Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

ozenine · May 25, 2012

I am fuming, so need to vent. I am selling a car privately and every sale of used car in Ontario requires safety inspection.
They basically check a bunch of stuff and issue you a paper. here is the link of the requirements:http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/771593.html

I do majority of the work on the car myself and know how much parts are and how much time it takes. i also can read and know what is required for safety inspection and what is not. Anyways I have a car with 125000 km which has 6 month old front brake pads. I brought the car to 3 garages and all of them are telling me taht I need to change pads, rotors all around. Admitedly I know taht rear pads are gone (to the metal). However rotors, apart that they are rusted (which is normal), do not even have grooves on them. Just to illustrate how low our safety standards are here is the quote:

any bonded brake lining is thinner than 1.5 millimeters (1/16 inch) at its thinnest point;

And all 3 garages have refused to certify without getting full brake job. Finally I have picked one and now the car gets all brakes changed (I am selling it tomorrow).
I feel ripped off.

Summer Fun · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

Admitedly I know taht rear pads are gone (to the metal).

So how is that car SAFE to sell then ??. :facepalm:.

Bondo · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

Admitedly I know taht rear pads are gone (to the metal). However rotors, apart that they are rusted (which is normal), do not even have grooves on them.

Ayuh,.... You Know that, 'n didn't throw a $20. set of pads on it,..??..

'n you went for an Inspection, Knowin' it,..??...

You have absolutely Nothin' to be whininn' 'bout,... Nothin'....

I'm a Mechanic, 'n even I don't go to a Bud, with inferior equipment, 'n beg for a sticker on a promise I'll fix it Tomorrow.....

'n yer not planin' on fixin' Nothin', Anyway...

Sorry,... No sympathy here....:facepalm:

ozenine · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

Bond-o said:
Ayuh,.... You Know that, 'n didn't throw a $20. set of pads on it,..??..

'n you went for an Inspection, Knowin' it,..??...

You have absolutely Nothin' to be whininn' 'bout,... Nothin'....

I'm a Mechanic, 'n even I don't go to a Bud, with inferior equipment, 'n beg for a sticker on a promise I'll fix it Tomorrow.....

'n yer not planin' on fixin' Nothin', Anyway...

Sorry,... No sympathy here....:facepalm:

I am not promising to fix it. i came in asking to change the brake pads on the back and to issue the safety certificate. I have bought set of pads and when started installing it yesterday at 9pm realize dthat they gave me front ones vs rear ones. Today i am at work and had no time to return/exchange/install them, so I have asked them from the get go to install the pads.

So, as the mechanic, if govenment requires 1/16 inch pad thickness would you insist that 3/8 pads are unsafe and refuse to certify the car?

ozenine · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

So how is that car SAFE to sell then ??.

I am not saying that, I have asked the mechanic to install the rear pads. I have a feeling that they just did not want to do 150 dollar job and wanted to get way more.

This car is 2007 very well taken care of. My wife drives it, so when i drove it last week i noticed the grinding noise. So i went and bought the pads thinking that i will install them myslef. Unfortunatelly they sold me the wrong ones. So i have asked the mechnaics to buy and install pads before safety.

Maybe i need to clarify that here the mechanic can issue the certificate, it is not a government that does it.

dolluper · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

Since when do you need a safety to sell a car in Ontario eh......It is the responsibility of the buyer to safety + E test the vehicle before registration + plates are issued......You can sell in your name up to 8 a year without a dealers licence.....more if creative......I bet the buyer asked you to safety as part of the deal or you offered.......grinding brakes{metal on metal} is poorly maintained in my view not roadworthy....MTC thinks so to

ozenine · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

dolluper said:
Since when do you need a safety to sell a car in Ontario eh......It is the responsibility of the buyer to safety + E test the vehicle before registration + plates are issued......You can sell in your name up to 8 a year without a dealers licence.....more if creative......I bet the buyer asked you to safety as part of the deal or you offered.......grinding brakes{metal on metal} is poorly maintained in my view not roadworthy....MTC thinks so to

I sold it certified. Just got the car back. Will posrt pictures of the pads. They had 60% of life in them left!!!! So they changed it.

Fishing Dude too · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

The mechanic is saving himself a lawsuit. I think you have nothing to whine about.

ozenine · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

Fishing Dude too said:
The mechanic is saving himself a lawsuit. I think you have nothing to whine about.

Really??? With that approach he would not certify any car that is not brand new. Or he would like to change every single part because it is not new. It is same as if the officer will check your safety equipment on the boat and write you a ticket if you have no liferaft on your skidoo, when you are not required by law to have one. I will also argue that he is taking some extra precaution and "saving himself a lawsuit". No wonder we have so many mechanics and trades people who will fix everything and anything regardless of is it broken or not.

