Survey: Government Vehicle Inspection Requirements - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rwthomas1 · #16 08-28-2007, 12:07 PM

Rhode Island:

Safety and Emissions inspection is combined and performed by State licensed independent shops. Required every two years, all the expected functions must work and structural rusting is examined closely. Emissions is required on diesels but it is just an opacity test that any decent running diesel can pass. They don't yet know/care about "lost" EGR valves, etc. Cost $49. RT

Jeremy5848 · #17 08-28-2007, 12:22 PM

California

Safety inspection -- none, except as below.

Cars being put back on the road ("salvage title," etc.) must have a road-worthiness inspection before they can be registered. Last one I did was 25 years ago so I don't know the cost today.

Smog -- every two years for gassers, diesels are exempt.

Insurance -- Required, not that everyone has it. [begin rant] Some very poor people who need to drive a car to get to their job or whatever get an old junker from a friend or used car place. Some don't even have driver's licenses but they get someone else to sign the papers for them. The dealer doesn't care and private sellers don't have to check. They don't re-register the car, just drive it as-is. If they get caught, the car is impounded (expensive) so they abandon it and get another. [end rant]

Jeremy

Number_Cruncher · #18 08-28-2007, 12:33 PM

Here's the situation in the UK.

Just about every car and truck needs to have a valid MOT certificate, which lasts for 12 months. You need to show the MOT certificate to be able to tax / licence your vehicle (which is in the form of a windscreen displayed disc), which again is an annual thing - incidentally, you also need to show your insurance certificate before you tax your car.

New cars are exempt from MOT testing for three years - for these three years, you just show your vehicles registration certificate to get your tax disc.

The MOT test was introduced here in the 1960's and, every few years, it gets updated and becomes a little bit more stringent.

As a guide to what gets checked, see;

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual/contents.htm

All cars, petrol and diesel are tested for emissions.

The MOTs are carried out mainly by garages who will offer to do the repairs. If you allow the testing garage to do the repairs, there's typically some discount or waiver on any re-test fees.

There are some potentially expensive problems which can cause a fail. Emissions, obviously, but, the function of the ABS warning light is also tested. We use salt quite a bit in Winter, and, corrosion is a big problem, and some keen MOT testers can very quickly find enough rot to condemn a car.

If you take your car away, you need to do the repairs quite quickly - I think if it takes over 10 days, you need to pay for a full re-test.

The test fee I payed for the E300D the other day was £45, so, about $90.

The tax / licence is £175
The insurance is about £400
and diesel is about £1 per litre

There are many reasons why I'm happy to be on this side of the Atlantic, but, motoring costs isn't one of them!

vstech · #19 08-28-2007, 01:49 PM

Oh, I forgot,
In NC pre 96 vehicles without ODB II systems are emissions exempt. also, post 96 vehicles will fail if ANY stored codes are in the system. and it is now illegal for the free code check places to clear codes...

300sdToronto · #20 08-28-2007, 01:53 PM

Ontario, Canada

Safety Test

Required every time a passenger car or van is sold used, or if a used vehicle is imported. Without a safety certificate you cannot get a license plate. Valid for 36 days after the inspection, costs around $50.00

Most competent garages are also inspection stations. There is no requirement to get the repairs done at the same garage which provided the inspection.

Large commercial vehicles like trucks and buses require an annual test to stay on the road.

Emissions

Vehicles older than 3 years require an emissions test every 2 years. Without this you can't renew the license road tax sticker and the police will stop and charge you. The passenger car diesel inspection is a joke as it's a visual inspection only.

Passenger diesels older than about 1990 do NOT require an emissions test. So my 83 300sd is home and dry

BlackSheep5 · #21 08-28-2007, 02:11 PM

Sierra Vista, AZ
NO emissions, NO safety inspections, only inspection is when you first register they check the VIN to make sure the title and car match.

Jim B. · #22 08-28-2007, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

California

Safety inspection -- none, except as below.

Cars being put back on the road ("salvage title," etc.) must have a road-worthiness inspection before they can be registered. Last one I did was 25 years ago so I don't know the cost today.

Smog -- every two years for gassers, diesels are exempt.

Insurance -- Required, not that everyone has it. [begin rant] Some very poor people who need to drive a car to get to their job or whatever get an old junker from a friend or used car place. Some don't even have driver's licenses but they get someone else to sign the papers for them. The dealer doesn't care and private sellers don't have to check. They don't re-register the car, just drive it as-is. If they get caught, the car is impounded (expensive) so they abandon it and get another. [end rant]

Jeremy

To amplify on this, the California smog inspection includes a very strict visual inspection of all smog impedimentia on the vehicle.

Where smog equipment that shows evidence of being removed or having been tampered with, there is NO limit on what must be spent to bring the car back into visible compliance.

Smog standards are stricter in the urban areas, and if the Nox readings are bad, it may be deemed a "Gross Polluter" and fines and expenses are VERY high in bringing the cart into compliance.

An appeal referee and retest process exists.

