Are Texas' auto safety inspections worth the hassle?

The Dallas Morning New ^ | TOM BENNING

[deport]

Are there registration fees on top of the inspection fees in TX?

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Yes an annual registration of the license where you get a sticker to affix to the windshield of the vehicle showing date, mo/yr, of expiration. The annual registration fee varies depending upon the vehicle.

[deport]

but scrounged up a mixed set of wheels and tires to pass inspection, then put the racing tires back on five minutes after I got my sticker.

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LOL... Maybe the local rent a tire place could have done the job for you.

[Overtaxed Patriot]

It must be worth the hassle because literally thousands of Kansas residents tag their vehicles in texas to avoid the outrageously high cost of tagging in Kansas. I swear, about 1 out of every 5 vehicles in Kansas have a texas tag on them. Drive up and down any street and they’re parked in the garages, they have local dealership names on the back of the vehicle. Rarely do I see a military sticker on the windshield to indicate they are military personnel.

[Overtaxed Patriot]

It must be worth the hassle because literally thousands of Kansas residents tag their vehicles in texas to avoid the outrageously high cost of tagging in Kansas. I swear, about 1 out of every 5 vehicles in Kansas have a texas tag on them. Drive up and down any street and they’re parked in the garages, they have local dealership names on the back of the vehicle. Rarely do I see a military sticker on the windshield to indicate they are military personnel.

Just for perspective, let me tell you what it cost me to tag my vehicles each year in Kansas. I have a '99 Dodge Ram P.U. and a 2006 Saturn Vue. With registration fees and personal property tax, it cost over $350 dollars. I might go down a few dollars each year with the age of the vehicle, but the state always seems to bump up registration fees. This is why Kansans use relatives addresses or a 2-week timeshare they may have in another state as their address for tagging. The most popular states seem to be Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois and Wisconsin.

[LFOD]

I remember when Florida got rid of state inspections.
As a result there are some real basket cases that pass for automobiles. Some of the these vehicles are downright scary.

[ExTxMarine]

Also, if you have Texas tags, and you live out of state - Kansas, then you are NOT required to have the inspect done annually. But, if you travel TO Texas, then you would be required to have it inspected within 7 days of arriving in Texas.

So, they can just re-register via the mail, over and over and over and the only time they had to have an inspection was the first time it was in Texas!

Again, a racket!

[ExTxMarine]

While in the Marine Corps, I lived in Okinawa, Japan with my family, so I had a car. Their inspection program requires an almost complete breakdown of your vehicle. Also, the inspecting company is RESPONSIBLE and can be held LIABLE if your vehicle has a mechanical failure after getting an inspection.

That is why you WILL get new brakes installed during the inspection, you WILL get new tires if the ones on your car show ANY wear, etc... Worst part was BY LAW, once you take your car into the inspector, it could NOT be driven on the road until THEY said it was safe!

Now THAT was a racket!

But, I still think the Texas “inspections” are a joke and only serve the purpose of collecting money!

[BradyLS]

I have a Toyota Carolla. Had no idea about the used cat law. Someone suggested getting one from a junkyard and guesstimated the savings.

[Stentor]

Toyota Carolla

[BradyLS]

LOL!

[Spktyr]

You didn’t state a year, but from the mileage I’m going to assume it’s a 2000 vintage Corolla.

Magnaflow (a well known maker) sells a direct-fit (as in bolt-in) OEM duplicate-but-better cat for that car for $1007.90 MSRP, and you can get it for less at their dealers. It is part number 46881. You can also get their high flow non-OEM but still direct fit/bolt up one for $584.95, part 23881. I recommend the former as unless you’re doing some tuning, some cars may set occasional cat error codes.

Note that these are numbers for non-California cars.

[smokingfrog]

Well, that could get a bit sticky if not clearly defined. I would probably want to limit it to the obvious stuff. Non working lights and signals, worn out tires, broken or missing mirrors and stuff like that. I know people that have gotten a ticket for a smoking vehicle, so they must have some kind of authority already.

[BradyLS]

Yes on the make, a 2002 to be exact. Thanks for the tips, FRiend! :-D

[Spktyr]

Hope it saves you a couple of bucks there, and it’ll keep you legal.

[the invisib1e hand]

Some of the these vehicles are downright scary.

I probably owned a few.

[Deagle]

You missed the point there octex...

I had inspections every year - cursory ones to say the least. Of course many were due to a newer car but several were not (as the car aged). The answer is that government inspections were at the least ineffectual and at the most, troublesome...

The actual result was that inspections were just for the money - as most government regulations are...