Nah. Massachusetts you can't have a pinhole of perforation or a sharp edge anywhere or you fail... along with a bunch of other reasons.
What did you do to your non-G body project today? [2023]
- Thread starter Wraith
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The 2025 Calendars are HERE. Two different editions, two different sizes, and a digital package!! Starting at $12.97US
So how do you guys function in PA and MA? How do used cars even exist?
I moved away.
Back in the day, I brought a tub of glass reinforced filler with me. When they did their inspections they would start with the visual, then do the sniffer test while lifting the vehicle and checking balljoints, lights, etc.
If they told me there was a hole, I got out, slapped a smear of filler on, and got back in. By the time they were done and about to slap a reject sticker on I asked them to look again.
Rule was no sharp edges, and, all repairs needed to be permanently affixed to the body.
Then it passed instead of failed. Of course, you did get a free retest within 30 days back then too, so, they didn't really care aboutnfixing it like that because it saved them the work of having to go over it layer.
PA isn't quite that strict. You can't have any holes in PA. The definition of hole is subjective and depends on who is inspecting it. Some stations say any hole, some say size of a quarter, others are okay with holes as long as they aren't in the floor or anything structural. My Cummins passed just fine despite having a big blister on the cab corner and a dime sized hole in the bedside.
So Bondo buggies are good enough? What's the point? Oh wait, I know: revenue.
Totally legit in the eyes of PennDOT. There is no criteria for what constitutes a repair. Entirely up to the shop doing the inspection. Duct tape? Seen it. Bondo? Sure. Spray foam? A favorite. Tiger Hair? Yup. Aluminum pop can riveted over the hole? All good.
And yes it is a revenue scam. There are studies proving it has no effect on safety.
If it was that big of a deal most of our trucks wouldn't be on the road. Oh, that's right, we have a different standard than what the public has. Also they don't make money off inspecting their own. But remember, that also helps fund my work until they quit paying me.
I once had a 1983 s10 blazer, awesome in snow, occasionally would die after 15 minutes driving. Needed to sit a while before restart and wouldn't have another issue all day long no matter how long it sat or the restart number. It was so rotted, even the chicken wire with bondo in it fell away in chunks and you could literally reach your hand from outside the truck through the quarter and onto the top of the rear seat.
A friend and I would sell it back and forth for $50 every other month. Sales tax was nothing, and I'm saying like $2. Title was another $5 or $10, whatever it was. Not enough to matter. BUT, you had a grace period to get it inspected, and then a grace period for repair. Did i say it was awesome in the snow? Only reason for the effort.
Tinworms must have been fat and happy after chewing away at all that. Looks like a substantial portion of the lower A-pillar was infected.
Nick
Nick
Apparently someone high up in the state had an issue with one of their own rust buckets because they had put out a bulletin a while back relaxing on the rust a car had for inspection
The 2025 Calendars are HERE. Two different editions, two different sizes, and a digital package!! Starting at $12.97US
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