn't sound good. I dont know about your car but when I have mine inspected I give the vale key that enables them to open anything an only the ignition. I can disable the trunk switch and the glove box lock with the master key so nothing but the ignition is accesable to the inspector. I would call to speak with the manager or the owner , depending on what kind of business it is. Sounds like some shit jiffy lube would try to pull

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: Flat Tire ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:25PM

You should still have your spare checked, just in case you ever have to use it...whats the point in having a flat spare?

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: Question ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:26PM

9. – INSPECT TIRES, WHEELS & RIMS FOR:

Condition of tires including tread depth.
Mixing radials and bias ply tires.
Wheels that are cracked or damaged so as to affect safe operation.



Bonfire..does this not include the spare tire?

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: ITRADE ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:30PM

No. Mounted tires only.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: WashingToneLocian ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:31PM

The only legitimate reason I could think of him opening your trunk would be if one of the brake, blinker or tail lights wasn't working and he was checking the connection. Other than that, I think he was looking for the weed you hid under the carpet in your trunk.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: Bonfire ()
Date: April 17, 2008 04:55PM

For customers that I knew, I would , infront of them check the air pressure in the spare as a favor, but nowadays, since the spare is a doughnut anyway, AND if on the car when presented for inspection, the vehicle can FAIL for coming in with the spare on if not a full size mud and snow tire. Not to mention an emissions test cannot be performed on the Dynomometer. But yes Wash is right, he was just lookin for some 4:20 yo!!!

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: Question answered ()
Date: April 17, 2008 05:01PM

Right on. That makes me laugh...lookin for the secret stash in the trunk.:) Hurtin for the dirt.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: George ()
Date: April 17, 2008 05:17PM

I knew checking the spare tire was bogus... there's no law that says I have
to have a spare tire. What is my cars is one of those newer ones that come
with run-flat tires that doesn't even come with a spare in the trunk?

As for they guy checking out my rear light bulbs... no way... I ALWAYS check
the all the exterior bulbs first before I even go down to the gas station
for inspection. (high/low headlights, all 4 turn signals, all marker lights,
both back-up lights, all three rear brake lights)

Anyway, I've learned my lesson and I'll definitely stay with the car next time.
Come to think of it, what I drop off my car at the dealer for warranty or
regular service? Definitely make sure to remove ALL valuables... :)

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: George ()
Date: April 17, 2008 05:20PM

oh wait... I just realized that I had a large duffle bag
filled with $100 bills in the trunk... now it's gone! :) :) :)

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: zippy ()
Date: April 17, 2008 06:07PM

Could you please tell us which station this was, as a warning to others?

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: native ()
Date: April 17, 2008 06:16PM

WashingToneLocian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The only legitimate reason I could think of him
> opening your trunk would be if one of the brake,
> blinker or tail lights wasn't working and he was
> checking the connection.

I call that bs, none of them give enough crap to check your connections. If your lights dont work they dont work and they fail you. He was definetely looking for something. Another thing that pisses me off about the dealers is when mechanics go and drive your car without a reason, excluding the short test drives for troubleshooting. I dropped my subaru for warranty service on Thursday, they gave me a rental and when I came back to pick it up on Monday I had an extra 175 miles on the odometer. I definetely brought this to the attention, they were trying to pass it off as a "test drive" Go fuck yourself nobody test drives the car for almost 200 miles. Long story short some dude got fired and I got a $250 free gas card.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: George ()
Date: April 17, 2008 06:18PM

Since nothing was stolen and I cannot legally prove that they
intended to steal anything, I will not reveal the gas station's
name and location.(seems like the fair thing to do)

I'm sure 99.99% of the gas stations doing inspectiions are run
by honest people.


zippy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Could you please tell us which station this was,
> as a warning to others?

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: George ()
Date: April 17, 2008 06:40PM

Remember, parking valets can do the same thing, which I why I almost
never use valet parking.

native Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WashingToneLocian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> when I came back to pick it up on Monday I had an
> extra 175 miles on the odometer.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: BootyInspecta ()
Date: April 17, 2008 07:25PM

he was probably checking how much junk you had in your trunk. maybe he could be of service to you, eh

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: coffin ()
Date: April 17, 2008 08:40PM

I've been getting cars inspected in Virginia since the 60's. For many of those years it was SOP for the inspector to wave you into the bay. You would drive your car in there and he would yell, right turn, left turn, blow the horn, etc.

I can't remember when it was exactly, but somewhere along the line lots of stupid, non-driving motherfuckers started hitting the gas instead of the brake and driving right through the back wall of the station. It happened all the time!

Now, the inspector drives it in there. They say they're required to...I don't know if that's true, but it's sure the smart thing for them to do.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: ITRADE ()
Date: April 17, 2008 08:52PM

Probably speeds things up. Between the time they get the car in gear and into the bay, they've completed three or four steps - they've seen the windshield to check for cracks, they turned the wiper blades on and off, theyve done a first impression check on the brakes, and they've tested the seat belts.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: possible ()
Date: April 17, 2008 10:12PM

if you have wheel locks he was probably looking for the key to get your tires off.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: DanCorr ()
Date: April 17, 2008 10:59PM

I've lived in VA for almost 23 years. 2 cars times 23 years... 46 inspections.
Not once have I seen an inspector trying to take the wheels off.......


possible Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> if you have wheel locks he was probably looking
> for the key to get your tires off.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: SBS ()
Date: April 18, 2008 02:03AM

It would depend on the car. If the inspector, using his little flexible flashlight, still can't see the brake pads well enough to check their wear, he will take off the wheel, usually 2 of them, usually on the same side of the car.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: TheMeeper ()
Date: April 18, 2008 06:17AM

DanCorr Wrote:
>>> I've lived in VA for almost 23 years. 2 cars times 23 years... 46 inspections. Not once have I seen an inspector trying to take the wheels off.......



I have seen the Shell station in McLean take the wheels off during the inspection.

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Re: guy doing VA inspection opened my trunk looking for stuff.... why the heck would he do that?
Posted by: Bonfire ()
Date: April 18, 2008 08:44AM

If as an inspector, if the sponsering or any State Trooper sees you do an inspection WITHOUT pulling the wheels off, you will be suspended from inspection, the whole station, for about a month. I didnt even think that he was looking for the wheel lock. Does your car have security lugs? Anyways, you have to remove 1 wheel form the front and 1 from the rear on differing sides

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