Vehicle Inspection (Pittsburgh, Verona: insurance, Home Depot, to buy) - Pennsylvania (PA) - City-Data Forum

swayyde1 · 02-03-2011, 07:18 PM

alright my car inspection is coming up and well i have a question about it.

I have a hole under my passenger door in the chassis, and i read in the inspection manual about the body having to be solid. I'm under the assumption that it means no rust holes, But is a leeway there?

Cause sadly i just lost my job and cant afford to buy a new car or even buy a used car, and finding a job wont be easy if i dont have a car...

deathegg88 · 02-03-2011, 09:32 PM

How big is the hole? Is it on the floor?
Yes, it has to be fixed, but it doesn't have to be done professionally. You can simply pop-rivet a patch there and undercoat it. That should pass.

Also, I think there is a bit of leeway on the size of holes, etc, but I think it's a judgement call on the part of the person doing the inspection as to whether it warrants a repair or not. If it's a HUGE hole, yeah it'll fail. But a smaller one may pass; not sure on that. Better safe than sorry; just fix it.

I miss CA, all I had was a smog test every other year. No safety inspections.

ditchdigger · 02-03-2011, 09:35 PM

I believe there's a little more leeway than there once was. As long as there's nothing jagged that somebody could get hurt by, and it won't allow exhaust to enter the vehicle, it might pass.

If not, buy a pop riveter and a little piece of sheet metal, and cover it up. There's never been any requirement that they have to be pretty...

On edit: Deathegg88 is just a little quicker than me...

Tirade · 02-03-2011, 11:17 PM

This won't be a popular answer, but...

If money is tight, skip the inspection. Keeping a roof over your head, having enough to eat, and finding a new job is more important. If you don't speed, drive recklessly, or do anything to attract police attention, nobody will notice or care.

ditchdigger · 02-04-2011, 02:55 AM

I'll have to disagree on that one.

It was many moons ago, when my (then) wife wanted Burger King for dinner. The closest one was the one on Carson St. in the Southside. I was in my truck, and ahead of me was a AAA service vehicle, there on Carson. As fortune would have it, a Pgh motorcycle cop was coming the opposite direction. The two stopped and spoke a few words to each other, and then proceeded on.

The cop, made a U-turn right there on Carson, followed me into the drive through lane at BK, parked out on the street, and walked back to the drive up window. He very politely requested that when I was done, I stop and see him on the street, where he very politely wrote me about a $90 ticket for the expired sticker on the truck, something that had legitametly slipped my mind two months earlier.

(And in case you're wondering, no, it wasn't a junker. It was probably the best looking truck I ever owned. And no, I don't think the AAA guy was involved. I think since we were all stopped there, the cop had a chance to get a good look at my sticker. They get paid to be observant of that sort of thing you know...)

catchtwenty2 · 02-04-2011, 03:22 AM

I have PA plates on my motorcycle. Never been inspected. My cop friends tell me its tough to keep an eye out for the stickers that go on bikes. There are cops in towns which do look for current stickers on cars, and they will pull you over.

I refuse to register my car in PA until someone forces me, as I feel inspection stickers are a rip off and a conspiracy for unscrupulous shops to take advantage of ignorant drivers. Surprisingly, my insurance premiums are a significantly cheaper where my truck is registered. I'm going on eight years here with out of state plates.

However, if you look around hard enough, you can get inspection stickers for just about anything with four wheels and an engine. Its kind of a "who you know" kind of thing, but it doesn't hurt to ask. There are definitely places all around Pittsburgh who will sell you a sticker and not much else.

gg · 02-04-2011, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swayyde1

alright my car inspection is coming up and well i have a question about it.

I have a hole under my passenger door in the chassis, and i read in the inspection manual about the body having to be solid. I'm under the assumption that it means no rust holes, But is a leeway there?

Cause sadly i just lost my job and cant afford to buy a new car or even buy a used car, and finding a job wont be easy if i dont have a car...

