How strict is NEPA Car Inspection? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: buy, live in, floors)

[JimmyLane]

I'm getting ready to have my car inspected. I live in Susquehanna County. My car has some rust accumulation at the bottom of the driver side door. Is exterior rust grounds for failing a car in PA? My car passed NJ Inspection the last time, but according to a local, PA inspection is stricter than NJ's. I read somewhere that some counties in PA do not even require emissions testing. Is this the case?

[CHS89]

AFAIK, a little bit of body rust is not necessarily grounds to fail a car for inspection. Bad brakes, bald tires, busted lights for sure. As long as your car is mechanically sound, it should pass, aesthetics usually doesn't matter. I believe that only certain years (newer, maybe?) are exempt from emissions testing. My understanding is that as long as your gas cap screws in and you're not plugging the nozzle with an oily rag, it should pass.

For what it's worth, a body rust repair kit for your need isn't terribly expensive or difficult. Pick a nice Saturday afternoon, get a six pack of your favorite beverage, and take care of it yourself. You might need a sanding disc for your drill. The rest is just mesh screen, bondo, and touchup paint, if memory serves.

[Bazzwell]

We have different rules for different counties. Some require the full emission test, others simply check to make sure required equipment is present. Your county has only the visual inspection.

As far as rust, it shouldn't be a problem. Pennsylvania code requires that all vehicles have doors, hoods and so on that are in operating condition. In other words, they're haven't rusted off and they still shut. Floors must not have any holes in them due to potential for fume invasion to the passenger compartment. Now if the area below the door has severe rust, in the main body of the car itself, that would warrant a closer look for potential frame damage.

[FightinPhils]

You won't need an emissions inspection in Susquehanna County. I believe the only NEPA counties where they require an emissions inspection are Lackawanna and Luzerne. PA used to only require emissions inspections in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas, but then they expanded it to some of the smaller metros like Scr/WB, Lehigh Valley, Harrisburg, Erie, etc. You won't need it in the rural counties.

[Bjm]

i think it's criminal that a person has to have a brand new vehicle inspected. all we're doing is paying graft money. how many have seen cars that aren't even road worthy driving around with stickers on their cars?

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by Bjm

i think it's criminal that a person has to have a brand new vehicle inspected. all we're doing is paying graft money. how many have seen cars that aren't even road worthy driving around with stickers on their cars?

You don't have to have a brand-new car inspected. When you buy a new car in PA, it comes already inspected. You won't have to have it inspected for a year.

[nkotb]

Originally Posted by Bjm

i think it's criminal that a person has to have a brand new vehicle inspected. all we're doing is paying graft money. how many have seen cars that aren't even road worthy driving around with stickers on their cars?

Thats because 'Mr. take the money and run garage' will put a sticker on any
vehicle, as long as you drove it in. We have an inspection station like that
in my community.

[Vinny536]

one of the major reasons i fled Pa was their strict and unfair vehicle code. It is written in a way that makes almost any vehicle modification illegal.

off my soap box, here is exactly what the state prescribes for an inspection.


067 Pa. Code §*175.80.*Inspection procedure.

EDIT: it looks like my copy and paste has removed some of the formatting making this difficult to read, click the link for the original formatting.

[Vinny536]

[quote=ArtSpooner;3612283]

Originally Posted by 61scout80

one of the major reasons i fled Pa was their strict and unfair vehicle code. It is written in a way that makes almost any vehicle modification illegal.

off my soap box, here is exactly what the state prescribes for an inspection.


067 Pa. Code §*175.80.*Inspection procedure.


It's just another scam that benefits the service station and the state coffers. No one in their right mind will go around with faulty brakes absent a required inspection. Florida has requirements but there are no inspections. So, if you get pulled over and you have windows that are tinted too dark you can be written up. But they're not anal about it. Some of the MONSTER trucks that roam Florida streets should be banned. But I'd rather have no inspection and live with the big oversized pick 'em trucks...

I don't blame some mechanics for rubber stamping vehicles and taking it easy on people. I used to do state inspections in Pa and some garages will fail you just to get service work done on your vehicle that you don't need. Who is inspecting them..? I doubt with all the bureacracy in Pa anyone is testing these inspection stations for preying on people..

Arizona is also very lenient with their vehicle code enforcement, and there is no annual inspection. I've been searching for statistics that prove an annual inspection actually prevents injury accidents, and i have found no such information.

[JimmyLane]

Thanks for the very helpful information, much appreciated.

I think the mechanic who told me that PA inspection will fail my car for door rust may have been setting me up for repairs that the car technically does not 'need,' at least in the short term, because he mentioned in the next sentence something about filling the door and undercarriage with "foam."

I'm going to do exactly what somebody above recommended, repair the minor rust on my car myself.