Well, the car we drive (which is Miguel's car) has been out of compliance for a few days - the inspection ended at the end of February. So, we finally figured out what we need to do today and where to take it.
So, we drive ALL the way out to over by the airport and we get to the inspection place where they look over our papers and tell us we're missing 2 papers - the original title to the car and some other green paper. Aarrgghh!!
There was nothing we could do except try to get those two papers so we decided to go back to the place where Miguel bought the car. The guy at that car lot comes out to our car and looks in some shelf that we hadn't even noticed above the front windshield. Sure enough, there were the two papers that we needed.
So, we drove all the way back to the car inspection place, we were accepted this time and we get in the long line to wait for our turn for the inspection. When we finally get in the bay, it was amazing what they do. It is certainly nowhere near like what they do in the US (thank goodness). They go over the car like their life depended on it. Checking the brakes in these little things on the floor that rattle the car front and back. They check the emissions TWICE, the go over all the lights and horn and stuff, they look under the hood, they shake the car back and forth looking for who knows what, they look over the tires and so much more.
When we finally get out of the bay, we thought we were done but we weren't. They said the car didn't pass inspection. Two of the tires were no good, a brake light in back didn't work, and there was no light over the license plate. And that if we didn't get the three things fixed by the time they closed today, we'd have to pay all over again for a new inspection. We had no choice but to find a place where we could get those three things taken care of.
Fortunately, nearby we found a garage which told us they couldn't do the tires but if we went to the business next door, they could take care of us. So we went over there and they waited on us right away. When they took the car to the back, we decided to go to a nearby restaurant for lunch which turned out to be really good. It was actually a restaurant at that first garage and from the outside it looked rough, but walk in the door, and you were inside a really nice restaurant. It was so surprising!
Anyway, soon after we finished lunch, our car was ready. We took the car back to the inspection place, the guy looked for the three things that had been wrong, he was satisfied and we got our sticker. Whew!!! What an ordeal that was. We started at 9 from the house and by the time we were finished with the inspection place, it was 1:30.
Sure makes me appreciate the inspection process in the United States!!
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