Inspection or No?

"Brian Tschiegg" (WritingInCars)
08/14/2013 at 14:29 • Filed to: Safety, Car Maitenance, Florida

(Still legal to operate in Florida)

Florida has no emissions or safety inspection required to register a vehicle. I'll let that sentence sink in for a little bit.

When I moved to the Sunshine State, I was excited about the prospect of owning an older car without having to finagle it through emissions every year. After driving on the roads for over a year now, I'm a little less enthralled with that idea. I constantly see cars literally separating into the individual elements it is made out of. You have to really pay attention on Florida roads because you don't know when the Camry in front of you is going to drop its exhaust headers, let alone any of the other automotive traps that await you down here (tire puncturing snails, meth heads, turtles, alligators, packs of meth heads, etc.).

The point is that in a perfect libertarian state (everyone is a rational actor) the idea of no inspections makes perfect sense because everyone would be responsible and care for their car. As we know, very few people take the time to properly maintain their vehicle. Every time I see another truck riding on tires so bald that the fibers holding the rubber together are showing, I begin to think that maybe there should be some sort of mandatory inspection. Is it worth dealing with the constant threat of other driver's poorly maintained vehicles to not have to sneak my e30 past inspection?

DISCUSSION (24)

CB > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:32

I think there should be mandatory inspection, at the very least to make sure that the car isn't going to fall apart/explode while it's being driven and endanger others.

Z_Stig > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:32

Not worth it. It's bad enough in states with emissions and safety inspections people do not take care of their cars. The freeways here are littered with debris and you never know when the car in front of you will start losing parts and throwing them at you. I can't imagine how much worse Florida is.

AbigGRNboot > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:33

No inspection in Ohio either..., and we use road salt.

dogisbadob > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:36

Kinja'd!!!

look ma, no emissions!

PS9 > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:36

Glad I'm not the only Jalop stuck down here...

Brian Tschiegg > PS9
08/14/2013 at 14:38

Nice what part of FL?

PS9 > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:39

Orlando metro

Brian Tschiegg > Z_Stig
08/14/2013 at 14:40

I remember the episode of Top Gear where they bough a used car in Miami and drove it to NOLA and Jeremy described the highways as "places where they dump all their old tires and car parts." This is a pretty accurate description.

I was looking at a Fox body Mustang and my friend told me to go for it because if it every breaks down the part I need is on the shoulder anyway, and he's not far off from the truth.

Brian Tschiegg > PS9
08/14/2013 at 14:42

Oh seriously? I live just outside of UCF (not a student but my brother is). You'll have to let me know if any cool automotive stuff is happening down here. Ford is bringing it's "EcoBoost Challenge" to the Orange County Fairgrounds if you're brave enough to venture into West Orlando.

desertdog5051 > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:43

Where I live the only inspection is emissions and it is only for Albuquerque. I live in an adjacent town so I am not required to get one. Rarely snows here so not much road salt and then it is only applied to major highways in very small amounts. The worst thing is the old cars leaking oil by the cup every time they stop or park. Makes riding a motorcycle a whole new experience.

Takuro Spirit > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:52

Kinja'd!!!

Up here some counties are emission free, but ALL counties are safety exempt. Lots of hunks of shit on the road, and all you have to do to avoid emissions is have an address "up north" to register it at.

And yes, lots of hunks of utter shit on the roads.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:56

I hate the inspections, but I get the point of them, at least here in CA. The air isn't quite as chunky as it was 30 years ago when I first visited the state.

Brian Tschiegg > Takuro Spirit
08/14/2013 at 14:59

I am no longer shocked by what I see in Florida. I try to just not let it shake my core beliefs in what the universe allows.

magman007 > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 14:59

Inspection I am fine with, but fuck emissions.

Brian Tschiegg > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
08/14/2013 at 15:00

I'm more concerned with the chunks of car flying at me on I-95.

Decay buys too many beaters > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 15:03

I think that safety inspections, if required, should be carried out only at state run facilities. I used to live in PA where the auto shops carry out inspections. Since they have a vested interest, they look for ANYTHING wrong that they can, then price gouge you on the fix. I am quite happy to currently live in a state without safety inspections.

Brian Tschiegg > Decay buys too many beaters
08/14/2013 at 15:08

That's a great point. Seems like a poorly thought out piece of legislature.

Decay buys too many beaters > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 15:13

They thought about it, but the state probably did not want to pay for their own inspection stations. Much cheaper for the government to offload the job to private businesses, but more expensive for the motorists.

Brian Tschiegg > Decay buys too many beaters
08/14/2013 at 15:18

Yeah I'm sure the mechanic shops weren't complaining about it either.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Decay buys too many beaters
08/14/2013 at 15:27

NC has shop-licensing for safety inspections as well, but my experience with it has ben very low-key. It probably helps that many kinds of shops (including those not conducting general mechanic work) are able to get licensure. We do most of our inspections at the shop of a friend who runs a tire shop, and as tires and alignment are his area, anything else is automatically off the table for a pressure sell, even if he weren't a friend. Anyone we know who might have a legitimate issue (i.e. we're not doing maintenance on), we send to a scrupulously honest mechanic friend who also does state inspections.

Of course, most of what we run are diesels and gas beyond emissions age...

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 15:27

Well, if it makes you feel any better, we have to deal with that too with all of the cars and,especially those trucks!, driving up from Mexico. you wouldn't believe the shit I've seen come flying off of those things.

Brian Tschiegg > Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
08/14/2013 at 15:30

I can only imagine that means you're dodging crates of drugs, illegal porn, and people.

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 16:06

mattresses, dryers, washers and anything else they can cram on there. I'll look and see if I can find a pic o the trucks I'm talking about. I think they may be attached to junk yards or something. Ask any other SoCal Jalop, they'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

MountainCommand > Brian Tschiegg
08/14/2013 at 17:37

Eh. NJ doesnt have safety either. Just emissions. I wish it was the other way around. But considering the fact people here can just go to certain shops and get their "inspection" done whether or not they truly passed, either law would not really work out. Plus the emissions testing here is a joke, in my experience.