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Old 05-13-2009, 07:29 PM
 
17 posts, read 84,867 times
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Just moved here from Ohio, and I am looking for a place to get the Maryland state inspection done on my car without getting ripped off. I found a place online in Parkville (YOUR BEST DEAL FOR MARYLAND STATE INSPECTION) Steve's Garage. Advertises no additional charges, fast and fair, and is not a repair shop so promises an unbiased inspection. $60. Has anyone gone here or heard anything about this place?
Can anyone recommend another place near Baltimore/Columbia that only does inspections that will not try to charge me for things I don't need?

Thank you
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Old 05-13-2009, 08:14 PM
 
Location: Maryland about 20 miles NW of DC
6,104 posts, read 5,990,747 times
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I would recommend you talk about state inspection with a coworker or coworkers. There is lot of shady dealing in the system. For example, you might need a new headlight or a brake job. In my case, I had to get this done on a car from New York were I resided before coming to Maryland. A technician I worked with and who lived in Wheaton said just give me the keys , the required state fee and something for a friend. Next morning he gave me the car back with the papers needed at DMV.
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Old 08-17-2009, 12:37 PM
 
1 posts, read 18,213 times
Reputation: 10
Default Steve's garage

I wonder if you ever got the answer about Steve's garage. I am too looking for a place to take my recent bought civic to get inspected.
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Old 08-17-2009, 12:52 PM
 
789 posts, read 2,563,957 times
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In Columbia... http://dobbinautorepair.com/about.html
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Old 08-17-2009, 02:23 PM
 
55 posts, read 380,830 times
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Default Let me get this straight -- Maryland allows the price to vary?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jh_2009 View Post
Just moved here from Ohio, and I am looking for a place to get the Maryland state inspection done on my car without getting ripped off. I found a place online in Parkville (YOUR BEST DEAL FOR MARYLAND STATE INSPECTION) Steve's Garage. Advertises no additional charges, fast and fair, and is not a repair shop so promises an unbiased inspection. $60. Has anyone gone here or heard anything about this place?
Can anyone recommend another place near Baltimore/Columbia that only does inspections that will not try to charge me for things I don't need?

Thank you
In most states, things like Safety Inspections and Emissions Inspections have a set fee, so as to avoid fraud. Do these shops in Maryland get to charge whatever they want for the Safety Inspection? If so, talk about a recipe for problems...

And if anyone has a recommendation for a place in Silver Spring, let me know. I did see a shop on Georgia Avenue, near 16th Street (has a big sign, but can't remember name of the shop).
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Old 08-17-2009, 03:02 PM
 
789 posts, read 2,563,957 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GeorgeSpelvin View Post
In most states, things like Safety Inspections and Emissions Inspections have a set fee, so as to avoid fraud. Do these shops in Maryland get to charge whatever they want for the Safety Inspection? If so, talk about a recipe for problems...

And if anyone has a recommendation for a place in Silver Spring, let me know. I did see a shop on Georgia Avenue, near 16th Street (has a big sign, but can't remember name of the shop).
prices r fixed.
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Old 08-20-2009, 12:25 PM
 
941 posts, read 3,911,404 times
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The prices are fixed. Generally, people like to vary it for a couple of dollars. Like a special for $59.95.

The unbiased MD inspection site sounds like a good shop to check out. As it is not a repair shop, the inspector can't do much except to be honest.
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Old 08-20-2009, 12:35 PM
 
564 posts, read 1,493,996 times
Reputation: 391
The price of the inspection is fixed, but the inspector can still flunk you, saying you need to get X, Y and Z done, and charge you for the work. Also remember that the MD inspection is strict. My mechanic (really honest guy) does them and says that the majority of cars he looks at require SOME kind of part, adjustment, etc. to pass. When I brought my wife's car to him he was impressed that all it needed was the headlights aimed which he did for free.
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Old 08-22-2009, 06:50 PM
 
55 posts, read 380,830 times
Reputation: 51
Default Beltway Chevron in Silver Spring wants $79.99

$80 freaking dollars for a safety inspection? What a scam. Obviously the state of Maryland gets a cut of this, so it's yet another tax.

Anyway, is $79.99 the "official" price statewide? Or is this place ripping people off?

It's called Beltway Chevron at 9475 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, a short distance from the 495 access. I want to check around before I spend the money at this place.
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Old 08-23-2009, 07:47 AM
 
168 posts, read 672,382 times
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IIRC pricing is set according to the labor rate of whatever shop you have perform the inspection. So one shop with a labor rate of $65/hour will charge less than one with $80-$100/ hour. The state regulates a designated amount of time that it pays but they dont set a price.

I'm a tech at a large auto dealer and this inspection is totally corrupt. I've seen one inspector say one thing and another say something totally different. Used car dealers can inspect their own inventory(can you say conflict of interest) and I myself have found dishonesty to be the rule. Our inspector at the dealership I work at has little to no auto knowledge and he's been doing inspections for years. I have experience with several other state inspection procedures and MD's sucks.
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