We are moving to Asheville in February. We visited last week, and I noticed signs in many autoshops saying they do state inspections.

What do these intail? How often are they required? Are they picky about modded cars? How expensive are they, or should they be?

Anything I should know about moving, and bringing my car to NC?

Thanks

 

The state has brief inspection overview at http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/moving/newnc/emissions.html
Asheville is in Buncombe County, so the state inspection involves hooking the car up to a diagnostic computer through the OBDC port to make sure that your emissions systems are functional. In addition, they’re supposed to check to make sure that your lights, horn, turn signals, windshield glass, etc., are all in order.

You don’t say how seriously your car is modded, but the altered MINIs hereabouts seem to have no problems. However, the state tightened the window tinting regulations last year and I’ve heard that some members of this club have had to remove the dark tinting from their car's windows to pass the inspection. See the regs at http://www.ncdot.org./dmv/vehicle_se...n/tinting.html Thirty-two percent isn’t very dark, though some drivers seem to be slipping past that regulation.

The emissions testing can cost “up to” $30 for OBDC II cars: In reality, it’s always $30. The station can charge an additional $10 for testing the tinting, though mine doesn't.

I take it Michigan doesn't have an inspection, so this one might seem like an annual hassle to you. However, western N.C. compensates by having some great driving: The Dragon is nearby and that's not the only -- or best -- MINI driving available.

We have a couple of good MINI dealerships nearby. Century MINI, in Greenville, S.C., is about an hour from Asheville and Charlotte's Hendrick MINI is a couple of hours. There are some good independent shops in the Asheville area, too, as well as autocross activity and static car shows. The climate's great: We don't get much cold or snow (and that melts quickly), and summers are pretty mild. It's a great place to drive your MINI, especially once the tourists and seasonal residents depart after leaf season.

So welcome to North Carolina, and enjoy. And don't forget to join M2C2 http://www.m2c2.org/docs/m2c2-application.pdf!

Lee J.
Flat Rock, NC

 

Michigan has no inspection at all. If it runs and has lights, and you feel like you can manage driving it in any state of disrepair, go for it.

I just have an intake and a pulley, so it should be no big deal. Need to get my reverse light switch fixed though, probably before we leave. I need my 25k oil change done when I am in Detroit also.

Tough on tint, no tint, no problem.

With my my snow tires I will probably be the only car on the road when it does.

Will finally make it to the dragon this year, Hurray!

Once I get moved in and figure things out, will get involved in M2C2.

 

Just a word of advice....give the car a once-over before you take it in for the inspection. Make sure your fluid levels are topped up and the tires, wiper blades, lights, and horn work and are in good shape. Some of the, shall we say, less reputable, inspection stations in the state try to make a little extra by charging outrageous sums to straighten out any faults found.
The bad thing is, once they pull it into the inspection area, you're going to have to pay the inspection fee whether you pass or fail. If, for some reason, it does fail, and you don't like the quote for they give you for repairs, you have the option to take the car, fix it, and take it back to the same station for reinspection at no extra charge.
Beyond that, if you like driving, you're going to love the area. You're moving to a place that has some of the best driving roads and nicest scenery in the country.

 

I don't know about that: I still have snows on the '67 Volvo I brought when I moved here from Iowa! There's rarely much snow here and best of all (this from the perspective of someone who worked outside in Midwestern winters for two decades), what snow does fall usually melts the next day. It's not Florida during the winter, but you'll never hear the phrase "lake effect snow" in the Asheville forecast.