NJ DMV is beyond bad

[MightyGiants]

I just encountered horrible service, even with the low bar set by motor vehicle divisions.   My car was due for inspection.   In my county, there are no inspection stations near me.   I had a couple of extra work hours, so I took them to drive a half hour to the closest inspection station.  Before leaving, I checked the website to confirm that they were open.

I drove all the way there only to encounter a rude DMV worker who informed me they decided they weren't going to be bothered opening the inspection station today and that they would open tomorrow (I assume that is if they feel like it).   It's bad enough to mandate the silly inspection for pollution, but it's inexcusable to just randomly and without notice shut down the only poorly situated inspection station in the entire county.

I am beyond pissed.  I called the DMV complaint number, but unsurprisingly, their complaint line doesn't actually work (which perhaps explains the attitude of the worker I encountered).

[Bill Brown]

Wow. Up here in Maine almost every neighborhood garage and auto dealership inspects vehicles. I get my car inspected at the dealership where I bought it and my wife and daughter get their vehicles inspected at a small garage a few miles from the house.  You do have to make an appointment.   12.00 to inspect one if everything passes.

Bill

[Sem]

Wow. Up here in Maine almost every neighborhood garage and auto dealership inspects vehicles. I get my car inspected at the dealership where I bought it and my wife and daughter get there vehicles inspected at a small garage a few miles from the house.  You do have to make an appointment.   12.00 to inspect one if everything passes.

Bill

That's also pretty much how it was when I lived in NY. In CA we don't even have to have our vehicles inspected, which I find odd. Although every other year we do have to have our emission system tested/certified, or "smogged" as it's called out here.

[MightyGiants]

Wow. Up here in Maine almost every neighborhood garage and auto dealership inspects vehicles. I get my car inspected at the dealership where I bought it and my wife and daughter get their vehicles inspected at a small garage a few miles from the house.  You do have to make an appointment.   12.00 to inspect one if everything passes.

Bill

I can go the private route, but here in NJ that costs between $50 and $100

[Sem]

I can go the private route, but here in NJ that costs between $50 and $100

That's messed up. IMO, if the state mandate requires you to get your vehicle inspected then it should be done by state licensed inspection stations at a price set by the state. You shouldn't be at the mercy of some service station out to price gouge you.

[MightyGiants]

On a side note, I did look up the complaint phone number for the NJ DMV.  I called it, but it didn't work.  I guess that explained the attitude of the DMV worker who told me to go pound salt.

[ozzie]

Here in Texas I'm lucky I can get a vehicle inspected at most any garage / service center.
The DMV, now that's another story. Long lines and non existent customer service.

[LennG]

 Here in NY, you can go to just about any service station that is equipped with the emissions testing machine, which is just about all of them. The cost is set by the state at $37 pass or fail. If it fails emissions, you can have it retested for $27. These stations don't make any money on the emissions but once they get your car on that lift, who knows what they could/might find and pass that is also part of the inspection.
I would never take my car to a strange place to get it inspected as I might come away needing a new transmission.

[Ed Vette]

I haven't had to inspect a car in many years. The Vette doesn't require inspections anymore as it's now a classic. I lease my vehicles. Prior to that, Paramus was always an easy station. As for other DMV needs, I stay away from Lodi. But with the Mobile units that come to town and renewing online now, it's much easier.

DMV employees are notoriously nasty. Must be nice having a job for life with a pension and benefits locked in and no accountability.

[MightyGiants]

I haven't had to inspect a car in many years. The Vette doesn't require inspections anymore as it's now a classic. I lease my vehicles. Prior to that, Paramus was always an easy station. As for other DMV needs, I stay away from Lodi. But with the Mobile units that come to town and renewing online now, it's much easier.

DMV employees are notoriously nasty. Must be nice having a job for life with a pension and benefits locked in and no accountability.

Actually, the DMV was outsourced to private companies.  It's no longer run by state employees but rather by underpaid private contractors.

[Bill Brown]

I haven't had to inspect a car in many years. The Vette doesn't require inspections anymore as it's now a classic. I lease my vehicles. Prior to that, Paramus was always an easy station. As for other DMV needs, I stay away from Lodi. But with the Mobile units that come to town and renewing online now, it's much easier.

DMV employees are notoriously nasty. Must be nice having a job for life with a pension and benefits locked in and no accountability.

Ed. Even though you lease don't you still have to get a yearly inspection?

Bill

[MightyGiants]

Ed. Even though you lease don't you still have to get a yearly inspection?

Bill

New cars get 5 years before needing an inspection

[Ed Vette]

Ed. Even though you lease don't you still have to get a yearly inspection?

Bill

New vehicles in NJ we have I believe 4 years before requiring an inspection. If I get new plates, I don't have to renew the registration, but I keep my old plates and I have to renew the registration every year.

[kartanoman]

Thank goodness Arizona's Inspection Points are plentiful in all the main cities and we've had no issue whatsoever in getting our Emission Certificate (NOTE: especially driving a Prius) and re-registering can practically be done on-line with our vehicles once they've been in-state past the initial registration period. I'm sorry some of you have to deal with rotten service and even worse customer service to complain. You would think the state would want their revenue and not have unmotivated staff not doing their job.

Hang in there!

Peace!