WHY DO I NEED A MARYLAND STATE INSPECTION?

Most vehicles are required to undergo a safety inspection prior to obtaining vehicle plates in the State of Maryland.   Usually, the seller or the person transferring the vehicle is required to obtain the inspection certificate.  In some cases, a vehicle is sold privately and is not inspected.  In this case, it is the buyer’s responsibility to get the car inspected in order to tag the vehicle.

Holzhauser’s Auto Service is an authorized Maryland safety inspection station.   Our fee for Maryland State Inspection is $79.95.  We have been licensed by the Maryland State police and are authorized to inspect:

-          Passenger cars

-          Light trucks and SUVs with a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 lbs. or less, and

-          Trailers that are 20 feet in length or less, without air brakes.

The safety inspection takes about 1-1/2 hours to go through all the components, so it is best to schedule an appointment to drop your vehicle off.  The inspector will inspect your vehicle and prepare an inspection report showing the vehicle parts or systems examined and whether or not they have met Maryland’s standards.

If the vehicle meets the safety standards, the inspector will electronically transmit the e-inspection to the Motor Vehicle Administration.  You will receive the inspection number showing that the vehicle has passed that you can take with you to the MVA.

If your vehicle does not pass the safety standards, an inspection certificate cannot be issued.  It is your responsibility to have the problems that failed fixed and re-inspected at the same inspection station and by the same inspector.   

You have three options for fixing the repairs:  
(1) Get a quote from the inspection station to fix the repairs, 
(2) Take the vehicle to another facility for repairs or 
(3) Fix the problem yourself.

The vehicle must be re-inspected within 30 days of the original inspection date and you have driven it less than 1,000 miles.   The inspector will re-inspect the failed items from the initial inspection, however, if a new defect is visually observed during the re-inspection, the newly discovered defect must be repaired and re-inspected.  There is no charge for each re-inspection if the repair can be visually verified, such as a burned out light bulb.   However, if jacking, lifting, measuring or testing the vehicle is required, a re-inspection fee may be charged.

If you have any questions about the inspection process you can contact us directly at (410) 272-1170 or contact the Maryland State Police, Automotive Safety Enforcement Division at 1-800-950-1682.

Happy New Year!

Keep checking our blog for the latest news and tips from Holzhauser’s Auto!

Super Bowl and Cars!

Holzhauser's Auto Tips - Old vs. New

“Two old men in a retirement village were sitting in the reading room and one said to the other, ''How do you really feel? I mean, you're 82 years old, how do you honestly feel?''

''Honestly, I feel like a newborn baby. I've got no hair, no teeth, and I just wet myself.''

As I sit here watching Super Bowl 50 I can't help but think about old vs new. Peyton Manning is a seasoned quarterback at 39 years old playing on The Denver Broncos, a team that's been around since 1960. On the other side, there is Cam Newton at 26 years old playing for the Carolina Panthers who have only been around since 1993. Both teams are equally matched as each won their Division. 

How does this relate to cars you ask?  My question:   which is better -- an older car or a new car right off of the showroom floor?  Of course, the newer car will have all the latest bells and whistles but the older car, while not being up to date with the latest features, can still be just as reliable as the new car if it is well maintained. 

When customers are faced with the decision of making a costly repair or trading their vehicle in for a newer model it is our job to explain to them the vehicle’s condition so they can make the right decision for their budget. If a car has been properly maintained (oil changed regularly and scheduled maintenances done) then it may be worth doing the repair and keeping the car for several more years. If, however, the car has not been maintained on a regular basis then the repairs necessary to get it up to date may not be worth it.

We advise customers of the condition of their vehicle so that they can make an informed decision to repair or replace the vehicle. Of course we are always here to answer any questions you may have regarding your car, so please do not hesitate to stop in to see us. 

Keep checking our blog for the latest news and tips from Holzhauser’s Auto!

Celebrating 20 Years!

“Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

– Albert Schweitzer

Today I walked into the bank and was greeted with lots of congratulations and handshakes.  Our local paper ran a press release regarding Holzhauser’s Auto’s 20^th Anniversary.  I never really gave it much thought as I am not the “pomp and circumstance” type so I was caught off guard at first.  After accepting the congratulations, it sank in what we have accomplished over the years. Twenty years in business is something to celebrate.  Joe and I have put out hearts and souls into our business, but a business isn’t just comprised of that.  Without all the folks who help us daily, especially our employees, we wouldn’t be where we are today.  Our employees are the best in the business and we consider them a part of our family.  Our parts vendors, drivers, uniform delivery service, tool trucks and everyone else who is involved with our business on a daily basis must be thanked for helping us reach this monumental milestone.  We are truly blessed to be celebrating our 20 year anniversary.  Most of all we are truly thankful for all of our wonderful customers who patronize us each and every day, some who have been with us since we opened our doors in 1995.  We have watched their families grow up throughout the years and some of their children are now our customers.  Likewise, they have watched our children grow up and begin families of their own.  Joe and I love doing what we do and still believe, “the best is yet to come!”

Keep checking our blog for the latest news and tips from Holzhauser’s Auto!

Why We Do What We Do

A German walks into a bar and asks for a martini. The bartender asks, “Dry?”

The German replies, “Nein, just one.”

(“Drei”—pronounced “dry”—is German for “three”. “Nein”—pronounced “nine”—is German for “No”. Yes … I know - “Dieser Witz stinkt” is German for “This joke stinks.”)

Many people don’t know why they are in business.   Yes, of course they know what they do in their business.   In our business, for example, we fix cars.   It’s what we do.

However, I’ve recently been asked, “Why did you start a business?   Why do you do what you do?”   That is a really good question and made me think long and hard.

We started our business because Joe and I felt like we could provide a quality of care and service for what we believe auto repair should be.  We are concerned about safety issues and to address that, we believe cars should be maintained to run properly and be dependable.   We also want our customers to receive the respect and individualized attention they deserve.

Yes we fix cars, but we’re also in the maintenance business – trying to keep your car on the road as long as possible.   Most importantly though, we are in the customer satisfaction business.  One of our goals is to have every customer leave our shop feeling satisfied that we fixed or maintained their car exactly the way they wanted it done.   We also, want customers to feel that they can call us anytime with questions concerning their vehicle.   This all ties in to quality of care, what we believe in.

We love providing top-notch auto repair as is expected.   Thank you for trusting in our service for the past 20 years.  We couldn’t have done it without you.

My question is, why is that German drinking martinis?   Shouldn’t he be having a big stein of beer, nein?

Keep checking our blog for the latest news and tips from Holzhauser’s Auto!

Car Maintenance and Maryland State Inspections

If you're looking for a reliable Maryland State Inspection for passenger cars, light trucks, and SUVs with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less or for trailers 20 feet in length or less, without air brakes, you need look no further than Holzhauser’s auto repair shop.

Periodic inspections are required by law; plus they help you preserve your car's value, lowering chances of breakdowns, and other problems. Not having your vehicle inspected may open you up to penalties mandated by law.

As an experienced and reliable auto repair facility, we at Holzhauser’s are fully equipped and qualified to perform the requisite checks on your vehicle to certify its safety and road worthiness. You can rest assured your vehicle will be thoroughly inspected for all the checks required by law such as:

·         GVWR Equal to or Less Than 10,000 Pounds — steering, wheels, tires, suspension, exhaust and fuel system, electrical and light system, bumpers, glazing, mirrors, all safety equipment, speedometer /odometer, glazing, wipers, Universal and CV (constant velocity) joints, and other checks

·         GVWR Over 10,000 Pounds  — steering, wheels, tires, suspension, exhaust and fuel system, electrical and light system, bumpers, hood or hatches, door handle latches, floor or trunk pans, and speedometer /odometer

·         Trailer — hitches, suspension, emergency brakes, tires, rear metal frame, rear wheel flaps, lights, electrical system, and fenders

After receiving an accurate assessment for your vehicle, you can be rest assured of the safety and road worthiness of your vehicle. In the event of your vehicle not passing the inspection, you have the option of repairing the problems with us, or another shop, and then try to have your vehicle re-certified. 

