On 9/19/2015 4:15 PM, Tekkie® wrote:



PA had twice yearly inspections but now has yearly . I remember all the
uproar over what the garages had to buy, the 3 gas analyzers, dynamometers,
leased or privately owned... It was a circus. I think it was a politicians
dream. (It was in NJ).

I remember customers that had notorious vehicles with bad emissions; blowing
blue smoke, heavy fuel smell, missing engines. A lot of "beaters".

The original twice yearly was a safety inspection. That was a joke.
You could get inspected so easily or you could get scammed by shops
selling un-needed repairs.

The shop I went to was owned by an old guy that could not lift a wheel
if he had to. checking the brakes was pushing on the pedal while
scraping off the old sticker.

Before that, I took three cars to a shop in one day and every one needed
headlight adjustment for $2. Never mind that the ball joints they never
checked were loose. Quick easy money.


Then the lead issue. I don't know if lead in gas was harmful or not but that
train has left the station. My observation is the air is "better" but is
that because of cars or the fact PA is ground zero of the "rust belt" and
manufacturing has left?

My gripe is that counties around major city's have testing while the rest of
the state doesn't. What, the wind doesn't blow through the whole state?

There are also exemptions if the cost of repairs exceed a threshold.

Claire would remember PCV valves and tune ups...