Stevensons Tire & Service Center

Remember: they are a TIRE SERVICE station.
They failed my car’s inspection based on some early channel cracking in two tires’ tread.
«Is it a critical issue?!» I asked, shocked by this news.
«It COULD be,» was the response.
What? A lot of things could be a critical issue. What are we talking about here?
Next thing I know, I have the paperwork in my hand for four new tires with a sweet price of nearly $ 380. Aghast, I said I had to think about it and stumbled home to relay the story to those who know better than I about these things.
Online research showed that dry rot qualifies as an inspection failure only if you can see fabric through the opening in the rubber — there is no subjective room for interpretation about it. (No fabric is visible in mine.) The DMV said to take it to another mechanic and ask for a Safety Inspection on just the tires. On the day before a holiday weekend, I’m amazed I found a shop that could do it. He had it for all of ten minutes and came back shaking his head. «You have easily another year on those tires. Do not let them scare you.»
I suppose I cannot blame Stevensons for hawking their wares, but to do so by wrongfully failing your inspection is just plain abuse of authority. I would have respected them if they had pointed out the tire wear and given me fair warning to look at new tires soon while passing my inspection, just as they should have done by law.
Very disappointing.