What Do You Need to Get Your Car Inspected
Maintenance October 26, 2019
Where Tin I Get My Motorcar Inspected in VA and What Tin can I Wait?
Ah, the almanac car inspection. It's practically a rite of passage for Virginia drivers. While some bemoan and dread it, information technology doesn't have to exist a difficult procedure. If you lot have some fourth dimension to learn about what goes into a automobile inspection and what you tin can practice to gear up beforehand, this can exist an easy annual errand to bank check off your list.
Where Can I Get My Car Inspected in VA?
Bring your vehicle into any ane of our Virginia Tire & Auto locations for Virginia Condom and Emissions Inspections. We offer extended hours to work with your schedule and ensure that all equipment is performance properly.
Although it can seem like a hurting, Virginia's high standards for cars make our roads safer for everyone and they help y'all maintain your machine. Even cars that appear to be in good shape can have hidden issues. When a routine inspection catches them, you lot can choose to proactively fix a pocket-sized problem earlier information technology becomes a more expensive one.
Overview of a Car Inspection
The price of an annual inspection in Virginia is $20*, no matter where you lot become. (If someone tries to accuse you lot more that, they're taking yous for a ride.) When you lot make it for your car inspection , you lot'll pull into the bay at the gas station or car repair store. If y'all wait until the stop of the month, y'all might need to look in a line—over 50% of Virginia state inspections occur in the concluding 10 days of any given calendar month. If you can go toward the get-go of the month, y'all may be able to save yourself some time.
Once a technician is available, you'll hand over your keys and automobile while the technician runs through the inspection. Virginia'southward inspection procedure has 24 points , simply the whole inspection takes only about 20 to 30 minutes. If your car fails any of the points of inspection, you lot aren't obligated to get it repaired past the mechanic conducting the inspection, merely they will probably requite you a quote.
How Virginia Differs from Other States
Virginia'due south annual car inspection requirement sometimes surprises newcomers to the state. In Maryland, for example, cars crave inspection just one time. Chris Price, the store manager at Virginia Tire & Auto of Cascades , said he has seen new Virginia residents come in with cars that haven't been inspected for years, and they are surprised to find that their car fails to pass Virginia inspection on multiple points.
What Happens When a Automobile Fails Inspection?
Failing inspection is more than mutual than you lot might think—1 in x of the cars that come through will neglect. All it takes is failure on one of the 24 points of the inspection. Simply because a auto seems to be driving fine doesn't hateful that at that place aren't any issues nether the hood.
Common Causes of Inspection Failure
- Worn-out brake pads—they must be more than 2/32 of an inch thick
- Burnt-out light bulbs
- Worn-out tires
- Cleaved windshield wipers
- Low tire tread depth—they must exist higher up two/32 of an inch
Chris's biggest piece of advice for anyone getting their motorcar inspected is, "Don't be frustrated if your car fails." While it ways your car needs a repair of some sort right away, it might save you a lot of money down the road, earlier the problem worsened. And it keeps your car, and y'all, safer on the road.
Because many of the problems aren't noticeable from everyday use of your motorcar, nosotros recommend visually checking some items on your vehicle before bringing your auto in for an inspection. If you lot desire to minimize your car'southward chances of failing , y'all tin can run through our Virginia State Inspection Checklist before y'all take your car to be inspected.
One example of a larger trouble you lot might non discover yourself is an exhaust leakage. An inspector will thoroughly examine the unabridged frazzle system, from the engine to the discharge point. In the issue that there'southward a leak, y'all may need to get an engine diagnostic or an exhaust organisation repair , depending on the origin of the leak.
Getting Your Car Up to Standard
If your machine fails the inspection, you'll probably demand to visit the repair shop soon afterward. Virginia Tire & Auto volition give you a quote for the needed repairs if they inform you lot that your car has failed (and explain why), and you tin make up one's mind whether you'd similar to do the repair yourself, take it to another mechanic, or have Virginia Tire & Automobile do the repair. Virginia Tire & Auto prides itself on its transparency with customers, giving fair quotes, and will e'er show you what is wrong with the car if you'd like to see information technology for yourself.
Keep Your Automobile Safe and Avert Tickets
Virginia takes car safety very seriously, and as many larn the hard way, the police force volition actually pull you over and give you lot a ticket if the inspection sticker on your windshield has expired.
Stay safe on Northern Virginia's roads and avert any unnecessary legal complications.
Virginia Country Inspections are available at all Virginia Tire & Auto locations. We recommend getting your inspection performed in the middle of the calendar month and middle of the week for shorter wait times. Phone call ahead for expected await times and inspection availability.
*The Virginia State Safety Inspection price increased to $20 as of July i, 2019.
Source: https://vatire.com/car-maintenance-tips/what-to-expect-when-your-car-is-inspected-in-virginia/