Provincial vehicle inspection?

[TAD40]

Hello all, I need a provincial inspection done on a vehicle. I was wondering if our members have any recombination's on where to go for such a service? Preferably in N Edmonton.

[rwm1273]

Hello all, I need a provincial inspection done on a vehicle. I was wondering if our members have any recombination's on where to go for such a service? Preferably in N Edmonton.

Do you mean an out of province inspection? Or a regular vehicle inspection.

In other words has this vehicle ever been registered in Alberta before?

[leeaspell]

Canadian tire

[chop]

crappy tire is a ripe off, i got mine done a few years ago and my wife phoned around to little mom and pop shops . way better deal . i'm out in spruce grove but i'm sure there are lots in N edmonton.
cheers

[TAD40]

Veh insp, this vehicle gas never been registered in AB

[birdee]

agree canadian tire ,your vehicle not safe for road everything needs changing.

[Pointerman]

If it is from outside the country you don't have a choice except Canadian Tire. Province to province you can go to any certified inspector.

[rwm1273]

This link provides a list of authorized inspection facilities.

http://www2.infratrans.gov.ab.ca/vis/production/vishome.asp

[Sheepcrazyguy]

agree canadian tire ,your vehicle not safe for road everything needs changing.

X2 I think most shops use that mentality. I did them for quite a few years. There are some shops that do an honest job on these, but to most it seems like it's a license to steal.

[birdee]

guess i will find out,moving to edmonton area.Had my truck inspected from my mechanic here that does bc inspections,everything a ok

[GreenCanada]

Do not even consider Canadian Tire. Period.

They are criminals and will gouge you for anything and everything, because they expect that since you brought the vehicle there and not a real mechanic you likely don't know much about cars. Once you get the $1000+ bill for the required work, they have you over the barrel. If you do go there and that happens, which is nearly a guarantee (have yet to meet a SINGLE person who hasn't been screwed over), then go get another inspection done elsewhere as a second opinion.

Have a seat kids; here is my story...

I decided since my car was in fantastic shape, with zero issues, and regular maintenance done by myself I'd just run over to crappy tire and get them to do the paper work, no problem right? HAHAHA... My fault I guess for assuming they would be honest and not try to swindle me. So crappy tire goes on and tells me I need brake drums BOTH replaced (I replaced both in October, and got their "mechanic" to show me why... the "mechanic" took them off and pretended to show me marks... which were non-existent and spotless. He was embarrassed), bumper was loose and sticking out (couldn't point it out when I went out with him to see... criminal behaviour), exhaust leak between front wheels (turned out to be mud and salt... whoops), and the crown jewel... "we found an engine code that consumer code readers don't show" (he couldn't show me the code when we were looking at the car, and he surmised it would be a minimum of $1000 to diagnose and fix... hahaha he wasn't kidding).

So, for a car in excellent condition, well taken care of, and a knowledgable owner this is what crappy tire's estimate was to pass it...

Replace my new brake drums $200
Replace/repair my Bumper (that has an invisible issue he couldn't show) $300
Imaginary engine code $1000+
Fake exhaust leak $350 min

Total "estimate" from the thieves at the Shaganappi crappy tire was for a minimum of $1850.00. This was for a car in great condition that has been extremely well maintained. Even after debunking all the fake issues they tried to sneak by, they refused to pass it unless I agreed to have THEM do the work.

So, I decided to get a second opinion and went to Brake Check here in Calgary. Fantastic people, great service, and in my opinion my new mechanic since a lot of my specialty tools are back East. All it cost me was another inspection fee (which I count as my lesson learned to never let any shoddy people from crappy tire touch another car I own), which turned out to be $150 and still way cheaper than c-tires $200+ fee.

OP do a search on the crappy tires in Edmonton and I'm sure you'll find a great deal of situations, similar to mine. Please don't be the next victim. You can also do a google search for "where is a good place to get an out of province vehicle inspection done in (enter your city)" well worth a couple days internet searching and calling around. Don't go to canadian tire.

Rant over.

