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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 01:58 PM
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Default Inspections in NJ?

I might be moving up there later on this year and was curious as to how in depth car inspections are in New Jersey. Anyone?
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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 02:33 PM
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New Jersey sucks PERIOD. Not just talking about inspection either.

If you go through state inspection they check everything, can't have any tint on front windows. SES light is a no no, smog test etc etc. I have yet to meet anyone with any sort of knowledge about cars at the inspection station. they will fail you for dumb **** too. License plate light(s),tail light covers.
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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 04:52 PM
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and yet if you go through without functioning reverse lights, theyll pass you just fine. if your car is stock or basic bolt-ons, youll be fine. make sure you dont have a code or anything obvious like bald tires, blown shocks/alignment. if you have anything iffy, yet still safe to drive, youd be better off paying a private inspection station. as far as passing an obviously illegal car, ie: tint, open exhaust/no cats, etc, those places are getting far and few between. if youre lucky, he'll let you go with tint. but at least he wont put it on the alignment or suspension machine.
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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 08:34 PM
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Ok, so you are saying you can't have tint on the door windows? What kind of crap is that? They look under your car for cats? What if it isn't throwing any codes? What about long tubes? I am not liking the sounds of this.
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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 08:46 PM
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Find a private shop that won't fail you for stupid things. My friend failed for the shift pattern being worn out on his shift ****. Tint is one thing that many/most places will not look the other way on anymore. They also love to fail you for noise. Which makes sense because I see dB measuring tools all over the facilities...

-J
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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 08:53 PM
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They didn't do a visual test on mine last time I went. Only scanned the computer.
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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 09:19 PM
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i have a loudmouth and they didn't say anything for noise. but they did check for cats. and on my beater the dash lights don't even work and it still passed
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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 09:37 PM
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They failed me for a bad gas cap. Worse yet they stole all my change from my console too. NJ sucks.
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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 10:04 PM
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I went to and passed at a state run facilty. Common things should be operational such as head lights/break lights/horn etc. They do a visual inspection for cats and check your computer for any SES codes (automatic failure). The gas cap is checked and the car goes on a shock checker-outer-thing.

As far as I know OBDII cars are not run on the dyno/sniff test (mine wasn't).
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Old Jul 20, 2008 | 10:09 PM
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Originally Posted by cdubbzz
I went to and passed at a state run facilty. Common things should be operational such as head lights/break lights/horn etc. They do a visual inspection for cats and check your computer for any SES codes (automatic failure). The gas cap is checked and the car goes on a shock checker-outer-thing.

As far as I know OBDII cars are not run on the dyno/sniff test (mine wasn't).
The visual inspection must depend on which station you go to.
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 05:52 AM
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Originally Posted by mcG
i have a loudmouth and they didn't say anything for noise. but they did check for cats. and on my beater the dash lights don't even work and it still passed
The facility around me must suck ***** then. Every single car I've ever taken has failed for noise. Cats were even on the car. The one guy gave me 5 minutes worth of **** for my LM... "You really expected to pass?? Look at the car! It doesn't even have a muffler on it! Are you serious? Look, it's just a bullet!"

No I didn't know it's a bullet. I bought the ******* thing and had no idea it was a bullet. Thank you for pointing that out for me, whatever would I do without you telling me.

-J
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 07:19 AM
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where are you moving? i can get stickers for the car as long as it has registration lol my dads passed many times with no muffler and i just slapped a sticker on my buddys sierra 5% all the way around, train horns, police strobes in the lights and header back.
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 10:46 AM
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Originally Posted by chevrunner21
where are you moving? i can get stickers for the car as long as it has registration lol my dads passed many times with no muffler and i just slapped a sticker on my buddys sierra 5% all the way around, train horns, police strobes in the lights and header back.
I would be moving to the Bridgewater area. My wife works for Sanofi Aventis. All I have is long tubes, no cats and GMMG muffler. Everything else is legit. I guess I can hold off on tinting until I move back to Texas after a couple of years.
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 03:24 PM
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I live 10 mins away from Bridgewater. Very nice area. You'll have problems tho with tint and illegal exhaust.

Solution....Collector Car that bitch..and get a beater. Collector cars are exempt from emissions and safety testing
I used to run 5% tint and my exhaust is definitly illegal lol.

if ya wanna live in NJ ya gotta find ways around things if ya wanna keep your toys
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Lt14mla
if ya wanna live in NJ ya gotta find ways around things if ya wanna keep your toys

+1

join some local nj forums. they have "guys" that can help you out.
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 03:47 PM
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NJ does suck...they broke my Jaguar once shifting it too hard, car went in limp mode part cost me $200 to fix, plus an OBD II code reader and a week of time waiting for the special order part to come in. Then when you watch them they get pissed off...and tell you to go in the waiting area. F*ck that. When they see hot cars pull up they want to get in them and beat em up. Had my camaro there once and the guy spun the tires going up on the dyno thing...Good luck man!
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 04:06 PM
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The DMV Inspection facility in Lodi New Jersey off of Rt17 is pretty lenient with loud cars and ect..
My car is H/C QTP Headers and a Loudmouth 1 and they have never failed it..
But I do have my girl friend take it through wearing a skimpy top
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 04:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Lt14mla
I live 10 mins away from Bridgewater. Very nice area. You'll have problems tho with tint and illegal exhaust.

Solution....Collector Car that bitch..and get a beater. Collector cars are exempt from emissions and safety testing
I used to run 5% tint and my exhaust is definitly illegal lol.

if ya wanna live in NJ ya gotta find ways around things if ya wanna keep your toys
My camaro is not my daily driver. I drive a F-150 which brings me to another question. But first, how do you go about collector caring it? Is that what you did? Is there certain criteria for the car to be a "collector"? My other question is, would it be ok to have a 2 wheel drive F-150 for the winters. I heard it can get pretty bad. If I need to get a 4X4 or AWD vehicle before I move I can do that. I have plenty of experience driving in adverse winter conditions I'm just curious as to what everyone up there drives and what your opinions are.
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 05:18 PM
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i've made it through jersey snow in an 80's cavalier station wagon, 1985 cutlass with a decent little 350sbc in it shift kit makes 1-2shifts fun on empty roads lol, my old mans 1987 silverado 2wd 305tbi(we had this one daily driven for atleast 5yrs), and of course my old blazer(only saw one snow before i sold it.) you'll be fine with your little f-150 a buddy made it 2yrs with a little 5spd 4cyl 2wd ranger and another year with a mx-6 with no springs and a body kit lol(his sis GAVE it to him so we beat it till he got his 1994 formula.)
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Old Jul 21, 2008 | 05:24 PM
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Oh ok. I was still thinking about getting a lifted jeep though, that is until I read how ridiculous the law is about large tires and lifts. Geez you can't have anything cool in NJ. I guess I'll be ready to get out of there after my wife's two years are up.
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