For Sale Tale of the 77 Newport, The Flip Side...

[Big_John]

We have talked some about this before, but maybe it will help Stan (and others) see where I am coming from. In the early 90s, my early 20s self opened a defunct service station for the guy I had worked for on and off for several years. I had recently decided to pry my head out of my *** and get my career going as prior to this I hadn't really invested in tools or credentials. The Trooper who had taken over my district for PA safety inspection was famously the toughest prick in the whole state by all accounts... he took one look at me (23?, hair too long, baby face, shiny new inspection license) and decided it wasn't going to happen. He refused to allow the license based on the shop floor not being 1% grade or less and the business being closed long enough to not grandfather.
We had one flat bay, which was repoured as level as possible and he drug out the reinspection process for as long as he could. Paul, the owner, had some minor political connections and finally managed to get enough pressure on the trooper that he came and licensed the shop (he had a 6 month window, and had kept us back for almost 3).
PA safety inspection stations were supposed to get 2 audits a year. Unannounced the trooper shows up, gun, badge, light bar and walks in like any other cop... but this one can shut down the business on any infraction. I was audited openly 4 times that year, during 2 of which he watched me work on customer's cars and quizzed me (show me how to calibrate your headlight alignment tool, where is your ball joint gauge...). During that time the state police had an undercover team bringing cars in for inspection and they pulled the license from almost every Midas in the area. I was told later by a trusted source (different state trooper who was a customer) that I was investigated by this group twice.
I had to play anal retentive and straight and I knew I was under some scrutiny. I had many times when a "customer" brought in a car for inspection that I could see wouldn't pass. I would suggest the "less anal retentive" shop 5 miles away who had put stickers on several of my earlier cars and explain that if I brought it in this, this and this would fail and I would have to do a full inspection and charge them.
I ran that shop for about 3 years and as it got busier I wound up with 2 apprentices instead of another tech, the owner didn't want me knocking heads with someone older who thought they knew it all (and I think he was cheap). We were in the black the first year, and I think we could have done more with another full tech.
Funny thing... for the last year before I quit and moved to FL I received several job offers... when anybody talked to that trooper about finding good help to run their shop... my name seemed to come up. I also had 90 some % repeat customers because I didn't let myself get offended when they wanted explanations of the work required and I didn't gouge them.
I heard in 96, after the new emissions laws went in, that trooper went over to that part of enforcement and put a lot of shops out of the emissions program. By that time I was in FL being investigated by Chrysler to see if my warranty repairs were legit... 30k mile cars with check engine lights and ONE pin eased out of a PCM connector just enough to lose contact and held in place with some kind of glue. The guys at the training center knew me and knew about the investigation of the entity I worked for... came out of that good too.

Dave, PA safety may have become "mechanic's welfare" but it was a life or death situation for the businesses I ran/worked at when there... I heard from many techs that it all eased up after 96 and the emissions was the program that screwed them up. One former coworker was given an official warning because during an emissions test he saw a vacuum line off, and reconnected it. 10 minutes after passing the car on inspection he was in the service manager's office with the state boy asking how the car passed. The documented warning meant he couldn't have another occurrence within a period of time or lose his license, and possibly the businesses too. This in a GM dealership with a good reputation.
The Midas guys who got shut down either did faulty inspections and missed stuff, or oversold the car trying to make a paycheck... they deserved what they got. We had one next door at one location and did their inspections for about a year before they could get re-licensed. I also was somewhat involved in a state investigation that put a shop owner/tech into jail time. He was selling stickers to the used car lot next door. I inspected one of the sorriest cars you ever saw on the road with new stickers... I think the RO printed 4 pages of crap that failed. Luckily I wasn't pulled into court on that one... they brought it to me blind just to get an unbiased inspection.
Reality trained me to be an anal retentive prick about things being done right and CYA attitude. I bet the guy you let inspect your stuff never gets to touch it otherwise... and I believe it is kept in good shape and they try to find something... because there is almost always something. Even though you might like the going to the guy for an easy sticker... think what that indicates about the rest of his work.

FYI, I really enjoy reading what you have to say. It's great to have your knowledge and experience shared with us.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Sometimes I nap in the middle

 

[IwannaImp]

FYI, I really enjoy reading what you have to say. It's great to have your knowledge and experience shared with us.

