Maine State Vehicle Inspection Checklist? (inspector, taxes, live)

[SportFury59]

Remember retreaded tires?
I don't know of any being used today on passenger cars, but they are being used by fleet truck owners. I think they are allowed only on the rear axels.

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by SportFury59

Remember retreaded tires?
I don't know of any being used today on passenger cars, but they are being used by fleet truck owners. I think they are allowed only on the rear axels.

Bangor had a tire retreading shop back in the early 1970s IIRC. The service station where I worked in college would order tires from it if the customer requested them, but we would only mount them on the rear wheels. Are they even legal anymore for passenger cars?

[Maineguy04654]

Originally Posted by SportFury59

Remember retreaded tires?
I don't know of any being used today on passenger cars, but they are being used by fleet truck owners. I think they are allowed only on the rear axels.

You can get retreads for a car still. Yes Retreads for trucks are the norm as truck tires are 300 to 900 or more EACH. Retreads are NOT allowed to be used on the steering axle that would be a BIG fine. No such law for cars though..

[lyn sulinski]

Do you need a front licen plate on a car ?

[maineborzoi]

Originally Posted by lyn sulinski

Do you need a front licen plate on a car ?

Yes - In Maine you will have a front and rear tag plate.

[Donna60]

If your passager window does not open can u pass for a sticker

[roadrat]

Originally Posted by Donna60

If your passager window does not open can u pass for a sticker

I've never seen them check my windows so I'm thinking yes.

RR

[Midcoaster]

Originally Posted by Moxie

Funny thing is the place only does inspections and oil changes. It's my 83 yr old father's car. He went to the auto body shop today to ask their opinion and they said the inspection guys vary widely. Some like to fail you just because they can. Really irks me. I'm happy to fix the things that are actually a safety concern but not for someone to feel powerful. It seems very subjective.
The option seems to be to go around getting inspections until you pass.
Will it come up on some kind of list of failing and for what?

Most definitely, if you are known to a garage, there's a good chance you'll get a break. I was told that my car would fail inspection because one of the four driver's side rear tail light covers was missing. The clear cover had fallen off. I put clear tape over it, and it was fully functional and visible. The lens cover was plastic, and the tape is, of course, also plastic, so you tell me. Charge $88.00 for a full new "set" of the tail lights, instead of replacing the one, plus four new bulbs.

Get this: a part that he said was necessary for the car to pass inspection, did not come in, but he stickered the vehicle anyway, saying he was doing me a favor. I thought I'd spit. Why this game. If he was going to fail me for plastic tape over a plastic lens cover of the same clear color, he stickers the car without what would be a far more vital repair - if it is true - and the manual won't download for me to check.

It was all my fault, however. I did not get a written estimate before agreeing to repairs, and only was told the "outside estimate for repairs." I have never not been given a written estimate, but was too worried about many things, and took the garage owner at his word. One part that he ordered, he said, was the wrong part, and he plans to charge me more than that outside estimate for the part and installation, which, he agreed, he had said would be part of the repair.

I feel as scammed as I could be, even as I take responsibility for not getting the written estimate. Pulling this one tail light lens deal for passing inspection though, was low. As is adding on. I wonder why he felt he had to play me. You can't do anything when something like this occurs, because, of course, he's a well-respected garage owner-about-town.

There were several town vehicles there for repairs that could not possibly pass inspection under any circumstances and yet.. guess what. If I filed a complaint about this guy, his 5,000 or so relatives would find me; of that I'm quite certain. Creep. Bottom line is that I would rather have the inspection manual adhered to by all licensed inspection stations than see the blatant abuses, even as that would probably mean a lot of trouble for many people, especially for those with older vehicles, as I have. I understand safety issues needing repair, and I guess the answer is to learn how to have the inspection requirements made more rational and than work to have them changed.

[slyfox2]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.

If you go to the same person for all your work and you develop a relationship with him/her(never saw a female auto mechanic actually), and if they know that they will be doing all your work, then they have no reason to fail you just to get work, when they know that you are coming back for EVERYTHING that goes wrong. If you keep shopping around, then this is not the case, and they may feel used.

If you live in Ellsworth, I can recommend a guy who used to be my mechanic on MDI, but opened his own business there. He is honest and very very skilled.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Maineguy04654

You can get retreads for a car still. Yes Retreads for trucks are the norm as truck tires are 300 to 900 or more EACH. Retreads are NOT allowed to be used on the steering axle that would be a BIG fine. No such law for cars though..

Tirebuyer has tires so cheap that there is almost no point in buying retreads, and in New England, they deliver UPS the next day.