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Avoid Erickson's Auto of Westboro, MA !!!

E

Ex-Mean'Tour

CEG'er
Joined
Jan 26, 2005
Messages
171
Location
Massachusetts
Hello Contour lovers,

Don't go there even for just an inspection.

Long story short: I took my Jeep ZJ in for an inspection in Dec. and was failed. She wrote out a list of things wrong on the failure sheet. Some broken bulbs (I hadn't noticed) bad headlight aim, exhaust leak. . .

I fixed them and took it back to be reinspected yesterday. She drove it into the shop and I could hear the tech/ owner (her Dad I think) talking to her. He said the muffler was too loud. She brought it right back out. Told me the muffler was too loud. I said that the exhaust was not leaking. She said you should take it back, they installed the wrong muffler. I said I installed it, and the exhaust system is not leaking. She insisted. I asked what the legal noise limit is. She didn't know. I said what did my car test at. She didn't know as they hadn't done anything but listen to it. She said listen to it, does that sound right? I said it sounds fine, it's not overly loud. It does not leak. She basically told me to leave.

This is interesting considering I was due for an emissions test, safety only. I would like to know how a slightly loud muffler is a safety issue, so unsafe that she won't even look at all of the other things I repaired or re-test it.

I believe that they over-fail cars in the hopes of gaining repair work business from it. I have lodged a complaint with the Commonwealth and they will investigate. While I was waiting to ask for a re-test I saw her fail another car. She wouldn't even retest mine, because the tech (who is her Father I believe) said the exhaust is "too loud".

BTW, it is not overly loud. Just a bit more than stock. The muffler is nothing special, but is a little shorter than the one it replaced.

Anyway, AVOID ERICKSON'S AUTO on East Main St. (just off the rotary) in WESTBORO, MA like the PLAGUE !!!

Another aside, I took it to another shop yesterday afternoon and it passed without any problems. The tech. asked me afterwards why it had failed and I showed him the original report. He couldn't believe it and actually said that my mechanic had done a good job on the muffler install. I told him I did it myself.
 
the place i always take my cars for inspection had a tech that told me he was on the edge about failing my SVT for the exhaust being to loud.
it is the stock exhaust (less resonator) and he said i needed documentation showing that its 50 state legal. yet, when i bring the hearse in witha full custom exhaust thats way louder than the SVT it passes without question.

sometimes those shops are overly protective of their licenses.
which in my eyes can be good for them. If they are found passing a vehicle that doesnt quite meet the standards they lose their license and get fined large amounts.
and i beleive the documentation states that for an exhaust system to be legal it has to be stock or have docs stating its legality from the manufacturer.
 
ElKy said:
the place i always take my cars for inspection had a tech that told me he was on the edge about failing my SVT for the exhaust being to loud.
it is the stock exhaust (less resonator) and he said i needed documentation showing that its 50 state legal. yet, when i bring the hearse in witha full custom exhaust thats way louder than the SVT it passes without question.

sometimes those shops are overly protective of their licenses.
which in my eyes can be good for them. If they are found passing a vehicle that doesnt quite meet the standards they lose their license and get fined large amounts.
and i beleive the documentation states that for an exhaust system to be legal it has to be stock or have docs stating its legality from the manufacturer.
Click to expand...

It was my understanding that "extensive exhaust modification" is illegal in this state. Headers are (or at least were) illegal, IIRC.

I was toying with doing exhaust work on the 'Stang, but apparently the reviews of all aftermarket exhaust come back with the same- stock sounds and performs better.
 
you are correct, headers are illegal in most cases i beleive.
unless they carry a 50 state legal claim in writing that is.
 
The place I brought it to was on the fence at first about passing me for my exhaust, because I have the SVT exhaust with no resonator and stock mufflers. I told them that it was factory except that the resonator was removed. The tech went and looked at the Ford logos on the mufflers and said that it was OK. Asked if it was off of one of those "sporty STV's," not SVT, but STV. Hehe :)
 
BoSoxBruin said:
Wow, LOL :laugh:

I have the stock exhaust system on my '95 Zetec, but I have three holes (like pencil girth size) in my muffler... Some how that got through inspection :shrug:
Click to expand...

They don't really PHYSICALLY inspect the exhaust. They just listen and see if it is "suspicious" sounding. No biggie for you as long as it still sounds decent.
 
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