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Some states require regular safety inspections and/or emissions inspections on cars and trucks. Affordable Automotive Repair is located in Spotsylvania County which does not require you to have emission testing on your vehicle. If you require emissions testing please ask your advisor for the closest service location. Our technicians can perform state inspections as well as multi-point inspections on your vehicles as needed.

These are some of the inspection services we offer.


VA State Inspection Station
VA state inspection stations are privately owned, but government certified, inspection stations throughout VA. Affordable Automotive Repair is a VA state inspection station. For your state inspection needs visit or call our auto shop at 540-710-5400.

Exhaust Related FAQs


What is a rough idle?

A rough idle describes a vehicle's engine with spark plugs that are not firing correctly when the vehicle is in park, with no gas applied. Most vehicles idle between 600 and 1,200 RPM and should hold their idle speed consistently.

Can you put any exhaust on any car?

Not every exhaust will fit every car. Compatibility isn't just about car make and model; engine specs, optional extras, and even trim levels can influence the fit. Make sure you consider not just the make and model, but also engine details, fancy extras, and even trim levels before getting your heart set on a shiny new system.

Why is smoke coming out of my tailpipe?

The most common reason for thick smoke coming out of your car's exhaust pipe is the fuel to air ratio in your engine is too rich. This means that the fuel injectors are either adding too much fuel or that the intake valves aren't letting enough air in. This is caused by a cracked or leaking fuel injector, a failing O2 sensor, or air filter that needs replacing.

Catalytic Converter FAQs


Can I drive with the catalytic converter light on?

A bad catalytic converter can increase your car's exhaust emissions, but it does not prevent you from driving. At Affordable Automotive Repair we know this is true. A clogged catalytic converter will eventually affect the performance of your vehicle in Fredericksburg, Stafford, and . Exhaust gases will not escape easily and create an increase in exhaust gas pressure. The buildup in pressure can lead to high-cost repair bills in the future.

What can cause a catalytic converter light to come on?

A catalytic converter helps reduce harmful engine emissions from entering the air by breaking down the harmful byproduct of internal combustion into less-harmful compounds. If your catalytic converter isn't working properly the check engine light will come on. The most common causes for a catalytic convert warning light to display are a clogged, cracked or melted converter. Sometimes the problem isn't the catalytic converter at all but an exhaust leak letting gases out of the system before it reaches the converter.

To learn more about our Inspection services, call us at 540-710-5400 or request a quote by clicking below:


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What happens to your car after the catalytic converter gets taken?

Removing the catalytic converter has a dramatic impact on your vehicle's acoustics. A deep, loud roar replaces the engine's usual hum, intensifying as you accelerate. Additionally, expect rough transitions and sputtering sounds when shifting gears, indicating impaired performance and potential engine damage.

Discover More About Inspection and Emissions Testing Services At Affordable Automotive Repair in Fredericksburg

Undercar Services
Tire Repair Services
Miscellaneous Auto Services


Partners

ASE (Automotive Service Excellence)
IDENTIFIX
Jasper
Car Care Aware

What our clients are saying about us

We have established longterm and stable partnerships with various clients thanks to our excellence in solving their automotive needs!

I bought my tires from them a year ago and suddenly I had a flat from a screw. I was distraught and called to see if they could help, and they were amazing! They couldn't patch it but they got my donut on and ordered a new tire. The next day I came straight from work and my car is highway ready again! And no cost to be because my tires were covered by road Hazard protection! quotes-image
, 04/11/2025
I had been having issues, check engine light (CEL) had been coming on for some time, didn't seem to effect engine performance, boy was I wrong. The issues started out with the notorious "loose gas cap", I did a little on line search and saw where it was an easy fix, so I replaced the gas cap. Well, wouldn't you know it; that didn't fix the problem. The next "code" that popped up was "small evap leak". I figured I'd find the leak myself and bought a smoke machine. Well, long story short, I never used the smoke machine, I'm getting to old to crawl around on my truck searching for some small leak in the evap system. The easy fix was disconnect the battery, problem fixed, for a while. The problems went from loose gas cap, small evap leak, to misfire on #2 cyl. It seemed that every time I disconnected the battery, the truck seemed to run fine, for a while. I've been taking my vehicles to Affordable Automotive for years for inspections, I took my 2015 Ram 1500 in and told them the story, seems that the issue was the injectors were starting to fail, James called me and gave me the diagnosis, James and the people at Affordable Automotive are the greatest, can't say enough about them, my truck runs like new! I will definitely be bringing my vehicles to Affordable Automotive in the future! quotes-image
, 11/28/2023