Trailer Inspection

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by gearhead

I'm with Danny, it's either $7 or $14 in Texas. My local inspection station lady just checks my lights and asks for the money.
Pennsylvania supposedly has good trout fishing. I ran up there in the Bigfoot to try it and found Spruce Creek a flooded mudhole.

DW is from PA. Her dad and mom moved to TX while nearly all the rest of the family stayed in PA on their properties they have owned for a long time. These stories of good fishing up there has moved getting back there from "near the top" of my bucket list to "right at the top". Was thinking of somewhere to spend the summer so might just head that way. As a side note one of her uncles just really likes me a lot, he took me aside and told me he would give me 40 acres on his farm (seriously) if I wanted to build a house out near their properties (running streams and all). Haven't done it....guess I'm too Texan to go - but I plan on "stopping in"!!

[Gkri]

Originally Posted by sourdough

DW is from PA. Her dad and mom moved to TX while nearly all the rest of the family stayed in PA on their properties they have owned for a long time. These stories of good fishing up there has moved getting back there from "near the top" of my bucket list to "right at the top". Was thinking of somewhere to spend the summer so might just head that way. As a side note one of her uncles just really likes me a lot, he took me aside and told me he would give me 40 acres on his farm (seriously) if I wanted to build a house out near their properties (running streams and all). Haven't done it....guess I'm too Texan to go - but I plan on "stopping in"!!

Danny, don't need specifics, but can you divulge what county?

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Gkri

Danny, don't need specifics, but can you divulge what county?

Crawford Cty.

[JRTJH]

Back to the $125 charge for a "state required trailer inspection"

Most states have an established charge for that inspection sticker. In Louisiana, the inspection fee was regulated and it was illegal to charge more than that fee.

I'm not sure what PA does with the sticker requirements, but I'd very much doubt that any business can increase or decrease the fees associated with a "mandated safety inspection"... If they could, then there would probably be lots of "under the table charges to overlook obvious defects" and businesses charging 4, 5 or even 10 times the fee, just so they didn't have to be bothered by RV inspections....

Typically, it's an established fee, can't charge more, can't charge less and if the business gets caught cheating on price or skipping inspection checks, they are subject to fines or penalties.

So, I'd call around and ask other state inspection stations how much they charge for the "inspection sticker".... I'd guess you'll find that it's consistent throughout the state. If your dealership is overcharging, you may have legal recourse with the state department that's responsible for regulating the inspection stations.

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by flybouy

You likely crossed the Potomac River getting there. I've seen lots of trout fisherman around Harpers Ferry, WV. South Branch of the Potomac around Romney, Wv is supposedly good as well. Just what I've heard, not personal experience.

Maybe not. Trying to recall that trip. The final destination was Eldora Speedway in western Ohio. My poor logic was..If I'm driving that far to watch cars drive in circles, I'll go fishing. So I went to Great Smokey Mntns National Park, then up I-81 to the Blue Ridge Prkwy (edit: Skyline Drive) and camped at Big Meadows?. Then up to Spruce Creek. Found it and the campground flooded and ended up in a nearby state park: Blue Knob State Park. Since that was a wash out, I ended up at Grand Lake State Park in Ohio waiting for the races.
Dang that was a memory test.

[Gkri]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Crawford Cty.

Danny - 90 miles north of our son in Monaca. Just had trailer out there last week. that is close to Ashtabula, OH - you can find a self-guided covered bridge and winery tour for that area, very nice. We plan on doing that again after the Blackwater Falls SP trip in WV.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Welcome to the forum. We love PA and camp around Lancaster and points north A LOT. Our SIL is from Springfield and our DD and their boys live in Oxford so it's only about a 45 min ride to go see them. I'm guessing the dealer charged you an hour's labor?

Originally Posted by Gkri

The invoice just stated State Inspection $125, I suppose it might be a flat rate they use for that service. Have you tried any of the PA State Parks? We have done Hickory Run, Promised Land and Worlds End. If you have suggestions for other places in PA, i'll be happy to hear them.

I think your right about the hours labor..I can’t imagine there isn’t anything that they won’t charge at least a min 1 hour if there is nothing else involved

Now maybe if you had some other service done at the same time like new brakes or axles or some upgrade and you asked them to also inspect the trailer,it may be cheaper but the overall bill would be higher of course

On a side note if you buy a trailer (utility) from Maine the tag goes with it I’ve been told…it’s permanent and no inspections…my buddy had one for years although I don’t know if actually purchased the trailer or borrowed it but he was always talking about that tag.

I thought it was a good reason to get pulled over by a cop that may not understand..Maryland tags on truck and Maine tag on trailer

Edit it looks like the max is 12 years till renewal on main tags

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by gearhead

Maybe not. Trying to recall that trip. The final destination was Eldora Speedway in western Ohio. My poor logic was..If I'm driving that far to watch cars drive in circles, I'll go fishing. So I went to Great Smokey Mntns National Park, then up I-81 to the Blue Ridge Prkwy (edit: Skyline Drive) and camped at Big Meadows?. Then up to Spruce Creek. Found it and the campground flooded and ended up in a nearby state park: Blue Knob State Park. Since that was a wash out, I ended up at Grand Lake State Park in Ohio waiting for the races.
Dang that was a memory test.

You would have crossed it just south of Williamsport.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Gkri

Danny - 90 miles north of our son in Monaca. Just had trailer out there last week. that is close to Ashtabula, OH - you can find a self-guided covered bridge and winery tour for that area, very nice. We plan on doing that again after the Blackwater Falls SP trip in WV.

