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That's where I go simply because it's nearby but it's a metaphysical certainty that they'll find a lamp that is burnt out, regardless of if the car came in that way or not. Just budget for an extra 5-spot and you'll be fine.
Haha I've never been told to replace anything there........
So it is that time of year again for me, which I dread. Was checking out a couple of these inspection places mentioned on the thread here and I expected them to do nothing but inspections, to avoid the chance they'll "find" something that needs to be fixed - since they'd have no incentive. Not only that, but if all they do is inspections, they have an added incentive to pass you if you are borderline - since they don't make any extra money if you have to come back a second time. Puzzled why anyone would go an someplace with inspection only in the name but they do repairs anyway.
My tire tread depth is - depending on whose gauge you believe - somewhere around 3/32 or 4/32 but it could easily fail if the place felt like I think (at 2/32). My problem is that I get my tires from Walmart and each time I go there, the tires never meet the mileage guarantee - so I get the remaining value prorated towards the new set of tires. Thus the potential problem - if I were to be told they're 2/32 and fail from the inspection place - I wouldn't be able to get that from Walmart if they don't agree with the measurement. I still have about 10K miles left on that warranty but my inspection date is April. Oddly enough, after 20 years of dealing with the NC vehicle inspection I have never had this combination of circumstances come up before this year.
This is the best answer. Get your car inspected at a station that only does inspections such as Quality Inspection center in Cary, or NC Inspection center in Garner. That is all these businesses do and they are not interested in failing your car, to sell you other services that you probably do not need.
Wow, I did not know that shops like this existed, that only do car inspections
The whole car inspection law is bogus anyways. If it was really about safety, then all 50 states would require the same inspections, but they don't
I use my dealer, Leith Honda, because you can trust them.
Not specific to Leith, but using your dealership is POTENTIALLY a bad idea. The service managers at most (if not all) dealers are really just commissioned sales people. That is why, when you get an oil change they are out there EVERY SINGLE TIME telling you you need to replace you cabin filter, should check your ball-joints, probably should do a xxxx-mile recommended service, and a few other things.
My dealer does this every time. I just politely decline because I know they are just doing their jobs, but they can be persuasive.
I guess my comment is that I would not trust that everything they recommend is needed. I get that is way different than bogus failure of inspection to force you to buy things you don't need.
Wow, I did not know that shops like this existed, that only do car inspections
The whole car inspection law is bogus anyways. If it was really about safety, then all 50 states would require the same inspections, but they don't
The best is that in NC there is no emissions inspection on any diesel power auto. A diesel out of compliance is more dangerous than a gas car out of compliance.
The worst part about the OP's story is they had modified their testing equipment to give false readings. Hard to blame that on a single employee making a bad choice.
Not specific to Leith, but using your dealership is POTENTIALLY a bad idea. The service managers at most (if not all) dealers are really just commissioned sales people. That is why, when you get an oil change they are out there EVERY SINGLE TIME telling you you need to replace you cabin filter, should check your ball-joints, probably should do a xxxx-mile recommended service, and a few other things.
My dealer does this every time. I just politely decline because I know they are just doing their jobs, but they can be persuasive.
I guess my comment is that I would not trust that everything they recommend is needed. I get that is way different than bogus failure of inspection to force you to buy things you don't need.
I will be second to recommend Crossroads Ford's Quick Lane in Cary. They also have a stand alone operation in Apex as well (behind the Infiniti dealership). Never had them try to upsell me anything.
I do engine and cabin air filters every 30,000 miles per Ford's recommendations, I change the oil when the message on the dash tells me to, and get my alignment checked once a year. That's all the service my 2016 F-150 should need until it reaches 100,000 miles according to Ford. You can find the recommended service intervals inside your owners manual on most cars and trucks.
Stuff like tie-rods, ball joints, etc. always get a second opinion on them.
Another thing that bothers me with this whole NC inspection BS is the total complete lack of any consistency from year to year or place to place. Just in the past 5 years, my "inspection" has varied wildly. Anywhere from two guys walking up to my car turning on the lights, honking the horn - in 5 minutes it was done without ever being driven inside or raised up.....then another year brought into a bay but not raised up, then this year - a small army of guys raising the vehicle TWICE searching with flashlights over every tiny section underneath. It is such a scam. I am ready to register it in Florida or some other state where there are no inspections. Just another reason to eliminate the states.
I will be second to recommend Crossroads Ford's Quick Lane in Cary. They also have a stand alone operation in Apex as well (behind the Infiniti dealership). Never had them try to upsell me anything.
I do engine and cabin air filters every 30,000 miles per Ford's recommendations, I change the oil when the message on the dash tells me to, and get my alignment checked once a year. That's all the service my 2016 F-150 should need until it reaches 100,000 miles according to Ford. You can find the recommended service intervals inside your owners manual on most cars and trucks.
Stuff like tie-rods, ball joints, etc. always get a second opinion on them.
Apex Quick Lane is closer to home for me, so that is where I go now.
They aren't too busy yet, so it is easy to get an in-and-out, and they have the same great pastries delivered for my dining pleasure.
When Crossroads opens up their new store, I am sure Apex Quick Lane will get jumping.
I can tell you another place not to get any work on your car done because they will find phantom/made-up problems that don't exist.
It's a certain 3 same initials place, quite well known to all drivers, especially those whose cars have died or they need a tow or have gotten themselves locked out.
Specifically it's the car care side of that business that rips off consumers.
I got an oil change at the 3 letter car care place on Chapel Hill Rd in Morrisville a couple yrs ago. At the time they told me my brakes were more than 1/2 the way worn down and needed replacing soon. I decided to wait.
Fast forward about 20 months and I finally decided to address the "brakes needing replaced" issue. I took my car to another place recommended to me, and lo and behold, that place discovered my brakes were in excellent condition, showing almost no wear and shouldn't need to be replaced for at least the next 70k miles. They showed me my brake pads and rotors and how pristine they still were, and I was on my way, very thankful I did not let that certain 3 letter car care place rip me off.
Friend of mine in Hickory, NC had a similar experience when she went to that 3 letter car care place to get an annual inspection. They said her car failed and wanted to do repairs on it. She took her car to a different place and her car passed inspection, no problem.
Those are some amazing brake pads then. Most only last 30-70k total.
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inspection only? can you stay in your car?
