"Understanding" inspection station in Cumberland County (Portland, Ellsworth: for sale, floor)

[riddei63]

I posted this in the Portland sub-forum a few days ago, and it got no response. So, I figured I'd ask in the general Maine section...

I have a 1997 F150 truck that I use "around town" (less than 3,000 miles per year). It has some (okay more than some) rust and is in, "not new" condition. However, it probably should have some life left in her, and looks better than a lot of other rust buckets I see on the road. Does anyone have a recommendation for an inspection station in Cumberland County (I need an E sticker) that deals with such trucks. I am not looking to break any laws. If the truck is not road worthy (safe), I don't want a phony or fake sticker. Just a knowledgeable mechanic that understands older vehicles.

[Submariner]

A lot of Maine vehicles have some life left in them, but they also have rust holes big enough to swing a cat through.

If any inspection station was to get a reputation for going easy on rust buckets the state troopers would hear of it, setup a sting and fine them pretty hard.

This is not an issue of "knowledgeable mechanics who understand older vehicles", or "dealing with trucks".

If a screwdriver can be pushed through the floor board, it is supposed to fail. If rust is visible on the brake lines, it is supposed to fail. If you can push your fist through the frame, it should fail. Etc.

When you take your vehicles to one mechanic all the time, he knows you and he it may influence his judgement [thinking that you need to squeeze just one more year out of an old rust bucket]. But that same vehicle, when taken to a mechanic that does not know you might easily fail.



I have been looking at used trucks lately. I see many trucks out there 'for sale' that are one month past their vehicle inspection dates. Some that you think the rust must be the only thing holding them together.

I went to the Chevy dealership in Ellsworth that was advertising a 'wholesale' dumptruck for $18k, looking at the steering linkage the tie-rods were rusted down thin and they were bent. You know that if she hit one more frost heave the entire steering would let go. Entire pieces of the frame flaked off in my hand like scales 3/4 inch thick. It's vehicle inspection was 6 months out of date, and the salesmen wanted me to tow it off their lot [after I agree to pay him $18k].

Some people want far more for their rust-buckets then is justified in terms of road-worthiness.



On the other hand, if you switch your plates to 'farm' then you only need one headlight to work, your windshield can have many cracks, and your muffler can rust off completely.

[michael_atw]

My dad back in NY has a cousin who inspects. We would always take them to him and he would pass us insofar as the computer was clean. I.e. that there were no issues tripping the sensors (he had to send the info to NYS). But things like rust, tires, etc. were the things that were prudence, rather than some ridiculous strict guidelines.

The best way is to find someone you know or find someone a few friends over. It's all word of mouth, and it is people who don't do it for everyone but do do it for people they know. That's how they avoid the stings. My dad's cousin doesn't go that lenient for everyone.