[mischief]

guess i will find out,moving to edmonton area.Had my truck inspected from my mechanic here that does bc inspections,everything a ok

Did that too when I moved from the Island, some how the trip out here made me need 600 bucks worth of repairs.

[Icatchfish]

not canadian tire, I used them once and never again.

[rwm1273]

We had a mechanic work for us that had been fired by Canadian Tire. We found out why when he put gasoline into a diesel tractor that he had just helped rebuild. Blew up the engine.

I once had taken my car to Canadian Tire to get the rear axle seal replaced since I didn't have a press available to do it. I had the brakes all cleaned prior and new parts to install once the axle seal was done. On the work order it specifically explained that I only wanted the axle seal replaced. Go to pick up my car after work, and the mechanic refused to let me take my car. Claimed that changing a set of brake pads was so technically challenging, that it would be beyond my capability.

As for getting outrageous quotes for repairs, I have been quoted I needed a complete rebuild on an engine because there was a slight dust buildup around the front seal, and the mechanic claimed that it was a major leak and could cause catastrophic problems if he didn't rebuild the engine.

My friend's sister went in for an inspection and they told her they needed to replace the front brakes, caliper, and disk. However she wanted the parts. When she got home, she showed us, and we went back and asked by all the parts had to be replaced, when the pads were only a month old, and there was nothing wrong with the disk or caliper. Ended up getting the parts for free.

[adogwiththumbs]

Need a BBQ or garden hose? Canadian Tire is the place to go.
For mechanical work or even tires, Canadian Tire is THE worst. The absolute worst. Really, the worst. Better off letting the high school shop class work on it.

[sillyak]

I had CT put tires on my Corolla this spring. It was the end of April and the tech was taking off almost brand new snow tires (new in December) and putting on all seasons. When I got back the old tires were not in the trunk. I went back in and asked WTF. The tech said "well no one told me to keep the old tires." Well Jesus, it's spring time, your taking off 90% winters and putting on all seasons, isn't it a given that the customer is switching for summer tires and obviously wants to keep the other ones?

Tourqe spec on the Corolla lug nuts is 78 ft-lbs. They had them 150 ft-lbs + (I own a tourqe wrench.)
Hub caps take a sharp tug to take off and a little bump to put back on. Easy peezy, somehow they managed to scratch the crap out of two of the four.

Just general incompetence with simple tasks, why would anyone trust them with something major?

[hollowleg]

Stay clear of Crappy Tire. Always want to replace stuff. Stay away from Capital Dodge - crooked. They wanted to replace my truck transmission till I got another opinion and told them. Then it was suddenly only a broken wire. Bill was still $1000. And don't get me started on shop supply charges (ripoff). I took my out of province sports car for inspection to Geoff's Automotive in Sherwood Park. Have gone there off and on for years. He seems very honest.

[tri777]

Canadian Tire is THE worst. The absolute worst. Really, the worst. Better off letting the high school shop class work on it.

....i got food poisoning at *******'s last night,so in conclusion:

"*******'s is THE worst. The absolute worst. Really, the worst. Better off letting the high school cook class cook for you".

[pdog15]

Get some good recommendations before taking it in. Not a lot of mechanics doing out of province inspections because of AB gov't red tape/cost to certify. Once opened up, you are at their mercy and they can find a whole lot of problems. Understandably, they don't want to risk their certification. Memo to myself - no more vehicles or boat trailers from out of province.

[adogwiththumbs]

....i got food poisoning at *******'s last night,so in conclusion:

"*******'s is THE worst. The absolute worst. Really, the worst. Better off letting the high school cook class cook for you".


Well, I see Canadian tire doesn't have a no phone at work policy.
Pretty slow there today? Hmmmmm

[tri777]

Well, I see Canadian tire doesn't have a no phone at work policy.
Pretty slow there today? Hmmmmm

Good one^^!
Actually, the Cold lake Canadian Tire is really good for/to me,
gotta balance the unjust scales here is all..like saying
'all Pizza Hut's sucks' because of a bad 2-3.

