Free Maine VIN Check & Vehicle History Report

Buying a Used Car in the State of Maine? Read this before you buy!

In Maine, where driving is a way of life and public transportation options are few and far between, owning a car is essential. For many residents, especially in rural areas, buying a preowned car is often the most affordable and logical choice. But beneath the surface of the state’s used car market lie risks that could leave drivers facing costly repairs—or worse, safety hazards they never saw coming.

Amongst the most common dangers in Maine are used vehicles with significant undercarriage rust damage. It is not uncommon to see vehicles with rust holes or as they are commonly referred to as cancer holes. This type of pervasive rust can compromise the vehicle’s rigidity and safety. The issue has to do with Maine’s harsh winters and how the state deals with clearing the roads during snowfalls. Road salt, brine and harsh chemicals are commonly applied to melt snow and ice and to keep the roads clear, protecting drivers from slippery driving conditions. However, the side effects that these corrosive compounds have on your car are significant. Over time, salt and harsh road cleaning chemicals will slowly eat away at the vehicle’s undercarriage, frame, brake lines, fuel tank and chassis as well as suspension and steering components. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), rust damage related to road salt costs U.S. drivers roughly $3 billion a year and Maine, with its long, snowy winters, is one of the hardest-hit states. For used car buyers, this means that a seemingly solid vehicle could have hidden corrosion problems that may not be immediately visible during a casual inspection.

Maine’s small private sale market further complicates the process of buying a good condition vehicle in the state. In 2023, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles reported more than 950,000 registered vehicles statewide and a significant number of these registrations result from private sales. These vehicles are typically sold as is and the buyer does not have any kind of safety net in terms of warranties. The issue is that sellers in private transactions aren’t required to disclose mechanical issues, accident histories or frame damage unless directly asked, leaving buyers vulnerable to unknowingly purchasing vehicles with serious problems.

While some consumers may assume that the state’s annual safety inspection program will catch any type of major issues that the car may have, it is not foolproof. Vehicles may pass inspection with minor issues left unaddressed and some sellers rush to get a quick, temporary fix just to sell the car quickly. Buyers who rely solely on a valid inspection sticker as proof of the car’s condition often end up facing expensive repairs soon after the purchase.

The state of Maine also has its share of vehicle sale related fraud. The most predominant type of used car fraud is odometer fraud. With the advent of clever digital odometer antitampering systems in many modern vehicles made within the last 10 years, this type of fraud has seen a significant decline in recent years however; it is still considered a serious problem costing consumers more than $1 billion annually. Older trucks tend to be popular in the state of Maine and these vehicles are commonly used for commercial work and are known for having high mileage on their odometers. The issue is some of these older vehicles may lack some of the modern odometer antitampering technologies and are more prone to have their mileage rolled back in order to deceive the potential buyer into thinking they’re getting a less worn-out vehicle than they actually are.

2 Important steps you must take before buying a car in Maine:

The impact of buying a car with undisclosed issues on consumers is more than just financial. In a state where many residents rely on their cars for everything from commuting to hauling firewood, a breakdown in the wrong place could mean hours of waiting in the cold for roadside assistance or costly towing in remote areas. Worse, hidden mechanical issues can turn a family car into a safety hazard. However, there is a way to greatly reduce those risks and make an informed buying decision by following these 2 simple steps.

1. The first step of any used car buying process is to investigate the vehicle’s unique history prior to finalizing the sale. By getting a full vehicle history report in Maine, you may be able to uncover potentially hidden issues that can affect the car’s value, safety and long-term reliability. You can start with a simple Maine VIN Check (Vehicle Identification Number). By doing this check and generating a full Maine vehicle history report, you can uncover important events in the vehicle’s past, such as accidents, total loss claims, liens, sale history, salvage and total loss records and more…
2. While getting a full vehicle history report acts as a vital first step of the used car buying process in ME, a professional pre-purchase vehicle inspection may help confirm the information provided in the report. It may also help identify issues never reported to the DMV, insurance companies or vehicle reporting agencies. This report can give the buyer a clear understanding of the vehicle’s current condition. Having a trusted automotive technician inspect the car prior to purchase can help identify issues with the vehicle’s electrical system, drivetrain, chassis, suspension and more… Having a comprehensive understanding of the vehicle’s past and current condition can help you make an informed buying decision. It may also help provide some leverage during price negotiations and help budget for future repairs.

At the end of the day, buying a used car will always come with some risks, but by following the 2 simple steps above, you can make it far less likely to end up with a vehicle with undisclosed issues.