Maine State Vehicle Inspection Checklist? (Bangor, Orono: home, buyer, salvaged)

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by Moxie

Thanks!
I bought a kit for the cracked plastic on the reflectors. I'll call Mon for quotes on resin on the windshield.
Then off to find an inspection.
We did go to an independent place that just does oil and inspection. Thought they'd not try to sell us anything. We had used them previously to boot!
I'll look for mechanic recs on Car Talk.

Car Talk recommendations are okay as long as it isn't sock puppets of the mechanics recommending themselves! Local recommendations are still best, IMHO.

[mainebrokerman]

isnt there a safelite repair,,,that does windshields....come right to you??

those damn dump trucks and empty 18 wheeler flay beds get my windshields thru the years...

and this is another reason for not passing a sanding truck in the winter---the sand can be a few rocks


below are some towns with safelite repair services

look them up online

Store Locator
Here's a list of Safelite® stores based on your search. Select the store that is most convenient for you, then click on Continue to see the store details including the store hours and a map of its location.

Question:Which store would you prefer to visit? AUGUSTA
Distance: 251 STATE ST
AUGUSTA 04330
BANGOR
Distance: 1498 HAMMOND ST
BANGOR 04401
PORTLAND - RAND RD
Distance: 144 RAND RD
PORTLAND 04102

[roadrat]

save yourself a few $$$ and buy a bullseye repair kit at your local autoparts store and do it yourself.
Invisible Glass Windshield Chip Repair Kit

bill

[Moxie]

cheap is good! Hope it works!
thanks

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by roadrat

save yourself a few $$$ and buy a bullseye repair kit at your local autoparts store and do it yourself.
Invisible Glass Windshield Chip Repair Kit

bill

ive never seen these....could have used these many times thru the years..

just a little nick in the windshield can look like a crop circle in a few weeks..

thanks for posting

[SportFury59]

Check your insurance company. Some will pay entire amount for a chip repair.
Daughter in law just had chip repaired last week. Guy came to her work place. No charge to her.

[slyfox2]

You need to understand the situation with inspections in Maine. There are only two inspectors for the inspections systems for the whole state. If they get a complaint about a specific service station, the DMV has no resources to immediately investigate, so they simply suspend the station's privileges, and they may even take the owner's driver's license away. Then they put it on a docket to investigate. Maybe 6-9 months later they get around to doing it.

Unless they are dealing with someone they know and for whom they service the car, the service station will not take a chance and will nail to fix every possible thing that might cause a major problem with a report to the DMV. This is another reason for cultivating your local mechanic. My Ford Focus passed for only the 12 dollar fee last March. But then in July the rear brakes when hooey, and I ended up spending $1200 to fix the entire rear brakes, plus a caliper, new tires, rear wheel bearing, and then a front wheel bearing to boot. At 139K, I'd never had a bearing replacement, too bad two went at once. I'll also need a replacement of the EGR valve on my towing/snow Ford Explorer AWD vehicle.

If they know you they know that you will be back again and again, and this means a lot to them.

[TimothyMills]

Back to the op ?

It's an old thread but there's a lot of misinformation out there. If you use the search term "state of maine motor vehicle inspection manual" it will lead you to a downloadable PDF version. It's the closest thing that's available for a checklist.

It's due for revision this year and there's a list of proposed rule changes for 2012 available on line as well. ( They will have to be approved by the legislature before they can be passed into law.)

If you have a vehicle coming up for inspection soon it would be a good idea to review these things before hand.

[bodyrepairpanels]

Hello, I am a garage owner in a small town of Maine and am going through the state inspection process now to get my inspectors lic, I realize this is a old thread but want you all to know when and if I get my lic I will be one of the most honest garages out there,

The new regulations are out and got rid a lot of the unnecessary stuff that made a car fail in the past, such as working "rear" wipers, add on lights that are not factory are no longer required to work just to name a few.

I will concentrate on mechanical safety more then a tiny rust hole and will bring any customer in the shop to show them what is wrong if something is wrong,

A Lot of folks can and do work on there own cars and heck do a better job then some mechanics, but many can't and count on their mechanic and I will be one they can trust.

But if you think about it for the people that do not work on or have no knowledge of cars a inspection (done right) can be very beneficial..

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by bodyrepairpanels

Hello, I am a garage owner in a small town of Maine and am going through the state inspection process now to get my inspectors lic, I realize this is a old thread but want you all to know when and if I get my lic I will be one of the most honest garages out there,

The new regulations are out and got rid a lot of the unnecessary stuff that made a car fail in the past, such as working "rear" wipers, add on lights that are not factory are no longer required to work just to name a few.

I will concentrate on mechanical safety more then a tiny rust hole and will bring any customer in the shop to show them what is wrong if something is wrong,

A Lot of folks can and do work on there own cars and heck do a better job then some mechanics, but many can't and count on their mechanic and I will be one they can trust.

But if you think about it for the people that do not work on or have no knowledge of cars a inspection (done right) can be very beneficial..

to have an independent mechanic you can trust is valuable- I despise and dont take my car to a dealership for 80.00 an hr and not knowing the mechanic..

im convinced if you are an honest mechanic- get on facebook and friend up your town-send out helpful hints, etc, you can more than compete with the dealerships.


before my local mechanic passed on, i could have older cheaper vehicles, because it didnt cost me an arm and a leg just to know whats wrong with the car- and he was always aware of saving money, not over charging

thats why many people buy newer cars....its the security knowing the car will start and not fall apart, and not having an honest mechanic to work on it