Is it illegal to sell a car that cant pass inspection? (inspections, safety)

[Falconman]

Originally Posted by DipDog3

Just sell it to someone who lives in SC.


We got rid of those worthless inspections decades ago. No one down here would care if it can pass an inspection or not.

If you have an accident and your car isnt safe to drive(slick tires, weak brakes,no horn, lights etc ) you might wish your car had been inspected for safety when you try to collect from insurance or the other driver does...I smell lawsuit..

[NCproud]

Selling a car that has problems to someone without disclosing the issue is pure dishonesty. You could have someone with a set amount of cash purchase it and not be able to afford to make repairs. If the issue is with the engine management, ( check engine lamp), the cost could be extremely high. If the car will not pass inspection, NC will not issue a valad tag or tag sticker. You can get short term waivers, but you still have to prove you have tried to have the problem corrected or are currently doing so,( ie spending money on it)
If the car is being bought for parts, it doesn't matter, cause the intent is not to put the vehicle on the road.
Put yourself in the same position. How would you feel if someone did it to you? If getting the repairs needed to have it pass wasn't too bad, I would presume you would have had them done for yourself!

I too believe that the inspection price seems excessive, but you have to figure in the Cost of the equipment, labor, building overhead, etc. break it down and these guys aren't getting rich. Not to mention, if we didn't have inspections, you would have way too many unsafe vehicles on the road. Trust me I have seen it.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by racewire20

I too believe that the inspection price seems excessive...

It's not the price.
It's the EVERY year nonsense and what they DON'T look at.

[RoadTraveler]

Originally Posted by MrRational

No; of course not. That's not the example.
The uninformed.

Not trying to be argue about it but that is not what you said in your original post. You didn't give an example.

You stated "But an actually thorough safety inspection done **at transfer of ownership** is a great thing for everyone and should be supported."

I do not support it for the reasons stated.

Another example is where I bought a car from my son. I knew it was in good condition and would pass an inspection. There is no reason for me to spend the additional money for that purpose.

[Falconman]

You see this often when buying used boats. They always say it ran when they parked it etc etc and may need a liitle work but believe me you better hear it run and ride the waves before you buy and take a life vest with you. What logic is there in selling a car that will pass with a little work and take a price drop when the seller can fix it for a few bucks and then get top buck?

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by RoadTraveler

Not trying to be argue about it but that is not what you said in your original post. You didn't give an example.

I was trying to avoid the "where I come from" thing.

• Steering system
• Wheel alignment
• Suspension
• Brake system
• Wheels / tires
• Fuel system
• Exhaust system
• Bumpers
• Fenders
• Lights
• Electrical system
• Mirrors
• Glazing (windows)
• Wipers
• Hood / catches
• Door handle latches
• Floor / trunk pans
• Speedometer / odometer
• Driver seat
• Safety belts
• Motor mounts
• Gear shift indicator
• Universal and CV (constant velocity) joints
• Emissions equipment

You stated "But an actually thorough safety inspection done **at transfer of ownership** is a great thing for everyone and should be supported."

As an example, actually checking brake pad wear requires breaking down the wheel
which also exposes bearings and seals and CV's...

There is no reason for me to spend the additional money for that purpose.

The seller pays for it.
No one should buy a used car without it.

[msm_teacher]

We have sold non-working cars twice in the past to friends who enjoyed tinkering. It beat having to find a way to dispose of the cars. In both cases, we wrote the actual condition of the cars on the titles, including that the odometers didn't work and the true mileage was unknown. In both cases, they got the cars up and running, passed inspection and used the cars for many more years.

[RoadTraveler]

I give up!

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by MrRational

I was trying to avoid the "where I come from" thing.

• Steering system
• Wheel alignment
• Suspension
• Brake system
• Wheels / tires
• Fuel system
• Exhaust system
• Bumpers
• Fenders
• Lights
• Electrical system
• Mirrors
• Glazing (windows)
• Wipers
• Hood / catches
• Door handle latches
• Floor / trunk pans
• Speedometer / odometer
• Driver seat
• Safety belts
• Motor mounts
• Gear shift indicator
• Universal and CV (constant velocity) joints
• Emissions equipment

As an example, actually checking brake pad wear requires breaking down the wheel
which also exposes bearings and seals and CV's...
The seller pays for it.
No one should buy a used car without it.

Where the heck did you come from? I used to live in NY and they didn't inspect half those things on your list. And they're known for being tough. Your list is the entire car!

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by ss20ts

I used to live in NY and they didn't inspect half those things on your list.
And they're known for being tough. Your list is the entire car!

Yeah it is; which is the point.

Absent that level of care calling what NC does a "safety inspection" is a joke.
NC has a superficial and cursory "look it over" money grab...
that is more concerned with window tinting than brakes.

Doing that every year makes it a money grab crime.

Where the heck did you come from?

That's from Maryland. It gets done only when a car gets sold. NOT every year.

Originally Posted by MD-MVA

The safety inspection should take about 1-½ hours for most vehicles once the registered inspection mechanic begins work. Certain vehicles (e.g., trailers) may take less time so it is best to check with the station. When the mechanic has finished, he will prepare an inspection report that shows the vehicle parts or systems examined and whether or not they have met Maryland’s standards. See Appendix A for more information.

The list above is from that Appendix. source

The principle is like this:
New cars and 1st cycle used cars are usually well cared for; even babied (even in NC!).
Unless something VERY unusual is happening most cars less than 8 years old shouldn't
need much more than oil changes, tires and brakes in their life.

The new and nicer used cars of this vintage...
which *don't* get basic maintenance done (tires, brakes, etc) will be very few. Agreed?

Older cars, the bulk of the (non dealer and warrantied) used car market warrant having an
extra level of protection for the consumer. That protection, by way of an actually thorough
vehicle safety inspection, gets done at that time of sale.

The rest of the car owning public is assumed to be self motivated enough to not drive their
family around in unsafe cars or to risk scratching up their windshields by not spending $5
on wiper blades now and then.

The VERY few irresponsible miscreants who don't or won't...
are left to the police to cite with safety inspections. It works.