Vehicle inspection

[Kiwiluver]

Thanks Maureenb, as usual your help is priceless. I just had Ginger out to the farmers market. You can ride in her anytime. And remember, friends don't let friends drive Fords! I'm the only General Motors guy in my family. Everyone else is Ford! I was at a friends the other day and he has a 1964 4-door Fairlane for sale w/factory AC, the whole 9-yards. The wost thing about it was it was Carolina blue. I did not attend State Universities and will not promote their colors! Seriously, it was a beautiful car with dual exhausts, and every option, fairly resonable. I get caught up in the nostalgia of it all. Before Toyota and Kia were a household name. My son was riding with me in Ginger one day to Home Depot and said,"Dad, why do you drive all this old crap when you have a new truck in the yard", to which I replied,"Son, this makes me feel like I'm your age again!" Alas, my wife bought a Volvo a few years back, but hey-she's not American so it dosen't matter, right? I'f I wasn't saving for my transition to Maine, I might have added the 'lil Fairlane to the collection.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I currently drive a Ford pickup [I bought it 2 weeks ago], it's idiot light comes on whenever any of the gas caps are not fitted properly. [it has two gas tanks]

Is it possible that the gas cap problem was one of dashboard lights, and not an issue of vehicle inspections?

The place I got the truck inspected had a tester for the cap to see if it would hold pressure. It failed a couple of times. Once it was just the cap and twice I had to replace the filler pipes. One time replacing the pipe was because I replaced the whole gas tank.
I never had any dashboard indicators for emission problems.
The whole experience with that truck was not good.

[Kiwiluver]

Why couldn't y'all drive to a part of Maine they didn't require the emissions testing? Is it done on a county basis.

[jschw90]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

AustinB reports:
"Southern Maine has emissions testing."

Where do they do that? How do they do it and how far north does it go? I have never seen it.

Cumberland county.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

AustinB reports:
"Southern Maine has emissions testing."

Where do they do that? How do they do it and how far north does it go? I have never seen it.

Check the Portland area. I don't live there, I just know that they still do some kind of testing. It didn't all go away when it was so irratating for the rest of us. By the way, it was originally brought up because of the poor air conditions in Acadia park. The sample was taken on Isle Au Haut. We all know the traffic is horrendous out there.

[Maineac]

Stay away from the chain store repair places. I went to one 15 years ago and they wanted everything under the sun done on a relatively new vehicle to put a sticker on it. $275.00 back then. We stayed away after that, but last summer my son went back to the same chain (Bangor v. Brewer) and . . . same result. $275.00. Then he took it to a local shop, they went over it carefully and said "nope, none of those things needed to be done." Wife went to a chain repair place this spring bought 2 new tires, asked for inspection and they said something about $325 bushing repairs. I warned her. She said thanks, but no thanks, and got it done down the road.

I'm not saying jive the inspection system. I'm just saying getting a sticker in some instances has become a money grab for the "inspectors." Curiously always around $200 to $300 worth of work. Ball joints, idler arms, bushings and shocks are a favorite.

[BacktoNE]

Originally Posted by Kiwiluver

One of my vehicles is a 1963 Chevy Pickup. It is my "Sunday riding truck." I mainly drive it to cruise in's and shows, but love it dearly.In my present state of residence I need no inspection. They allow me to display year of manufacture tags as long as I keep the current tag in the truck and keep the registration in the truck with proof of insurance. I wonder if it would be able to drive the roads of Maine wthout major hassels from DMV? Does Maine allow year of manufacture, or antique tags? I'm sure I'll have to tuck "Ginger" away during the winter.

My DH would love to have an antique pick up some day. He says it has to be red.

Yes, Maine does allow antique tags. I have a friend with a half dozen vintage cars and he has the special tags on each of them. Or he did. It's been 4 years since I lived there so it may have changed??

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by AustinB

Check the Portland area. I don't live there, I just know that they still do some kind of testing. It didn't all go away when it was so irratating for the rest of us. By the way, it was originally brought up because of the poor air conditions in Acadia park. The sample was taken on Isle Au Haut. We all know the traffic is horrendous out there.

That's right, blame it all on us and the whole 15 cars out there, we're okay with it.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by AustinB

Check the Portland area. I don't live there, I just know that they still do some kind of testing. It didn't all go away when it was so irratating for the rest of us. By the way, it was originally brought up because of the poor air conditions in Acadia park. The sample was taken on Isle Au Haut. We all know the traffic is horrendous out there.

I don't think they are doing any more true emissions tests anywhere in the state now.
Since you can have your vehicle inspected anywhere in Maine why would you seek out a place that may test you for emissions? I know they do not do official emissions tests where I go in Freeport. They test the gas cap and do the regular inspection and that's it. If they emission test in Portland drive to Falmouth to get a sticker.