Off topic - but is that Mr. Bascomb from "Hollywood or Bust" in your avatar??

 

[Big_John]

Off topic - but is that Mr. Bascomb from "Hollywood or Bust" in your avatar??

Yes it is!! You're the first to pick up on it.

A Great Dane in a Chrysler convertible! The best avatar for me! My Great Dane has a lot of miles in the back seat of my 300 Vert.

 

[IwannaImp]

Yes it is!! You're the first to pick up on it.

A Great Dane in a Chrysler convertible! The best avatar for me! My Great Dane has a lot of miles in the back seat of my 300 Vert.

I love his "driving" - (spoiler alert!) especially when covers his eyes going thru the barn!
Pretty sweet New Yorker convertible, too! ('56 I think)

"Mr Bascomb can't drive - he doesn't have a license!"

 

[Dobalovr]

I had many times when a "customer" brought in a car for inspection that I could see wouldn't pass. I would suggest the "less anal retentive" shop 5 miles away

Sure glad I live in the land of no yearly safety or smog inspections. No safety cops no smog police here just drive whatcha got if its older than ten years insurance will want a safety maybe or if its out of province it will need an inspection. Only regulation we worry about is the Fair Trade Act rent a cops making sure we hand the new owner a 85 point inspection on used cars we sell. Doesnt say we have to fix them (we do of course) just as long as the buyer knows what we found. No tiltle no inspections no safeties land of liberty is up north boys! ...just watch out for all the pieces falling off the clunkers on the road and dont stop quick the guy behind you likely has no brakes..

 

[1978 NYB]

Maryland is good to go on Historic Plate cars too. No inspection or emission tests.

 

[commando1]

You can drive the worst P.O.S. in the world down here and never have a problem.
The only exception is make absolutely certain your tail lights and license plate lights are working or the bored Deputy with a quota will have an excuse to let his nice puppy dog sniff your car.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Its not a safety inspection required by the state it is mechanic welfare system, if you believe otherwise you are a fool. If I had to guess maybe one person has not died in the last 50 years due to Pa. State inspections, total waste of time and effort. Going back to Jeff's 5 min dissertation on inspections Pa now has auditers instead of troopers which makes it worse because now someone has to justify their job by.finding problems and infractions, almost impossible to find lickem and stickems anymore.

 

[cantflip]

Sometimes I nap in the middle

its ok ME TOO

... No tiltle no inspections no safeties land of liberty is up north boys! ...

sounds great... I'm there as soon as you can fix the climate problem you guys have... cold and snow

You can drive the worst P.O.S. in the world down here and never have a problem.

He's not kidding... My first weekend in Florida I saw a car on the interstate without doors...

Its not a safety inspection required by the state it is mechanic welfare system, if you believe otherwise you are a fool. If I had to guess maybe one person has not died in the last 50 years due to Pa. State inspections, total waste of time and effort. Going back to Jeff's 5 min dissertation on inspections Pa now has auditers instead of troopers which makes it worse because now someone has to justify their job by.finding problems and infractions, almost impossible to find lickem and stickems anymore.

Dave you're right about many things with PA inspections... but you can walk through any Walmart parking lot here looking at front tires and 1/3 or more will be below replacement in any row you choose. Without anything that resembles a hill... stand on a busy corner for five minutes and count the cars with metal on metal brakes squealing past, they wouldn't last a day in PGH without hitting something. Both extremes need corrections...but I doubt anything will get better and expect it to continue to get worse. I see lots of guys come here from out of state and they do everything they can not to change to FL license because of insurance rates.

The thing I hated most about PA was that every dumbass law went into the inspection... seat belt laws... do you remember how many F-ed up motorized seatbelts back in the 80s-90s... insurance laws... like I didnt have enough to do... I know how to track down 2 guys there still turning wrenches (I think) and hope to see them this summer... I bet they hate it as much as you.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I'm okay with states that have light and tire check maybe a mechanic takes it for a ride, but this pull the wheels measure brakes and ball joint wear is total overkill and that's how these poor women get taken to the cleaners with a $2000 bill for brakes, tires, a front ball joint and CV shaft, on a car that's worth $1500 on a nice day with a fresh coat of wax. Meanwhile none of that was going to brake or wear out before the brake lines pop or trans lines leak and kill a $2500 trans, just let the damn car go down the road a couple more months.

