In the US they’re normally called car inspections, if the state/county even has them (yes, we’re monsters over here more and more).
Why would you need to talk to anyone for an annual test? Is it typical to try and upsell a repair, like in the cheap oil change places? All the inspection centers I’ve ever used they want you in and out, and the most they’ll try to sell is a replacement wiper or bulb because what you have won’t pass. They just ask if you want to pay for it installed now to pass or come back later after you do it.
Not really. In California it’s called a smog check
And many American states do not have any kind of mandatory inspection
The UK MOT covers a lot more than just emissions. The vehicle needs to have appropriate tyre tread, windscreen in safe working order, no check engine light, etc. And mileage is recorded to reduce potential for fraud. Many other things are checked.
US state inspections are all that too. Emissions is actually the first thing to expire being checked on older cars, since it becomes impossible to maintain the standards as parts age. Also new cars (3 years or less) are exempt from the emissions check/charge (in my state anyway) I guess because it’s assumed they are working as designed.
Again, this is if they even do them. And while I don’t agree with it, I can see some areas eliminating emissions for some reasons. But you can tell places that don’t do inspections at all, because the cars on the road can be very questionable from even a novice if they are safe to be around at speed. Why basic safety issues isn’t a federal thing mandated to all is beyond me.
Also new cars (3 years or less) are exempt from the emissions check/charge
This might sound obvious but: EVs and motorcycles (without modded exhausts) are also exempt from SMOG. The former for hopefully obvious reasons, the later because motorcycles pollute so much less than cars that it’s not worth the bother
So those don’t ever have to go in for any kind of looky-loo at all
Maybe it’s state-specific, but both of them in my state still require a safety inspection (which is obviously less cost).
Looking up California, that’s where the confusion on my part is. All they care about is emissions. I guess you can have bald tires and only one light working, as long as you don’t emit too much CO. That’s ridiculous.
In my memory, they will get you to try and do a brake fluid change, a transmission fluid change (if your car does those), steering fluid, expensively change your air filters, swap brake pads, pay for rotor something-or-other, bla bla bla.
Some people drop money because they don’t want to NOT do something important, and they don’t know any better.
In the US they’re normally called car inspections, if the state/county even has them (yes, we’re monsters over here more and more).
Why would you need to talk to anyone for an annual test? Is it typical to try and upsell a repair, like in the cheap oil change places? All the inspection centers I’ve ever used they want you in and out, and the most they’ll try to sell is a replacement wiper or bulb because what you have won’t pass. They just ask if you want to pay for it installed now to pass or come back later after you do it.
In Finland the places doing the inspections only do that, they don’t offer any car repair services.
No conflict of interest.
Not really. In California it’s called a smog check
And many American states do not have any kind of mandatory inspection
The UK MOT covers a lot more than just emissions. The vehicle needs to have appropriate tyre tread, windscreen in safe working order, no check engine light, etc. And mileage is recorded to reduce potential for fraud. Many other things are checked.
US state inspections are all that too. Emissions is actually the first thing to expire being checked on older cars, since it becomes impossible to maintain the standards as parts age. Also new cars (3 years or less) are exempt from the emissions check/charge (in my state anyway) I guess because it’s assumed they are working as designed.
Again, this is if they even do them. And while I don’t agree with it, I can see some areas eliminating emissions for some reasons. But you can tell places that don’t do inspections at all, because the cars on the road can be very questionable from even a novice if they are safe to be around at speed. Why basic safety issues isn’t a federal thing mandated to all is beyond me.
This might sound obvious but: EVs and motorcycles (without modded exhausts) are also exempt from SMOG. The former for hopefully obvious reasons, the later because motorcycles pollute so much less than cars that it’s not worth the bother
So those don’t ever have to go in for any kind of looky-loo at all
Maybe it’s state-specific, but both of them in my state still require a safety inspection (which is obviously less cost).
Looking up California, that’s where the confusion on my part is. All they care about is emissions. I guess you can have bald tires and only one light working, as long as you don’t emit too much CO. That’s ridiculous.
In my memory, they will get you to try and do a brake fluid change, a transmission fluid change (if your car does those), steering fluid, expensively change your air filters, swap brake pads, pay for rotor something-or-other, bla bla bla.
Some people drop money because they don’t want to NOT do something important, and they don’t know any better.