Boston Area Inspection

[glide]

CT has only an emissions inspection, while MA is checking that the car is in road-worthy condition (all lights working, horn functional, etc.). This more rigorous inspection keeps unsafe cars off the road--or, at least, helps.

No it doesn’t. It’s really just a cash grab and administrative burden.

If I buy a brand new EV, I don’t need a body shop “checking” emissions or making sure my windows work.

 

[bjrosen]

No it doesn’t. It’s really just a cash grab and administrative burden.

If I buy a brand new EV, I don’t need a body shop “checking” emissions or making sure my windows work.

You're right, there is no reason a new car needs an inspection. The MA safety inspection, which long predates emissions checks, is pretty comprehensive and makes absolute sense for older cars but having to drive your brand new car from the dealer to an inspection station is just a sinecure for service stations. Doesn't Rhode Island exempt cars that are less than three years old?

 

[tonykit]

You're right, there is no reason a new car needs an inspection. The MA safety inspection, which long predates emissions checks, is pretty comprehensive and makes absolute sense for older cars but having to drive your brand new car from the dealer to an inspection station is just a sinecure for service stations. Doesn't Rhode Island exempt cars that are less than three years old?

We really should work on one of the following:
- Have legislators draft something to remove any safety inspection from the law for non-commercial automobiles. Heck we are forced to be inspected but if anyone from the other 37 states that don’t have safety inspections drive on our roads it’s ok.
- Or force inspections to be performed at state run facilities that have no interest in ”fixing” the failed inspection points and don’t care what the car is.
- Or change any rules needed to allow Tesla to do safety only inspections so they don’t need emessions equipment and no normal car would go there then for inspections.

Just count how many cars on the road have a tail light out during your normal commute. I bet you will need more than 2 hands of fingers pretty quickly. The inspection process is completely flawed as its only a 1/365 snapshot. The inspection stations (really gas stations that are dirty and disgusting) all hate electric cars because they don’t understand them and they see them as taking their business away in the future.

That’s what really grinds my gears.
P. Griffin

 

[bjrosen]

We really should work on one of the following:
- Have legislators draft something to remove any safety inspection from the law for non-commercial automobiles. Heck we are forced to be inspected but if anyone from the other 37 states that don’t have safety inspections drive on our roads it’s ok.
- Or force inspections to be performed at state run facilities that have no interest in ”fixing” the failed inspection points and don’t care what the car is.
- Or change any rules needed to allow Tesla to do safety only inspections so they don’t need emessions equipment and no normal car would go there then for inspections.

Just count how many cars on the road have a tail light out during your normal commute. I bet you will need more than 2 hands of fingers pretty quickly. The inspection process is completely flawed as its only a 1/365 snapshot. The inspection stations (really gas stations that are dirty and disgusting) all hate electric cars because they don’t understand them and they see them as taking their business away in the future.

That’s what really grinds my gears.
P. Griffin

They don't do emission inspections on EVs, the law doesn't need to change. When you take your Tesla in they will just do safety inspections. You will need to bring pucks with you because they jack up the car and most inspection stations don't have their own.

 

[rbatch]

Hi, does anyone have an update on this? Where have folks been going for the last 5 years since this was discussed? Anyone in north shore Boston? Maybe I’m a terrible googler but there’s a dearth of information on finding places that know what (and what not) to do. Thanks!

Not too far north shore per se, but I've started taking my cars to Mass Inspection Inc. in Somerville (pretty much right off 93, and right down the street from the almost-complete Somerville supercharger). broadwaygas4847564-354572-sml-1

They only do inspections and the line moves quick, and they have zero issues with Teslas. They've been super friendly when I've gone, and one of the guys was asking how I liked the Model 3 and complimented how much he liked the wheels without the aero covers on.