Give us a call to learn more about our car maintenance in Aberdeen, MD, and our highly competitive and reasonable rates. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and can schedule a mutually convenient appointment if you’d like to bring your vehicle in for an inspection to our facility.

Who’s Job Is It Anyway?

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.

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At some point or another in your job, you have been faced with a situation that “somebody” didn’t know who was supposed to do something.  The main goal, I believe, of every organization is for everyone to work together to have the business or organization run cohesively.  That is what we strive for here at Holzhauser’s.   That is why we make such a great team.  Let me tell you how we work together.

Joe and I own the business, but we don’t feel we are above our employees.   After all, employees are what keep our business running.   Without them, well, we would be working our butts off or out of business altogether.  Joe knows how to run the counter and speak with customers, as well as fixing cars and helping with marketing.

I can speak with customers and schedule appointments.   My main job is bookkeeping, keeping the paperwork in order and keeping customers coming through the door using marketing strategies.

Andres’ job is building great customer relationships, but he also helps me with the paperwork, marketing and is the liaison to the techs.  He also worked on cars in the past so, if that was necessary, he could jump in to help.  Andres also speaks Spanish, which is a great asset to our Spanish-speaking customers.

Tim and Nick’s job is to fix cars.  They also can explain to customers in person or on the phone about a problem or repair that a car needs.  They coordinate with Andres to get the job done.

So, now that you know what we all do, if you have a problem, anyone here at Holzhauser’s can help you or get you the help that you need.  Working together is what makes us a team and I wouldn’t trade our team for the world!

Keep checking our blog for the latest news and tips from Holzhauser’s Auto!

Q: What do you call a couple of women in the front seat of a car?

A: Air Bags.

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Oh, this is outrageous and my intention was not to offend anyone but to relate it to a story of how times have changed and how we do business here at Holzhauser’s.

One rainy morning back in the early 1980s I was driving to work when a tractor trailer pulled out on me and cut me off.   I had two choices – either hit the tractor trailer or swerve to the left and hit a curb.   Since my car was a compact, I figured the lesser of the two evils was to hit the curb.   The tractor trailer driver went on his merry way and I ended up with a bent lower control arm and shifted subframe.

Fortunately, I had just began dating Joe several months before.   I took my car to the dealership where I purchased it to get it repaired.  Back then, being young (just barely 20) it was a whole different environment when it came to women and car repair.   I was totally intimidated by the service manager who was old enough to be my father.  He assured me they would “take care of me.”   After a couple of days in the shop, I picked up my vehicle and it didn’t feel just quite right.  Joe drove it and put it up on the lift at the shop where he worked.  He told me they did replace the control arm but that was it!   They did not pull the subframe or align the car to make the vehicle drive straight down the road.

Being armed with this information, I went back and told them that the subframe had shifted and the car was still drifting to one side.   They assured me that they knew what they were doing and, in no uncertain terms, told me that I did not know what I was talking about.  After I began explaining to them the problem in more “technical terms” thanks to Joe’s Auto 101 Crash Course, they finally listened to me and fixed the car properly. 

When Joe and I opened Holzhauser’s Auto in 1995, that scenario played over and over in my head.   I vowed to never treat anyone, particularly women, who came in to have their car repaired with such disrespect.  It was an unwritten rule in our shop then and now that everyone, male or female, would be educated in lay terms on what the problem was with their car, given an explanation on the best way to fix it and any questions they had were answered.

Now that we are celebrating our 20^th Anniversary in business, I believe that my experience has made a difference in the way we do business.  We appreciate all of our customers - young, old, male or female -and we do our very best to make you comfortable when you come in for service.  After all, you are what keep us going and we hope for another 20 years of serving you!

Keep checking our blog for the latest news and tips from Holzhauser’s Auto!