DW's parents and family all grew up there. DW moved away right before she became a teenager.....then she met me and here we are! She has recounted countless stories of her uncles all going fishing and all the cousins playing/swimming in the creeks, jumping off the bridges etc. She went back for quite a few years with her parents but I did not....I wish I had but life gets in the way at times but it IS a trip I'm going to make very soon - it sounds very pretty and fun.

[flybouy]

Danny I think Pennsylvania, along with other states along the eastern seabord have an enourmous amount of natural beuty and great people. Folks tend to hear about the large cities and assume it's representative of the entire state. New Jersy always gets a bad rap but it's a gorgeous state from the Deleware Water Gap, the pine burrows, and up and doen the Atlantic Coast. I hope you get to visit your DW's childhood geography.

[NH_Bulldog]

In NH (the Live Free or Die state), we don’t require trailer safety inspections, but cars/trucks/motorcycles do. But hey, we have no law requiring seatbelts, motorcycle helmets or auto insurance.

Anyway, most shops in any state I have lived in charge one hour of shop labor rate for vehicle safety inspections. Around here, RV dealers typically bill out at $125/hour and that’s the labor rate I charged Keystone for my gas regulator replacement.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Danny I think Pennsylvania, along with other states along the eastern seabord have an enourmous amount of natural beuty and great people. Folks tend to hear about the large cities and assume it's representative of the entire state. New Jersy always gets a bad rap but it's a gorgeous state from the Deleware Water Gap, the pine burrows, and up and doen the Atlantic Coast. I hope you get to visit your DW's childhood geography.

I think this is something that occurs far too often unfortunately. I used to think that and then I met her uncles - super, no nonsense, hard working down to earth counrty people (farmers, postal worker, factory workers). They were from PA. Now there was one from FL (born in PA) that liked to be called "Uncle Guido??" that liked shades and black/white striped suits - a little off to me.

But then, I had talked to one of her aunts several times and I really liked her (also met her at DW's dads funeral)....then I found out she was in NY!!! I told DW when she asked if we could go see her -it ain't happenin. Like the above she lived in the country outside the big cities close to the shores of one of the big lakes (Ontario?) and I found, again, that the stereotypes don't apply to all the good folks outside of the highly populated enclaves. I talked to her many times on the phone and we became good friends. Unfortunately she got sick and passed away before I could visit her neck of NY.

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by sourdough

DW is from PA. Her dad and mom moved to TX while nearly all the rest of the family stayed in PA on their properties they have owned for a long time. These stories of good fishing up there has moved getting back there from "near the top" of my bucket list to "right at the top". Was thinking of somewhere to spend the summer so might just head that way. As a side note one of her uncles just really likes me a lot, he took me aside and told me he would give me 40 acres on his farm (seriously) if I wanted to build a house out near their properties (running streams and all). Haven't done it....guess I'm too Texan to go - but I plan on "stopping in"!!

What I've seen of PA wasn't much, the Pittsburg airport and the road from there to Youngstown OH. for work Then driving from Blue Knob SP to Ohio. That said, the offer of land up there would be impossible to turn down. What I saw was good looking country. Of course as long as I had a place back in Texas as my official winter residence.

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Danny I think Pennsylvania, along with other states along the eastern seabord have an enourmous amount of natural beuty and great people. Folks tend to hear about the large cities and assume it's representative of the entire state. New Jersy always gets a bad rap but it's a gorgeous state from the Deleware Water Gap, the pine burrows, and up and doen the Atlantic Coast. I hope you get to visit your DW's childhood geography.

Agree 100%. My friends and coworkers always go to the mountains..Colorado, Wyoming, etc and don't understand me going east. I love the Chesapeake Bay area, eastern shore of Maryland, all of Virginia, etc. Y'all know we are deep into genealogy and I have to walk where they walked, which is Virginia and the eastern shore of Maryland. LOL

[merchjo]

I bought my Premier 19FB from Pocono RV and I took it back last spring to have them inspect it just to make sure everything was ok and documented incase I ever have a issue and needed proof there was no issues with the seals and such. They charged me $45 to go over the trailer and inspect inside and out.


I figure $45 a year and few hours of my time is worth it if I ever need them to fight for me if something went wrong. Last summer I did have the power stabilizers fail, and they took care of it by a phone call and then me bringing it in to get the parts replaced.


I live in NJ and we dont need to have our trailers inspected but they checked the trailer out (seals and roof), lights, tires and brakes so not sure how much more they would do on yours other then its bigger.

[Camp CA]

Was the inspection for mandatory state inspection or more thorough inspection? If the former, I assume it was a safety check only. If the latter then the dealer would inspect the condition of the chassis, tires, brakes, appliances, electrical, plumbing, etc. These guys do an inspection for $72.08:

https://www.cargotrailersales.com/se...ate-inspection

Might find this helpful: https://www.godownsize.com/rv-inspection-cost/

[CedarCreekWoody]

In Texas the fee is $7 if the GVWR is over 7500. They don't put an inspection sticker on the camper but it must be on file in Austin before you can renew your license tag. I think they have a procedure to renew if you are traveling out of state at renewal time.

[friz]

Originally Posted by Gkri

..... Come visit PA, lots to see, lots to do, and be assured our cars, trucks, etc. have good brakes and tires!

because our roads are crap.

[Gkri]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Sounds like PA is the most anal in the USA for vehicle inspections. Just odd that the annual mandatory safety inspection for the travel trailer is higher than our car or truck! At least it is only once a year.

But I won't let it change my love for this state: 1-1/2 hours from the Jersey Shore, 1-1/2 hours from the Pocono Mountains and skiing if you partake, some of the best whitetail deer hunting in the country and fantastic fishing. Fall colors worthy of a magazine cover and snow most winters.
Greg

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by friz

because our roads are crap.

I used to bash PA for the condition of the roads. I think the over last 10 years the rest of the country has caught up.