[From The Hip]

Avoid Crappy Tire completely.The Marlborough CT got hold of my ranger to replace the clutch master cylinder ONLY and they replaced the clutch/clutch slave as well and then they could not bleed the clutch and told me to have it towed to a dealership and have it done after they hit me with a huge repair bill.

I set my brother in-law loose on them who at the time worked for one
of the biggest law firms in Calgary.All told I only paid for the original clutch
master cylinder and the labour.CT picked up the cost of the clutch and clutch slave parts as well as the labour and the tow bill,they also paid
for the 12 days of car rental costs incurred to me due to their incompetant
mechanic who could not figure out how to bleed my clutch.

I will never go to Crappy Tire again for any mechanical work or any parts.

FTH

[tri777]

Avoid Crappy Tire completely.
I will never go to Crappy Tire again for any mechanical work or any parts.

FTH
Some yrs ago I took my truck into a major dealership
because it was no longer charging battery,after almost
3weeks get call "it's ready come pick up".
Bill:$460,new alternator,Red light on dash still lit up saying
"Alt",told me to "just take dash apart and smash bulb"!
This was in 1991..not just Can Tire,scams rampant everywhere.

[Leeper]

The fact is, the whole vehicle inspection thing is a rip-off and has to be the result of some heavy lobbying by places like Canadian Tire, Speedy Muffler, etc. If you are lucky, they will just try to get you to contract for unnecessary work. If you are unlucky, they will damage your vehicle. I saw a Canadian Tire "mechanic" test a Ford Exporer by putting it in 4WD and turning in a tight circle on dry pavement. The owner was fortunate that nothing borke. Another Canadian Tire tech was quite anxious to road test my son's Viper until my son told him the car didn't go on the road unless he was in it.
A Minute Muffler shop told me the Mustang I was having inspected needed a complete brake job. I had done the brakes just before taking it in. The brakes had 8km on them. I asked if they needed to be replaced because they were too clean and he said they must have mixed up the paperwork. Right. Like they were inspecting a bunch of 66 Mustangs that day.
I think the only defence is to know the vehicle before you take it in and make it clear that you don't want them to try and blow smoke at you. My son always tells them they will absolutely not be getting the work before hand. This way they seem less likely to try and come up with BS repairs. I inspect the heck out of it first and make sure everthing is clean and seviced. In the case of Canadian Tire, one can't help but think it is corporate policy to try and sell unnecessary work. Makes them hard to trust. Leeper

[tri777]

Scam #2;
Took my Blazer in for a 'tranny flush&filter change'
as it was shifting like crap,get call to pick up "$212 please",
get it home,crawl under Blazer to check my 'booby trapped' bolts,
and there sat all the tranny pan bolts all built up with mud like as i left them,
the morons just pulled the fluid through the filler tube i concluded while knocking all kinds of crap into pan doing so!

I then go buy a filter set,take everything off(including cross member,not a little job!)And tadda: messy as hell filter..and this again was not at Canadian Tire! Just a small bitty shop.

[GreenCanada]

....i got food poisoning at *******'s last night,so in conclusion:

"*******'s is THE worst. The absolute worst. Really, the worst. Better off letting the high school cook class cook for you".

I'm assuming you haven't read the multiple issues most individuals have posted here. It isn't a one time issue we are dealing with, with respect to crappy tire. It is a continual and widespread issue amongst the vast majority of crappy tire locations.

The scale of poor service to good is slanted towards negative, because every single person who I have spoken to regarding canadian tire has had nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing positive to say about them.

Like others have mentioned, if you want to pick up a product then go for it because they are the same as other retailers. If you want ANY automotive work done on a vehicle, go anywhere besides canadian tire... far too many hacks and swindlers for my taste.

[tri777]

It is a continual and widespread issue amongst the vast majority of crappy tire locations...

Scam#3:
Back in 1993,took my Dodge Daytona in to get a new wheel bearing,said
$900,i said no thanks,then as a bonus they take my car off hoist and give it
to me with a 'free' nicely sliced CV boot,this was along Yellowhead Trail@ a 'Goodyear'.
P.S.
Always always inspect your vech no matter if
parts were put on or not!