MD safety inspections

[bulletbill]

Anyone know of a tint friendly inspection shop/person? Feel free to PM me. Yes I'm aware blah blah blah...

Or know of a tint shop that will remove the tint for the inspection that I can drop off to be retinted after the inspection is done?

Finally found something wrong about this place, well other than the stupid gun laws.. I'm afraid that the bug guts on the vehicles windsheild can get me failed... holy christ what a racket.

I suppose I can just renew my registration in CO and by-pass this whole mess for the next 12 months...

 

[INMY01TA]

Why not just peel it off yourself, then take it to get retinted afterwards?

 

[bulletbill]

Because the glue is a pain in the arse to get off so it can be retinted correctly.

 

[JeepDriver]

PM sent.

 

[INMY01TA]

Yes it can be. I was quoted $80 to remove the tint. Decided to do it myself instead. I used a portable Shark steam cleaner. Steam gets it off with ease.

 

[Jaybeez]

Cant help you with the tint, but there is a great inspection shop on joppa road. They only do inspections, no repairs at all. So if your car really needs the work done, they tell you to go get it done. They aren't out to rack up a huge bill for you.

 

[TonyB]

Just get the inspection done before doing anything preemptively.
-Best case you pass and can leave it on.
-Worst case they fail you, you have to remove it, then get reinspected for free.

What tint percentage is it?

 

[3rdRcn]

Just get the inspection done before doing anything preemptively.
-Best case you pass and can leave it on.
-Worst case they fail you, you have to remove it, then get reinspected for free.

What tint percentage is it?

Inspectors have to fail for tint unless you have a State Police inspection that passes the tint, as I recall. No tint of any kind can get a free pass from this unless it is factory and in the glass. I used to be an inspector many moons ago and kinda have to know this stuff for my job, state inspectors used to be able to pass the tint but I remember something about they changed that rule a while back.

 

[organized_mayhem]

I had a car with factory tint. I even had the window sticker to prove it had factory tint. One of the windows had been broken out and was replaced with a regular window with stick on tint and the place I took the car to refused to pass it because of this.

 

[alucard0822]

MSP cracks down on inspectors often, and tint is one of the more obvious things they go after. Unless the shop is willing to fork over the money for a light transmission gauge, they will almost universally send you to the MSP to get a tint cert(with their light transmission gauge), or have you remove it.

In MD, the minimum light transmission is 35% for most windows, rear windows of "trucks" and some quarter windows can be painted black and still be legal. The rub is that clean glass blocks about 10% of light, so what is sold as "35%" tint actually measures about 25%, and will fail, dirty windows also can lower the number even more, I have seen cars with barely noticeable 50% tint fail because the MSP slipped the gauge over a dirty spot in the window.

 

[bulletbill]

So then safety inspections really don't keep the public safe as they are sold. It just creates new side/underground markets. Nice.

Much like banning guns.. It won't prevent someone from purchasing a gun, just purchasing it legally.

It's not safety controls or gun controls it's just control.

Anyway, it's handled either way. The car passes or it gets registered in CO and the state misses that revenue for at least 12 months. No skin....

 

[mackie]

You only have 60 days to register w/ MD. If you caught the fine is rather hefty.

 

[Naptown34]

Cet caught?? Are you kidding.

I drive from Naptown to Suitland for work and regularly see MD cars with full Limo tint all around...even the front window tinted....never seen them pulled over. Does it happen?

 

[kalister1]

Not getting caught with tint, getting caught living in MD with out of state plates.

 

[AKbythebay]

Slip the inspector $50 and maybe he'll "miss" that part of the inspection

 

[Mark C]

Cet caught?? Are you kidding.

I drive from Naptown to Suitland for work and regularly see MD cars with full Limo tint all around...even the front window tinted....never seen them pulled over. Does it happen?

A friend of mine went to a shop, asked for 'legal tint'. They installed 35% all around. On the way home from the shop, he gets pulled over. The cop (Bel Air PD) pulls out his fancy schmancy tint checker, and reads it at 32%. Apparently factory glass absorbs a small amount of light, enough that my buddy was promptly issued a repair order within hours of having the tint installed. Needless to say he went straight back to the tint shop, argued with them for awhile, and eventually had it removed for free. My father in law got busted in Baltimore Cty with 25% tint. So yeah, it happens. Cross your fingers and hope for the best.

 

[FrankOceanXray]

Light transmission meters are not pricey items. You can get one for below $100.
http://www.tintmeterwarehouse.com/

Inspection stations are under review and audits. Losing their option to perform state inspections could be a big financial loss. That alone is what keeps a lot of shops honest. There of course are several dishonest folks who could help you out.

 

[FrankOceanXray]

Cet caught?? Are you kidding.

I drive from Naptown to Suitland for work and regularly see MD cars with full Limo tint all around...even the front window tinted....never seen them pulled over. Does it happen?

Yes, they absolutely get pulled over. Just because you didn't see them pulled over doesn't imply they do not get stopped. Furthermore, if and when issued a citation it is only a monetary fine and does not correct the violation. Equipment repair orders allow time for correction or validation.

 

[kalister1]

I have heard of tint shops that will remove and then replace for free if you show them the "Fix-it ticket"

 

[donliv]

Slip the inspector $50 and maybe he'll "miss" that part of the inspection

Comar 11.14.01.04, A6: Issuing an inspection certificate for a vehicle without having inspected all its equipment is a category "G" violation resulting in revocation of license without possibility of reinstatement for 5 years.

Not really worth a $50. The State has many undercover troopers taking junk vehicles around to stations to see who is doing their job and who isn't. It irks me when people come in and ask if i do legit inspections or let things slide. Granted i only do motorcycle inspections, but the regulations are in place for a reason, and in my opinion looking through the regulations they are really a bare minimum as far as safety.