Best price for vechicle inspection

DQ2B

Active Member
Anyone know who has the best price for a vehicle inspection? Mechanicsville/Charlotte Hall/Hollywood/Leonardtown area would be best.
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
IIRC the state limits the 'inspection' price


its the - oh you need a head light adj, your brake pads need replaced, that coast
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
Don't shop on price. Look for the shop that fleeces you the least on unneccesary repairs to 'pass' inspection.
 

PrchJrkr

Long Haired Country Boy
Ad Free Experience
Patron
Mr. Tire on the outskirts of Leonardtown inspected my last vehicle for a reasonable price. I think it was $60 at the time. I had already replaced the headlights since the lenses were fogged. They warned me that the rear shoes were reaching the point of replacement, but were within specs. :yay:
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
Mr. Tire on the outskirts of Leonardtown inspected my last vehicle for a reasonable price. I think it was $60 at the time. I had already replaced the headlights since the lenses were fogged. They warned me that the rear shoes were reaching the point of replacement, but were within specs. :yay:

While people like to rag on Mr Tire, the one in California inspected two cars for me and I had the same experience. They pointed out the items that were getting close to coming due but passed it because they were still within spec.
 

sm8

Active Member
While people like to rag on Mr Tire, the one in California inspected two cars for me and I had the same experience. They pointed out the items that were getting close to coming due but passed it because they were still within spec.

I have heard good things about the leonardtown and California one but the one in mechanicsville is such a rip off I think they give them all a bad name.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
I have heard good things about the leonardtown and California one but the one in mechanicsville is such a rip off I think they give them all a bad name.

I think it all depends on the local manager. I was a customer with the one in Bryans Road for a long time. I just requested for the 'skinny kid with the tattoos' to work on my car and I knew that things would be done right.
 

Grumpy

Well-Known Member
Been about 10 yrs since I had a car inspected and it was $50. Car didn't pass because of a tiny nick on the serpentine belt, they wanted $186 for parts/labor to replace it. I said I would have to think about it and left. Went to Autozone, picked up a belt for $34 and replaced in it in the parking lot in 15 minutes. Was back at the inspection place within 45 minutes to get a clean inspection sticker.

As for automotive shops in St Mary's..I've had good luck with Mr Tire in CH and Cheseldines in Hollywood/Lex Park, they both inspect cars. Neither is the shop I used for the above inspection.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
Don't shop on price. Look for the shop that fleeces you the least on unneccesary repairs to 'pass' inspection.
IIRC the state limits the 'inspection' price


its the - oh you need a head light adj, your brake pads need replaced, that coast

LOL, when I saw this thread I had the same thought, the state gives the official fee, but then there is how much you need to bribe the inspector to get the certificate.
 

DQ2B

Active Member
LOL, when I saw this thread I had the same thought, the state gives the official fee, but then there is how much you need to bribe the inspector to get the certificate.

Actually, no, the prices are not all the same at every location. That's why I asked.
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
Of course the prices will be different, as each shop doing the inspection probably has differing shop hourly rates and inspections can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. It is required by law that inspection stations have their rate posted but not what that rate is. I would say that the best way to find the best price would be word of mouth or inquiring from prospective shops what their rate is.
 

Justme2

Member
I don't know about the other two!!!BUT!!!

I have heard good things about the leonardtown and California one but the one in mechanicsville is such a rip off I think they give them all a bad name.

The one in California not only tried to rip me off once but twice. I would walk first before I took them another job to work on!!!
 

Goldenhawk

Well-Known Member
LOL, when I saw this thread I had the same thought, the state gives the official fee, but then there is how much you need to bribe the inspector to get the certificate.
Good point. I took a car in for inspection once, and the shop failed it on headlight adjustment. I had JUST adjusted them the night before, because I could tell they were out of position when I got it. But they wanted to bill me something ludicrous ($60?) to adjust them again. Even worse, they told me that yes, I COULD take the car home and re-adjust them myself, but then I'd have to pay another inspection fee all over again, while if they did the work, they'd just sign off on the inspection then-and-there.

And they wouldn't let me watch to verify they actually DID anything, nor would they give me any measurements or details or proof of the supposed misalignment. "Can't let you back in the shop, laddie, what with insurance and all that..."

I was hopping mad, and never went back to that shop. Pure "highway robbery", but totally unarguable. And people wonder why we don't trust repair shops.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
Good point. I took a car in for inspection once, and the shop failed it on headlight adjustment. I had JUST adjusted them the night before, because I could tell they were out of position when I got it. But they wanted to bill me something ludicrous ($60?) to adjust them again. Even worse, they told me that yes, I COULD take the car home and re-adjust them myself, but then I'd have to pay another inspection fee all over again, while if they did the work, they'd just sign off on the inspection then-and-there.

Yup, mysteriously, the cost to do whatever bull#### they have found is always $1 less than what it would cost to get the car re-inspected. The state could fix that problem by making the re-inspection of up to 3 items part of the initial inspection fee. So if it's just a fuel-cap with a bad seal and a burned out bulb, they can't play their little fleecing game.
 

Goldenhawk

Well-Known Member
While MD is certainly no libertarian's paradise, I'm SO glad I don't have to deal with Virginia's annual car inspection anymore. It makes these shenanigans barely tolerable.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
While MD is certainly no libertarian's paradise, I'm SO glad I don't have to deal with Virginia's annual car inspection anymore. It makes these shenanigans barely tolerable.

Imagine, there are states that have none of this yet people aren't dying by dozen due to poorly maintained cars.
 

PrchJrkr

Long Haired Country Boy
Ad Free Experience
Patron
Yup, mysteriously, the cost to do whatever bull#### they have found is always $1 less than what it would cost to get the car re-inspected. The state could fix that problem by making the re-inspection of up to 3 items part of the initial inspection fee. So if it's just a fuel-cap with a bad seal and a burned out bulb, they can't play their little fleecing game.

I suppose I've just been lucky. I can remember leaving the inspection station after failing for something minor, going and fixing the problem, and returning for the ticket without another fee.

I've also told one to go ahead a replace a third brake light bulb, to give the tech a "tip". One bulb, two screws, and he got .25 hours out of it.:yay:
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
On the other hand....since shop rates are well exceeding $100 an hour these days, and it takes at least an hour just to perform a state inspection....maybe that, and the onerous record keeping burden, would explain why fewer shops even want to fool with state inspections. I wouldn't.
 

DEEKAYPEE8569

Well-Known Member
While people like to rag on Mr Tire, the one in California inspected two cars for me and I had the same experience. They pointed out the items that were getting close to coming due but passed it because they were still within spec.

I went to Mr. Tire to get my first oil change with the 2016; bought the oil/filter elsewhere. When it was time to leave, the guy goes down the bill; explains the charges and included the brake pad measurement. Don't ever remember them offering that info before. Guess it's a new policy/procedure? Doesn't matter; it's still good info to have.
 
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