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frankybling t1_iu96bs4 wrote

your regular mechanic may not have noticed brakes if they weren’t specifically looking. They get overlooked a lot when other stuff is being done. It’s one of the reasons it’s what inspection stations look at close (that and the safety part), it could also be a case of the station trying to cash grab you which is also a sad possibility

Edit-go to your mechanic or basically any other shop to get them checked

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Artvandelay2019 t1_iu93e7q wrote

Bring it to your mechanic first. Don't have the inspection station do them. They could just be trying to make a buck...

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Head_Zombie214796 t1_iu98ili wrote

dont trust anybody who says those words during an inspection 'we can take care of that for you' they are trying to upsell you to do more work.

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Puzzleheaded_Ad_7204 t1_iu9deac wrote

Take it to a Micah if and if nothing wrong w breaks, report them to the RMV division that certified shops for in sections. This guy’s may be committing fraud.

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Hollywould_7 t1_iu9hev9 wrote

Normally I go with a guy friend but this year I went by myself. I don’t want to jump to conclusions and say they thought I would go with whatever they said because I’m a woman, but I definitely have had it happen in the South.

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Head_Zombie214796 t1_iu9xq57 wrote

bring your car to someone you trust, not someone who is doing the inspection. even if its the windshield wipers take it somewhere else to get things fixed its a huge conflict of interest.

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jp_jellyroll t1_iu9a3rz wrote

>Surely the guys at the shop I always take my car to would have said something, right? I also got an oil change at the beginning of September—isn’t that something inspected during oil changes?

Uh, why the hell would you ever assume that? If you bring your vehicle in for a specific problem, they're going to fix it and move on. They're not going to spend the whole day doing a 1,000-point inspection on the rest of your car... for free. That's insanity. If you break your arm and go to the hospital, they're not going to do a friggin' colonoscopy to make sure your ass is good just in case. They're going to cast your arm and send you home. But while you're there, if you say, "Hey, my ass is on fire," then they'll take a look.

And, frankly, if a mechanic came to me saying he found "other problems" besides the ones I asked to be fixed, I would immediately be suspicious. "Oh yeah, we noticed you need new pads... and you definitely need a new framus to connect with the ramistan. We can do that for you!"

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Hollywould_7 t1_iu9aq9s wrote

It wasn’t a specific issue, there was more than one. They had to run a diagnostic, and they always test drive it for a few miles to make sure everything is running smoothly. I trust my guys completely. I’ve taken it in for a specific issue before, and they’ve told me to hold off on fixing it because something more important needed to be fixed.

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The_eldritch_bitch t1_iu9f83c wrote

Then diag picked up what was wrong, it wouldn’t pick up brakes.

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[deleted] OP t1_iu9fl4x wrote

[deleted]

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The_eldritch_bitch t1_iu9hr0e wrote

Brakes don’t have a dash indicator, and it can be hard to tell before they get really loud. I’m sitting here asking my Toyota master tech (for 15 years) husband these questions trying to help you. Next time, it can’t hurt to ask, “check the brakes too if you don’t mind.” But they won’t be doing a 100 point inspection or w/e if they aren’t getting paid for it.

And ask your regular mechanic or dealership this, not Moes Garage or whatever gas station inspection center it was

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Hollywould_7 t1_iu9i9hd wrote

I appreciate it. It’s an ‘08 Jeep Patriot. Of course it’s just shy of the 15-year mark for inspection specifics. I’m tempted to just sell it, honestly. I’ve been going to Long Life Auto in Waltham for the last few years, and they’ve never done me dirty!

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The_eldritch_bitch t1_iu9immo wrote

Yeah so they probably didn’t check for brakes because those wouldn’t trigger check engine. We traded in my 08 highlander a couple months ago and got what we paid for it 6 years ago…might be worth it!!

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Hollywould_7 t1_iu9iytz wrote

That’s what I thought!! Used car market is still relatively hot. Plus, I can easily commute via commuter rail and get my steps in. And no longer risking parking tickets sounds pretty damn good to me!

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SueAnnNivens t1_iu9zwh6 wrote

It's good to trust your people, but I still get a copy of the diagnostic print out. That way I know what is going on with my car so that there aren't any surprises. You can google codes.

A code will not show up on the diagnostic if the system (transmission, engine, exhaust, etc) doesn't send codes to the electronic control unit (ECU). Outside of the ABS, bad brake shoes/pads are not going to be on the diagnostic.

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PakkyT t1_iu9tjsh wrote

Take it back to your mechanic and have them check the brakes. If the mechanic agrees then have your mechanic fix them and then finish your inspection. If your mechanic says they are fine ask them to note that on the receipt along with any measurements that took of the pads (most will just eyeball the pads and say "you are probably good for another year" but in this case, I would ask them for measurements if they think they are ok. Then take that back to the inspection place. If they still don't let you pass for the breaks, you can initiate a challenge inspection with the state.

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Walmart_Prices t1_iu9umfm wrote

Listen if your mechanic shop doubles up as a convenient store I said abort . It’s routine check if you get it done at any dealer it’s called a multi point inspection checking tire thread also. The small mechanic shops are only useful for quick repairs that you have knowledge of before hand and just need the services. But for diagnosing a car see what’s wrong with it . I said yes he tried to scam so you can come back and your stuck in the loop your in.

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