In United States, once every one or two years (depends on which state), a car must be inspected in authorized places (such dealer or workshop) for its worthiness in use.

Not only car, but also for all Motor Vehicles, even I’m not sure if there any yearly inspection for such train, air plane or military tank.

Once it passed the inspection, they will give you a sticker to put it on your windshield (like in the picture). It means… it passed. The vehicle safetiness is guarantee…

In other word it’s like saying: “If any accident happens, it’s the driver’s stupidity.”

My mother has Subaru Forester 1999, which is quite an old car. It’s been driven for around 105,000 miles (about 169,000 Kilometer). It’s still running good though.. other than the engine’s voice (getting bit louder), all minor scratches everywhere, the paint, broken cup holder, broken AC, weird stereo performance, etc, but it’s still good for driving.

Since the cost for labors in United States are quite expensive, the cost to maintenance car isn’t cheap… dude… x_X. Compares to my country, it costs about ten to twenty times more. Once a car crashed into my car’s bumper on parking lot. It damaged the highlight lamp, crashing the front and side bumper. It was costs for almost $2000 USD, where in my country, you could fix it for.., maybe $100 - 200 USD. So, my mother never look after the needs of her car; just a regular oil change for every 5000 miles.

Last time I drove her car, it was.. scary. The brake is not sensitive enough, the balance is screwed to the left, the gas is little bit aggressive, the front lights are dying. So it’s obvious, she didn’t pass the inspection this year. She did the inspection at Subaru Dealership. The reason was the tires are already too bald. Well, it cost about $400 - 500 for it. Once it gets fixed, the dealer required to do the tires alignment. Cost another $80. After alignment, they required to do the test drive, where by then they said: “The rear-wheel is loose and make sounds behind. It needs to be replaced!”

My mother got furious and complained if they were taking advantage from her old car. The dealer said otherwise, cover their selves with the book of rules. Actually the “noise” already been there for few years ago. It just because the inspector never do the test drive with her car. But nothing ever occurred related to that noise problem.

“How much does it cost?”
“$340 USD.”
“Do you think I have that money?”
“Okay, I’ll give you 10% discount.”
“Christ….”

This is the common problem in the world for automotive service business. Gimmick and such a swindler. Is it true if they care about the safety instead of money? Ho ho ho, wrong! If they just care for the sake of driver’s safety, why a lot of competitive prices for yearly car’s inspection service? =p

I can’t see the bad thing from this thing actually. All vehicles forced to be in proper condition to be use. But sometimes it just silly. When my bumper was crashed, the Toyota dealer told me that if I don’t fix it, it won’t pass the inspection later. I don’t get it, what the safety to do with the dent on my bumper. It’s still a bumper at least o.O;.

In my country, there’s no such thing. Try to having a ride with public vehicle (bus, mini bus/van, train or taxi). You must giving praise to the Lord, if the seat is in a complete piece. For bus and mini-bus, you will be amaze why it doesn’t have the doors; and don’t be surprise if you find on the floor any gums, litters, empty bottles, cigarette-butts, mysterious liquid spilled, mysterious bags, and alive chickens.

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 27th, 2007 at 7:46 pm and is filed under Bloopers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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