Here are the pictures. Remember, the required passable pad thickness is minimum 1/16.

oldjeep · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

I suspect they mean 1/16 to the rivits which would be less than the length of the slot. The brake pads are not usuable past the slot in the pad - those are junk unless they are bonded, then maybe they are ok

sman60 · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

I have had similar problems with the tires on a car during a safety.
A mechanic would not give a safety unless the tires were 2/32 above the wear bars !!!!
I showed him the regulations from Ministry of Transportation web site stating that the wear bars are the measuring method to determine if a tire is to pass the safety. All tires on the car were at least 2/32 or more above the wear bars !!!!
He would not safety the car for that reason. Just another dumb person, way too many around here.
I went to his boss and got all my money back, and told everyone I know not to deal with them.
Standards are standards and not to be used to make more money unless the item being measured is actually below the standard.

While, buying cars I will use any data I can find to try and get a lower price from the seller.
And in my own case here I would have used the wear of the tires to lower the selling price.

I had the car safety checked at another garage, it passed, and the mechanic said to me "those tires are low on tread but OK"

Just goes to show you about some people, and what they will or will not do.

dolluper · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

Hard to say not being their but it's sold and over with lesson learned.....it just surpizes me you had time to take it to 3 garages.....and no time to fix it youself......some places are very respectvile of their inspection station licence....I was.....it's not worth it for some unknown person to save a couple of bucks to leave someone else exposed to safety concerns.......but if it was for you own use most shops will be easier......for another party no WAY

Fishing Dude too · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

ozenine said:
Really??? With that approach he would not certify any car that is not brand new. Or he would like to change every single part because it is not new. It is same as if the officer will check your safety equipment on the boat and write you a ticket if you have no liferaft on your skidoo, when you are not required by law to have one. I will also argue that he is taking some extra precaution and "saving himself a lawsuit". No wonder we have so many mechanics and trades people who will fix everything and anything regardless of is it broken or not.

Here are the pictures. Remember, the required passable pad thickness is minimum 1/16.

What I see are worn out pads sorry but brakes fail someone gets hurt they go after deep pockets

ozenine · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

dolluper said:
Hard to say not being their but it's sold and over with lesson learned.....it just surpizes me you had time to take it to 3 garages.....and no time to fix it youself......some places are very respectvile of their inspection station licence....I was.....it's not worth it for some unknown person to save a couple of bucks to leave someone else exposed to safety concerns.......but if it was for you own use most shops will be easier......for another party no WAY

I had time becuase I spend my lunch hour on it. I have a bunch of garages where I work. I do not see myslef fixing car in a suit.
Lesson learned that majority of small garages are crooks trying to sqeeze as much money out of you as possible. Next time I will bring it to the dealership. It will be more up the front but at least I have somebody to escalate to.

ozenine · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

Fishing Dude too said:
What I see are worn out pads sorry but brakes fail someone gets hurt they go after deep pockets

Well, I went in and measured the BRAND new pads taht I had. The thickness was 3/8!!! Where these are 1/4, so they are just 30% used. This is in no way a "worn out pad".

ozenine · May 25, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

sman60 said:
I have had similar problems with the tires on a car during a safety.
A mechanic would not give a safety unless the tires were 2/32 above the wear bars !!!!
I showed him the regulations from Ministry of Transportation web site stating that the wear bars are the measuring method to determine if a tire is to pass the safety. All tires on the car were at least 2/32 or more above the wear bars !!!!
He would not safety the car for that reason. Just another dumb person, way too many around here.
I went to his boss and got all my money back, and told everyone I know not to deal with them.
Standards are standards and not to be used to make more money unless the item being measured is actually below the standard.

While, buying cars I will use any data I can find to try and get a lower price from the seller.
And in my own case here I would have used the wear of the tires to lower the selling price.

I had the car safety checked at another garage, it passed, and the mechanic said to me "those tires are low on tread but OK"

Just goes to show you about some people, and what they will or will not do.

I can put my signature under every word here. Exactly what I am saying. I do not see how can somebody go after mechanic when he followed standards. Mechanics are not supposed to make the standards, they can recomend better solution but should not insist on it. For me the mechanics are worse than lawers, hate dealing with both of them.

tswiczko · May 26, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

you showed us the pads but what do the rotors look like?

Pads might not have been the reason they weren't passing it on.

some rotors have vents between the friction surfaces that deteriorate and weaken and can collapse when an excessive amount of pedal is applied(like in an emergency braking situation to avoid an accident). I'm sure they could contrast dye check them and magnaflux them or even send them out for x-ray inspection if you asked them... but it would probably be cheaper to replace the rotors and brake pads all the way around

Sounds more like they were covering their arse than trying to rip you off.

jkust · May 26, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

I just cringe when I hear about the nanny state car inspections in Canada and certain U.S. States. Even in the socialist republic of MN we have no sort of inspections for personal cars. I replaced the rear rotors and pads on my tow vehicle last night at home and it's cheap and easy. Cheap ceramic pads were available for under $30 and cheap rotors were available $30 a piece if someone wanted the cheap Chinese steel versions. The biggest problem I see here is the acceptance of these inspections as hygene.

Boomyal · May 26, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

jkust said:
.....I just cringe when I hear about the nanny state car inspections in Canada and certain U.S. States. ........

Double Dittos!

oldskool7_11 · May 26, 2012

Re: Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

KRS said:
So, why didn't you do this job???

try reading the whole thread. that answer is in there more than once.

Car Safety Inspection Ripoff

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