Here is what I would do. Stop by a garage and ask them if the hole is okay. If it isn't ask if you can spray some expandable insolation foam you can buy for $4 at Home Depot in the hole and trim to fit and ask if that would that make it okay? Yes, I have seen it done and pass inspection. PM me if you need more information. There is an honest garage in Verona, PA that would tell you if you are okay as far as the hole. Tires and brakes have to pass though. I don't know a garage that would take that chance.

feanix · 02-04-2011, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

I'll have to disagree on that one.

It was many moons ago, when my (then) wife wanted Burger King for dinner. The closest one was the one on Carson St. in the Southside. I was in my truck, and ahead of me was a AAA service vehicle, there on Carson. As fortune would have it, a Pgh motorcycle cop was coming the opposite direction. The two stopped and spoke a few words to each other, and then proceeded on.

The cop, made a U-turn right there on Carson, followed me into the drive through lane at BK, parked out on the street, and walked back to the drive up window. He very politely requested that when I was done, I stop and see him on the street, where he very politely wrote me about a $90 ticket for the expired sticker on the truck, something that had legitametly slipped my mind two months earlier.

(And in case you're wondering, no, it wasn't a junker. It was probably the best looking truck I ever owned. And no, I don't think the AAA guy was involved. I think since we were all stopped there, the cop had a chance to get a good look at my sticker. They get paid to be observant of that sort of thing you know...)

I have to agree with this as well. Do not forgo the inspection. Almost an identical situation happened to me just last year, on the same exact street, by a motorcycle cop as well. I'm almost curious if it wasn't the same cop!!!

In my situation, I got stuck at a red light and two motorcycle cops were on the other side of the intersection. He did a U-Turn, pulled me over, and my car was towed. My car was legal, outside of inspection/emissions, and had several hundreds in repairs (receipts in the car with me) including 4 new tires installed the day prior. It was a 2002 with no rust and under 100K miles. I even had my mechanics number for them to call if they wanted to verify the car was due to go back in for an inspection the next day (no lie). I was excited to have a functional car again and followed the bad advice of a friend who assured me that even if I was pulled over and given a ticket I could go to traffic court and show I was in compliance within 7 days and get out of it. Neither of us ever imagined that I could be towed!

The cop was rude, yelling at me and so much so a few bystanders were so taken aback by his behavior that they tried to intervene and when he turned his anger towards them they said he deserved reported. They were probably right and, yeah, he was a pr*** for towing a disabled woman's car at night, but I was the idiot driving around with expired stickers.

Long story short, I went to traffic court and got out of the tickets, but I was still out the tow/impound fee (over $100.00) and as a bonus the cop made a note that I was not permitted to drive the car off the lot which would have resulted in 2 tow fees in 1 day had a friend not helped me out. Even the tow attendent made a comment about what a jerk the cop was for making that bonus stipulation when I was entirely legal otherwise! Still I was out a considerable amount of money and time not to mention the stress he caused me (and the later court appearance I had to make and the stress associated with that).

Sometimes you can behave behind the wheel and still have the bad luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then you and your wallet are at the mercy of the cop's mood that day.

If nothing else let my story serve as a horrible warning as to how wrong things can go. Find a cheap way to fix the car for now.

ditchdigger · 02-04-2011, 06:45 AM

Quote:

I'm almost curious if it wasn't the same cop!!!

If so, he'd be close to retirement. Mine was about 25 years ago.

BTW, while we're on the subject, they also look for current registration stickers on the license plate. Don't ask me how I know...

feanix · 02-04-2011, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

If so, he'd be close to retirement. Mine was about 25 years ago.

BTW, while we're on the subject, they also look for current registration stickers on the license plate. Don't ask me how I know...

Then probably not the same guy. This guy was 40'ish and behaved as though his wife slept with his best friend, took him for everything he had, including the dog, and I just had the lucky misfortune of looking like her!

LOL about the registration. I've been told they'll run them randomly to see if a hit comes up, so I believe it! Fortunately I was legal in all other ways (registration, insurance), because I can't imagine what would have happened had I not been! He may have publicly flogged me! Or maybe the stockades, LOL!

Hands down one of the worst cop experiences I've ever had, but to be honest most my experiences with Pittsburgh cops I've disliked. Even as a victim their consideration wasn't much to write home about.