wherever you go, ask them if you can do the driving... if they don't want to, move on to another... i always explain that i've had bad experiences at shops, most are pretty cool about it...
Any recommendations for a place to get my Miata inspected?
There is no reason why it shouldn't pass, but I've had crappy experiences taking lowered/modified cars to shops before...
wherever you go, ask them if you can do the driving... if they don't want to, move on to another... i always explain that i've had bad experiences at shops, most are pretty cool about it...
JDSM, creating innovative products and ideas to increase your Miata's performance since 2014. GO ZOOM ZOOM!
Kind of a generic tip but I always scope out the tech's cars at the shop. If they're driving modified cars, or a car you know a "car person" would appreciate, it's usually smooth sailing. I'll pick a car to compliment and ask who owns it, and say that I like this or that about it. No guarantees, but it's helped me pass some bad tires and broken lights on a car before after bullshitting about cars for a few minutes with the tech.
'95 NA8 5SPD
I don't know where the OP is located, but I go to Tejas Automotive here on the east side. They're car guys, and the owner is happy to help you out, if needed (cough, cough). I trust them with my keys, so that's a non-issue for me. I've dealt with them off and on for 10-15 years.
It's a tiny place, but the lot is always littered with cool muscle cars, and the shop does a lot of overflow work for Dallas Mustang.
'94 Black & Black & Tan
'99 head swap, JR header, TDR intake & header blanket, MegaSquirt, RB hollow bar, Tein Flex, 15x8 6ULs, HD M2 Sport, FM cat, Borla cat-back, black '95M interior, MOMO Zebrano, IL Motorsport console...
Dyno Days
8/16/08 (bone stock): 103.1 hp/99.0 lb-ft - Dynojet
8/23/08 (Borla cat-back): 108.2 hp/104.1 lb-ft - Dynojet
8/13/11 (more stuff...): 126 hp/116 lb-ft - Mustang dyno
Roger Moore: the Danny White of James Bonds
Good guys... Heck, I even went there to get a tire patched on the truck and Pierre (the owner) referred me to the guys next door who properly patched my tire for $5 - not a plug, but a real patch inside the tire. The nail was in a spot where Discount Tire woulda pissed and moaned about it, but these guys had me in and out in 10 minutes.
So I guess that's also a rec for the tire store next door to Tejas, but they're good folks too...
'94 Black & Black & Tan
'99 head swap, JR header, TDR intake & header blanket, MegaSquirt, RB hollow bar, Tein Flex, 15x8 6ULs, HD M2 Sport, FM cat, Borla cat-back, black '95M interior, MOMO Zebrano, IL Motorsport console...
Dyno Days
8/16/08 (bone stock): 103.1 hp/99.0 lb-ft - Dynojet
8/23/08 (Borla cat-back): 108.2 hp/104.1 lb-ft - Dynojet
8/13/11 (more stuff...): 126 hp/116 lb-ft - Mustang dyno
Roger Moore: the Danny White of James Bonds
I'll have to check out Tejas this weekend then... I'm past due!
wait you guys go to places that actually drive the car around? i think ive had my car road tested once during in inspection the last like 6 years other than pulling the car into the bay or closer to the obd2 scanner
at our shop we do a quick lil stop test running the length of the parking lot and test the parking brake. thats about the extent of driving that ever needs to be done. ive only had one customer request to do the driving and i allowed it but he was a real prick about it. didnt even wanna leave the inside of the car with the keys still in it (2010 ss camaro, riced out)
we have pre obd2 cars, we still have to do rolling tests on the sniffer machine. it's not just a plug in test like the obd2 cars.
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