I just got both cars inspected. Man, what a complete PITA. The inspection scheme in this state is a total cash grab - having independent shops doing inspections seems like a license to print money. I can recommend two shops that you shouldn't go to.
First, the NB. We just moved here and I was trying to get it inspected & registered in two days - big mistake. I first took it to a place which had decent reviews - A1 Three Brothers Auto Repair. They failed it due to loose tie rod ends & 'cracked and broken' front strut mounts. Of course they offered to repair both problems for the sum of $900. Shocked, I drove the car back home. As I was going back to Chicago for 2 weeks, I didn't exactly know how to proceed and I would be damned if I paid those guys $900 to fix what wasn't wrong. I also called another shop who quoted me $1400 for the same work.
We wound up re-upping the IL registration to buy some more time.
So once I'm back out here full-time, I take it to another inspection station - Woodcroft Exxon at Putty Hill & Old Harford Roads in Parkville. They threw the book at it, this time failing it for a bad passenger side outer tie rod, aftermarket tint and a running light out. As the tint was on the car when we bought it used and it certainly didn't look too dark, I took it down to the MVA in Glen Burnie and had the State Police check it... and it averaged about 25% VLT. State minimum is 35%. VERDAMMT!
So I had Desmond's do the one tie rod end that actually needed replacing (~$250 with tire rotation, balance & front end alignment - and the mechanic said it wasn't too bad, but any tie rod wobble will fail inspection), I stripped the tint off in a couple hours one afternoon (~$20 in Windex hopped up with extra ammonia & razor blades - already had the black garbage bags and sunshine) and I replaced the running light myself ($5 at vatozone).
Being a glutton for punishment - or conceding that the Devil you know is better than the one you don't - I took my Golf there for inspection. They nearly failed me for having one rear wheel set back 1cm further than the other but just warned me after we both inspected the mounts, bushings, beam & attachment points and found it came that way from the factory. But they did fail me on not having a muffler
so I had to source a replacement muffler and spent last Saturday cutting the straightpipe, welding some adapters onto the muffler and clamping it in place. But it passed re-inspection (visual only) on Monday and I got my plates that morning.
So, if there's anything visually un-stock, anything causing a MIL, any weird driveability issues, lights burned out, brake pads/discs near minimums, etc... FIX IT NOW! I don't believe they popped the hood on either car (nor do I think they would know what a racepipe looks like) and diesels pre-2007 are exempt from emissions inspection.
With as much of a pain in the arse as inspection is (unless your car is fairly new, bone stock & up to date on all maintenance), I'd ask around at work to see if anybody there 'knows a guy' who will 'help you out'
with inspection... for a
donation . Be forewarned that kind of grease isn't cheap, but most places charge you $70 - $100 for inspection - how much is your time worth on top of that?