Out of province car inspection

[trueimage]

Hi, anyone have a recommendation for an out of province inspection in Calgary? It is a new-to-me Porsche and the Porsche dealership wants $270 and can't do it for two weeks. I'm on a temp transit (had the car shipped here) so I'd like to have it done sooner (and cheaper).

Thanks

[Weitz]

Are you driving around on your temp transit? I'd be careful.

[BBQorMILDEW]

Originally Posted by trueimage

Hi, anyone have a recommendation for an out of province inspection in Calgary? It is a new-to-me Porsche and the Porsche dealership wants $270 and can't do it for two weeks. I'm on a temp transit (had the car shipped here) so I'd like to have it done sooner (and cheaper).

Thanks

If i was you, I wouldn't take the car to the dealership for the inspection.

1) They know exactly what to look for in order for you to pay tons of money. ( when you go to a smaller place like Canadian Tire, they won't be trying to make as much money off of you).

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I did exactly what you're doing now a couple of months ago after buying a car from ON and having it shipped here.

$270 from the dealer isn't terrible - most dealers charge around $200 and they're not Porsche. The benefit is that you have the people who know the car best doing the inspection, and can better alert you to problems that are idiosyncratic to your particular vehicle. When you've just had the thing shipped across the country, that's a benefit, because you may not have been able to fully inspect it before you bought it.

That said, the downside is that they're not necessarily particularly good at dealing with the inspection process. I had the dealer do my car, and had some issues with their methodology, leading to me having to actually call the government and get them to confirm the car should be passed. It was a hassle and they almost forced me to buy a factory exhaust system and put it in the car just so it could pass, before tearing it out and putting the aftermarket system right back in immediately afterwards.

Fortunately, I avoided that and things mostly ended up fine (including the car). However, I think at the end of the day, I would suggest using Inspectacar. Inspections, including out of province, is what they do. They know the manual well and how to interpret it - in fact, one of the guys there (whose name escapes me) actually put me in touch with the relevant government people to solve my problem, even though I wasn't using them. Frankly, I owe those guys a beer or six. Plus you have the added bonus that they have absolutely no incentive to jerk you around or try to get you to pay for unnecessary repairs.

So that would be my recommendation, having just done what you're doing.

http://inspectacar.ca/

[DownhillGoat]

When I did the OPP for mine I took it to a GM dealer. The nice thing about GM (Ford, Toyota, whatever) is they can't sell you Porsche parts, so there's no incentive to nickel and dime you. And they only charged $140 at the time.

[trueimage]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I did exactly what you're doing now a couple of months ago after buying a car from ON and having it shipped here.

$270 from the dealer isn't terrible - most dealers charge around $200 and they're not Porsche. The benefit is that you have the people who know the car best doing the inspection, and can better alert you to problems that are idiosyncratic to your particular vehicle. When you've just had the thing shipped across the country, that's a benefit, because you may not have been able to fully inspect it before you bought it.

That said, the downside is that they're not necessarily particularly good at dealing with the inspection process. I had the dealer do my car, and had some issues with their methodology, leading to me having to actually call the government and get them to confirm the car should be passed. It was a hassle and they almost forced me to buy a factory exhaust system and put it in the car just so it could pass, before tearing it out and putting the aftermarket system right back in immediately afterwards.

Fortunately, I avoided that and things mostly ended up fine (including the car). However, I think at the end of the day, I would suggest using Inspectacar. Inspections, including out of province, is what they do. They know the manual well and how to interpret it - in fact, one of the guys there (whose name escapes me) actually put me in touch with the relevant government people to solve my problem, even though I wasn't using them. Frankly, I owe those guys a beer or six. Plus you have the added bonus that they have absolutely no incentive to jerk you around or try to get you to pay for unnecessary repairs.

So that would be my recommendation, having just done what you're doing.

http://inspectacar.ca/

this is great info, thank you! my car also has an aftermarket exhaust and I haven't had the original shipped to me yet...

[trueimage]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Are you driving around on your temp transit? I'd be careful.

Is that not allowed? I thought that was the point, so I don't have to pay for a tow to the inspection etc? I don't commute with the car so it has been driven sparingly.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by trueimage

Is that not allowed? I thought that was the point, so I don't have to pay for a tow to the inspection etc? I don't commute with the car so it has been driven sparingly.

I sort of thought you meant you have been driving it like a normal car - which isn't allowed. You can drive it to the inspection then to the registry as far as I know.

[trueimage]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I sort of thought you meant you have been driving it like a normal car - which isn't allowed. You can drive it to the inspection then to the registry as far as I know.

Well I definitely did more than that, but it has been parked since Saturday. Thanks for the tip.

[DownhillGoat]

Yeah you're basically allowed point A-B with an in-transit.

[Nufy]

try Alpine Autowerks.

I used them for an insurance inspection when I bought my 944 a few years ago.

Good guys.

[Cuz]

Originally Posted by BBQorMILDEW

If i was you, I wouldn't take the car to the dealership for the inspection.

1) They know exactly what to look for in order for you to pay tons of money. ( when you go to a smaller place like Canadian Tire, they won't be trying to make as much money off of you).

Whatever you do, do not take it to Crappy Tire, they will try and nickel and dime you.

[bossy22]

I've used Canadian tire both times I've done it.

[calumniate]

Don't know if they can look at Porsches - but I took my car to CN Auto and they were great. Could give them a call and see.

[Ryan Coke]

Not to hijack the thread, but any recommends on best and cheapest way to ship from Ontario? Haven't bought anything yet but was going to look around out there for what I'm looking for.

[trueimage]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

No t to hijack the thread, but any recommends on best and cheapest way to ship from Ontario? Haven't bought anything yet but was going to look around out here for what I'm looking for.

My car shipped via Livingston by rail http://www.livingstonintl.com/. The dealer arranged it and it was "included" in my price. It took 9 days from Toronto once it was finally on the train (which I suspect was my dealer's fault). The car was pretty dirty when it arrived I'm still fighting with the dealer over that one. I wouldn't recommend or not recommend them, just giving some feedback.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I shipped using L Hansen's Forwarding. I had no problems whatsoever, took about 2 weeks from Mississauga to their Calgary yard. Car wasn't dirty or anything, though I suspect that depends on when you ship it. I'd use them if I were to do it over again.