I need a Virginia Inspection!

[02stu]

I can't seem to get my car inspected, I have the power steering removed and apperently that is illegal, and the last place made a fuss about the m50 being in the car. Does anyone know of a good shop to take a car to to get it inspected? I'm in Richmond Virginia.
Thanks, I'm desperate.
Stu

[SchnellerVert]

Why is that Illegal? Steering functions properly correct? I would ask to see where it states that it is illegal.

I know there are a ton of tuner style shops in Manassas and the Woodbridge areas....I will ask a few shops I know.

Or ask the NASA guys where they go, www.nasaracing.net

[Charlie]

I can't seem to get my car inspected, I have the power steering removed and apperently that is illegal, and the last place made a fuss about the m50 being in the car. Does anyone know of a good shop to take a car to to get it inspected? I'm in Richmond Virginia.
Thanks, I'm desperate.
Stu

Where are you getting the car inspected that they're even looking at this stuff? Are we talking safety or emissions? Back when I used to get VA inspections, they checked to make sure there were no major leaks, made sure it had pads and that the lights worked. I doubt they would even know what motor the car had.

-Charlie

[02stu]

I'm taking it Merchants, asking some Nasa guys is a great idea.

[MikeE30325i]

shit, i am surprised they know what kinda engine it has, i took mine to the emissions place here in phoenix az and it had no hood, no turn signals or front end. but they bypassed all that and ran the tests. til the fat fuck driving my car did something and made the rear end slide out and hit the box that you sit in when they do the test.

[fwappy]

There's a place at Staples Mill and Broad that I used to take my Neons, and they had tons of mods. I never had a problem there, probably cause they're mainly a tire center. Just make sure you have plenty of tread! :)

[threlevenguy]

noo dont go to merchants. none of those places are good. if anyhting, automotive concepts on hull st. is good

[Jscotty]

So when you changed over from power steering did you simply bypass the pump or did you install a manual rack?

Certainly try other places to get an inspection. When I lived in Virginia, every certified inspector did something different or had a different definition of what passed the test. One place that I went to simply turned the lights on and off, blew the horn and gave me a sticker while another place that I went to checked every inch of the car inside and out and failed me for stuff like a broken housing on the seat belt latch. I even had a situation similar to your power steering situation- I had a old chevy truck that was not equipped with power steering. The guy failed me on it simply because he didn't understand that there are indeed cars WITHOUT power steering.

Just try 2 to 3 other stations. Someone will eventually pass you or at least they will have a shorter list of stuff to correct.

[SchnellerVert]

It's not a standardized system? That's F@#$ed, I always thought it was. Very odd as what is the point of doing one if it is not consistent.

[Jscotty]

It's not a standardized system? That's F@#$ed, I always thought it was. Very odd as what is the point of doing one if it is not consistent.

Yeah.. only in states where the inspection stations are state owned and regulated will you have a more consistent set of guidelines. But even in DC where we have ONE inspection station for the entire city and 2 inspectors on staff, one guy will fail your car today for having bad brakes and tell you that this is the only problem. Come back a week later after you get new brakes and the guy will be on his lunch break while the other guy is there and he will fail you for something else. I figure why cant he just look at the records and determine what needs to be reinspected?

[RobertK]

<- Thanks the Good Lord that TN does not have state inspections.

[02stu]

Alright, I'm droping the car off at Automotive Concepts tonight. Wish me luck.

[Kruzen]

Ouch, that blows. We just have emissions to pass, doesn't matter if shits about to break.

[fwappy]

The one good thing about inspections is that it reduces the number of dangerous vehicles on the road. When I moved from Virginia I realized the dangers of following some overloaded old beater truck with no brake lights that's about to fall apart.

However, I hate putting a sticker on my windshield.

[threlevenguy]

i cant promise anything of automotive concepts..but they passed my 87 with no backup lights, smoked tails, and bad exhaust. oh yeah and i had 3 headlights in at the time