 

[300rag]

sounds great... I'm there as soon as you can fix the climate problem you guys have... cold and snow

What snow??

 

[cantflip]

I'm okay with states that have light and tire check maybe a mechanic takes it for a ride, but this pull the wheels measure brakes and ball joint wear is total overkill and that's how these poor women get taken to the cleaners with a $2000 bill for brakes, tires, a front ball joint and CV shaft, on a car that's worth $1500 on a nice day with a fresh coat of wax. Meanwhile none of that was going to brake or wear out before the brake lines pop or trans lines leak and kill a $2500 trans, just let the damn car go down the road a couple more months.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you... to a point. I have liability when I repair a car that it's safe. I also have to warrant my work for 1-2 years. I do not feel guilty about any repair estimate I give, not ever. I have empathy and even suggest trading the car away sometimes... but my estimate reflects what it will take for me to make the car function correctly and safely. It is a similar liability situation as a fatal accident would be for you... we just get prosecuted less often. I have manager at work who's late model cadillac crossover goofy looking thing was just about running on slicks. I told him every week we could get him set up for tires and even went online and picked a good tire for him and got him a quote. He drove it several more months before he put a set of the finest no name garbage on it. Some people need to be forced into **** you and I know matters.

 

[cantflip]

What snow??

View attachment 71711

alberta
Actual Average Record
Temperature
Mean Temperature 42 °F -
Max Temperature 48 °F 32 °F 55 °F (1981)
Min Temperature 35 °F 12 °F -9 °F (1979)

orlando
Actual Average Record
Temperature
Mean Temperature 62 °F -
Max Temperature 75 °F 72 °F 84 °F (1998)
Min Temperature 51 °F 53 °F 36 °F (2007)

Please make note that water doesn't freeze here... therefore it falls from the sky as WATER... it lays on the ground as WATER and evaporates or absorbs into the earth as WATER

If a car never drips icy water down the back of my shirt and I dont have to break off the icicles so they dont kill me working under it... It will be too soon... want to know why mechanics ALWAYS brush the snow off the car before it comes in...

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Some people need to be forced into **** you and I know matters

A tire is good if it is holding air, brakes are good if they stop, turn wheel left car goes left, turn wheel right car goes right. Here is you sticker.

 

[commando1]

what snow

Looks like Orlando as far as Im concerned...

 

[300rag]

View attachment 71733


Looks like Orlando as far as Im concerned...
View attachment 71732

You removed the best part of the picture.

 

[78Brougham]

We have talked some about this before, but maybe it will help Stan (and others) see where I am coming from. In the early 90s, my early 20s self opened a defunct service station for the guy I had worked for on and off for several years.

(23?, hair too long, baby face, shiny new inspection license) "

Sheezus Christmas... You were in your 20s in the nineties? That makes you like late mid to late 40s now...To hear the stories you spool out here I thought you were like 80 something! LOL...
Anyway, no matter what you say, I love living here in PA. I grew up in NY, and have to go there to visit relatives, but I'm much happier here. Go try and get a car inspected in NY nowadays, where they run your car thru Albany, have cameras to make sure you are actually doing the inspection. Failing cars for tire pressure lights being on... No thanks, I'm good right here.

 

[commando1]

You removed the best part of the picture.

That was my point. Orlando has no best part.

 

[cantflip]

A tire is good if it is holding air, brakes are good if they stop, turn wheel left car goes left, turn wheel right car goes right. Here is you sticker.

Well... maybe we wont completely agree.

...tire pressure light...

Sorry 68 model...
TPMS lights fail? Wonderful... ever price new sensors when the batteries give up? Some cost more than the tires, with a watch battery sealed inside so they cant be replaced.

That was my point. Orlando has no best part.

Orlando is the armpit of FL... but I have a decent life here... and its close to places I like better like the gulf coast or fumbuck county... where you can still hear "dueling banjos" in the distance during summer months...