Jeff Weaver, manager of Quantico’s Auto Hobby Skills Center, hopes that any active duty service members and spouses planning to travel during the Labor Day weekend swing through his shop before they set out.

Between noon and 6 p.m. on the last two Thursdays before every popular travel holiday, including Labor Day, the hobby shop offers free vehicle inspections for those planning to leave town.

“Basically, it’s just going over the vehicle, nose to tail, a quick inspection, and [the owners] stay with the vehicle until it’s done,” Weaver said, adding that the process usually takes 20 to 30 minutes.

Common findings during preholiday inspections include nails in tires, blown constant velocity boots, incorrect air pressure in tires, worn-out brakes and flat spare tires, he said. “The spare is a big one because nobody checks that.”

In all, 25 items are inspected.

During the last round of inspections, before the July 4 holiday, he said, four nails were pulled from tires, and one driver was found to have the steel cord showing through her tires in two places.

“When that happens, you feel good because you might have saved someone from a serious accident,” Weaver said.

Drivers get a copy of the inspection report, and if any repairs need to be done, they can have them done in town or can pay to make the repairs themselves, under supervision, at the Auto Hobby Shop, which is generally the cheaper option.

The shop has offered preholiday inspections for about 10 years, but Weaver said the number of drivers taking advantage of the service has dropped off recently, and he wondered whether this resulted from some misconception.

“We do not have anything to do with whether or not you go on liberty,” he clarified. “That’s not us. It’s a free service we’re offering.”

It’s a service he advised anyone eligible to take advantage of. “Out-of-sight, out-of-mind doesn’t work on a vehicle,” he said. “If there’s something wrong, you need to know about it before you take off and swoop 300 miles.”

Other holidays preceded by free inspections are Memorial Day, July 4, Thanksgiving and Christmas.