The Cart Before the Horse: Spec 3 Build

[rherold9]

I'm just not understanding the refusal to just properly register and inspect your vehicle(s), DJ? Do rules not apply to you?

One ticket will cost more than actually just getting it done yearly....

I get skipping emissions though with the garaged thing.

[D_Eclipse9916]

I'm just not understanding the refusal to just properly register and inspect your vehicle(s), DJ? Do rules not apply to you?

One ticket will cost more than actually just getting it done yearly....

I get skipping emissions though with the garaged thing.

Mostly laziness in dealing with asshat garages that can't tell their butthole from their mouth.  It already drives me nuts enough when I take Jess' car in for inspection and they say the headlights need to be realigned on her 3 year old car.  I simply state, that's fine, I am going to call the police and have them verify.  "Oh we will take care of it for you no charge".  **** YOU.

[Kaan]

Trailer = pain in the butt

Motorcycle = the inspectors usually have no idea what they are looking for outside of lights ( I can do that myself )

I do get the cars/trucks inspected... but I've found SO MANY shady places. The last time I got the Integra inspected it was after completely ripping it apart and replacing EVERYTHING (engine, trans, brakes (lines, calipers, pads, rotors, hardware), bushings, etc)... they said I needed rear brakes. I asked them to show me... "oh its already on the ground, with the tire back on it" ... its okay, I can see my brakes through my wheels, show me what is wrong with them.

[Senor_Taylor]

I had a shop fail me for windshield wipers once...

Ryan, they make DOT approved harnesses but they cost almost as much as I'm in this car for.

I've only ever been pulled over once in my life and I don't think a failed inspection is a primary offense right?

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[D_Eclipse9916]

I had a shop fail me for windshield wipers once...

Ryan, they make DOT approved harnesses but they cost almost as much as I'm in this car for.

I've only ever been pulled over once in my life and I don't think a failed inspection is a primary offense right?

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Next on Taylor's fail-a-vision, Taylor goes to jail!

[Senor_Taylor]

I had a shop fail me for windshield wipers once...

Ryan, they make DOT approved harnesses but they cost almost as much as I'm in this car for.

I've only ever been pulled over once in my life and I don't think a failed inspection is a primary offense right?

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Next on Taylor's fail-a-vision, Taylor goes to jail!

Three hots and a cot, baby!

Just so I'm clear. I'm not concerned about the rear seats. They are unusable with the roll bar anyway. The front seats have occupancy sensors and seat belt sensors (5 checks total between the two seats) that are unplugged and throw an airbag fault. This car will never pass inspection with the front seats out unless I wire up some stuff to trick the air bag control module. Maybe I could unplug the module, but then it won't cycle the light and that will also fail. I guess it's a non issue since I can swap the stock seats back in to pass, and not worry about it until next year.

Seems a lot more simple when I type it out.

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[rherold9]

Resistors work very well in making the systems function fine

I'm honestly surprised no one in MM has a shop/friend people can take their cars in NOVA though...

[Kaan]

Resistors work very well in making the systems function fine

I'm honestly surprised no one in MM has a shop/friend people can take their cars in NOVA though.

only if you have a radio shack around.

[ViPER1313]

Sitting here smugly in the people’s republic of Maryland enjoying this gripe fest.

[SlimKlim]

Resistors work very well in making the systems function fine

I'm honestly surprised no one in MM has a shop/friend people can take their cars in NOVA though...

At this point I would guess 90% of E36s still on the road with or without factory seats have resistors stuck in the OCC/Buckle switches to keep the light off.

As far as inspections go: 

Great Fall Exxon @ the corner of Georgetown Pike and Walker Rd
"Briar Oaks Repair Center" or some shit, the Exxon next to the Harris Teeter on Rt 50 in Fairfax
A-Plus / Sunoco on Gloucester in Ashburn

Have all treated me well in the past with a fairly pragmatic interpretation of the inspection rules

[Senor_Taylor]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the one you suggested. And now you're here with 2 more

Plan of attack.

1. Attempt antique tags
2. If that fails, drive over to the great falls place and see what happens
3. If it fails for seats, throw seats in and pay my $1 to get reinspected.
4. Get antique plates next year and never look back.

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[Goodspeed]

"Briar Oaks Repair Center" or some shit, the Exxon next to the Harris Teeter on Rt 50 in Fairfax

Of note, I took the FD there and the inspector was a terrible, terrible bastard and failed it for "tinted taillights".  I told him they were the factory taillights, he replied that he used to work at a Mazda dealer and knew full well they were factory, and confirmed he was failing it anyway. 

Hogan & Sons in South Riding were much more amenable to not being assholes, but YMMV depending on the shop, inspector on duty, phase of the moon, etc.

[ryangreen1]

I've only ever been pulled over once in my life and I don't think a failed inspection is a primary offense right?

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I have a friend in high school who didn’t know inspections were a thing and didn’t get pulled over until the school cop saw him 3 days in a row dropping his sister off without a sticker in the window.

I also have a friend who last got a sticker on his truck in 2013 100k miles ago and never been pulled over for it.

Seems kinda like the front plate rule, unless you find a cop who’s a stickler for it you probably won’t be pulled


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[Sijray21]

Don's sunoco in Falls Church has been good to me, too. I've taken my cars there a bunch of times for inspections and minor work.

[Scott]

 Really hoping I can somehow get this registered as an antique, otherwise I'm ripping the seats back out and installing the stock seats to pass inspection.

You won't be registering it until 2020 as an antique.  25 years.

What's wrong with the seats?  My Miata passed inspection for a decade with the race seats, 6 point harnesses on both side.  However, I did keep the stock seat belts and buckles in place, which is what you need for inspection

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Resistors work very well in making the systems function fine

^this.  Do it right and don't worry about it.

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Oh yeah, I forgot about the one you suggested. And now you're here with 2 more

Plan of attack.

1. Attempt antique tags

Why waste the time?  The law is 25 years old.  0% chance of you getting an antique tag.

[WRXtranceformed]

What are these safety and emissions inspections you speak of?

- SC resident

[Senor_Taylor]

Scott, I've already stated that these seats have occupancy sensors and seat belt recepticle sensors. Not having the seat itself plugged in throws airbag lights faults. 2 for the driver side and 3 for the passenger side if I read correctly. It's not as simple as a Miata.

Yes I'm aware of the antique laws and I've probably had more antique registered cars here than everyone but Dave, Blair, or Paul. However, I don't know how many actual checks they have and I may be able to do some convincing about build dates or something. Doesn't hurt to try.

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[Kaan]

You aren't paving new ground... here is a solution for you (I think)... lowly Honda kids searching BMW posts... aided by the Miata kids ideas.

http://bmw3series.johnavis.com/blog/780/...cy-sensor/

next time you come this way... I have a radio shack and a pimp soldering iron

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I came across this too...

swapping the sensor is easy and there is a write up or two on here. just remove the stock seat's lower cushion (few zip ties and pull hard to pop a couple clips) and lay it under the new seat's cushion. its not rocket science

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https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showt...ners/page2

[rherold9]

If you are talking about a weight sensor. My Miata had one for the passenger seat. Remove it and bend it like it would when there is weight on it. Zip tie to car somewhere and bam, lights off. The rest can be resistor-ed up. Unplug this stuff when you get to the track. Plug it back in for the street drive home with working air bags

[Apoc]

Yes I'm aware of the antique laws and I've probably had more antique registered cars here than everyone but Dave, Blair, or Paul. However, I don't know how many actual checks they have and I may be able to do some convincing about build dates or something. Doesn't hurt to try.

Ask them to throw in a subwoofer while you're at it.