Curiously there is little control on the smog tech's occasional errors in keying in the data to the computer and mistakenly branding the car as a "gross polluter" which results in high penalties and fees to the owner of a "clean" car that is mistakenly branded as a "Gross Polluter", and no legal recourse for the car's owner.

Vehicles older than 1975 are exempt from the Smog Tests in addition to diesels.

Also of note is the following:

Out of state used cars being brought into the state and registered for the first time were subject to an additional "Smog Impact Fee" of $300

However that fee was discontinued after a successful 1990s lawsuit that charged the "smog impact fee" was based solely on political and fund generating reasons having nothing to do with smog control or mitigation of pollution, and all monies collected under that law were refunded to Californians that paid them.

There are no lighting, safety, rust, or roadworthiness inspections of any kind whatsoever of California vehicles.

DieselAddict · #23 08-28-2007, 02:40 PM

Nevada: no safety inspections, just annual smog tests for all light-duty gas and diesel vehicles over 2 years of age, unless you live in one of the rural counties that have no smog testing. I think once the vehicle is over 40 years old it becomes exempt again.

Jeremy5848 · #24 08-28-2007, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

...Out of state used cars being brought into the state and registered for the first time were subject to an additional "Smog Impact Fee" of $300

However that fee was discontinued after a successful 1990s lawsuit that charged the "smog impact fee" was based solely on political and fund generating reasons having nothing to do with smog control or mitigation of pollution, and all monies collected under that law were refunded to Californians that paid them....

Thanks for adding the details I missed, Jim. As to the "smog impact fee," I was one of the people who had to pay it (and, later, had it refunded) when I brought my late sainted mother's '89 Olds into the state from Wisconsin.

Jeremy

H-townbenzoboy · #25 08-28-2007, 05:12 PM

In Texas...

05.01 Inspect Every Passenger Car For: (Listed in suggested order of inspection)

* Check for evidence of Financial Responsibility

1. Horn
2. Windshield Wipers
3. Mirror
4. Steering
5. Seat Belts
6. Brakes (system) (Parking - beginning with 1960 models)
7. Tires
8. Wheel Assembly
9. Exhaust System
10. Exhaust Emission System (beginning with 1968 models)
11. Beam Indicator (beginning with 1948 models)
12. Tail Lamps (2); (1) if 1959 model or earlier
13. Stop Lamps (2); (1) if 1959 model or earlier
14. License Plate Lamp (1)
15. Rear Red Reflectors (2)
16. Turn Signal Lamps (beginning with 1960 models)
17. Head Lamps (2)
18. Motor, Serial, or Vehicle Identification Number
19. 1988 & newer - inspect for window tinting or coating
20. Gas caps on vehicles 2-24 model years old.

Jim B. · #26 08-28-2007, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

Thanks for adding the details I missed, Jim. As to the "smog impact fee," I was one of the people who had to pay it (and, later, had it refunded) when I brought my late sainted mother's '89 Olds into the state from Wisconsin.

Jeremy

Same here; I bought a used Volvo from Putnam Volvo, a dealer, and paid the smog impact fee too at the time. (in 1995)

The car had - according to the Owners manual - been owned by a stockbroker in Houston, who turned it in at end of lease; then Volvo NA auctioned it off, at an auction in Phoenix, where Putnam bought a whole bunch of them and shipped them by truck to Calif to resell, after it sat someplace for a year

I finally got the money back; but only after the lawsuit. Never from the dealer. They said OTDYOYOMF (out the door you're on your own mother******)

Funny, I forgot about all that, until I read your post......politicians....

pawoSD · #27 08-28-2007, 06:11 PM

Michigan:

Nothing at all. No inspections or emissions testing whatsoever.

If it has wheels and moves...welcome to our roads!

I wonder how many accidents in this state are caused by less than....safe to drive...vehicles.

F18 · #28 08-28-2007, 06:32 PM

Massachusetts is one of the five CARB states. Emissions along with safety inspections are done every year by state certified inspection locations every year for a $29.00 fee. Not all locations are equiped and certified to do the emissions on diesel so you have to seek out the state certified diesel locations.

junqueyardjim · #29 08-28-2007, 08:27 PM

No inspections of any kind for an automobile, at least generally speaking. I do believe that a few counties in the Chicago metro area do have an emissions test. Used cars brought in from out of state must pass a police/sheriff test of serial number to title check. Liability Insurance is mandatory and motorists must show "Proof of Insurance" when getting license, then they immediately, (many of them anyway) let the Insurance Policy die. License costs for my Mercedes, both the 84 and the 85 300D I think is $62.50 annually each. So, if it runs you can drive it. There is some real junk on the roads, yet without mandatory inspections, it could be worse.

murdoc · #30 08-28-2007, 08:49 PM

CA - My Diesel Benz has never been inspected since I purchased it, and since it is smog exempt it does not require a inspection AFAIK.

MD - Maryland requires that the vehicle is inspected before registering the car everytime the car's title is transferred. I like Maryland inspections in that you know if you pass it your vehicle is in decent shape at least for the time being.