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Thinking of moving to ME

codyyy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Diego, CA
I was kicking around the idea of moving to the east coast, probably Maine, around the Lewiston area. What's it like around there? What kinda wheeling is around there and would it be worth it to move to ME? Thanks.
 
all wheels off road park is right in lewiston. i think they have a website its a pretty cool place you can go from stock xj fun areas to areas a 1 ton cj on 42's will have issues (personal experience)
 
There's a better economy there than here and I know a few people that way as well. I'm wondering what the housing market would be out there, I'd like to move someplace more toward the country out there if I could. I should probably go out there to visit, see what kind of stuff is out there. Are there a lot of people from Maine on this site? I'm still thinking of going with an XJ out there.
 
They aren't too bad. Not much about height, more about tire size. 2" or 2 tire sizes, which is hard to enforce. Mostly gotta watch out for tires sticking out too far.

Lewiston is ok, tons of more "country" areas within a half hour, start getting into the mountains in about an hour.

Allwheels last fall

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Getting into the mountains near where I live, little over an hour north of Lewiston.

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Maine has something for everyone, the catch is the good paying jobs are mostly Lewiston south.
 
Nope. At worst you might need to throw on a set of 31s or smaller to make an inspection station happy. Otherwise Ive been on the same for over a year. Theres plenty of bigger on the road, in general cops dont care unless your tires stick out or you are driving like an idiot.

EDIT: One thing to add, as great as the rest of the year can be, don't forget about winter. :D
 
Work in Oxford, live in Berlin NH. Dont have much experience with lewiston per say, but the areas are great, there is work and housing prices arn't too shabby right now. Lots of great wheeling, and great people too.
 
Alright well if I won't get reamed for it I should be fine. I don't know about these inspection places but oh well. I was thinking that would be the max I would go. I've seen a few lifted XJs on CL and some are even sitting on 35s which makes me think it shouldn't be too bad.
How's the winters out there? I grew up in Michigan and know what snow is, I'm assuming it would be about the same? MI weather is pretty weird though, it pretty much does what it wants.
 
I just spent the weekend at my in-laws up in moosehead lake, saw a whole bunch of lifted xj's covered in mud so there is some places way up there too, also once you are there just go to the unincorporated areas :D. I've been looking for a decent paying job in that area for a while, 40k to buy a colonial house on a stream and no neighbors
 
I just spent the weekend at my in-laws up in moosehead lake, saw a whole bunch of lifted xj's covered in mud so there is some places way up there too, also once you are there just go to the unincorporated areas :D. I've been looking for a decent paying job in that area for a while, 40k to buy a colonial house on a stream and no neighbors
That sounds like my kinda house! I'd love to have a small ranch home with a decent garage/pole barn pretty much, and kinda out in the country a bit.
How are the seasons out there? Harsh?
 
I lived in cali for a while and it's night and day, up in that area my in-laws were getting 15 ft snow drifts and a lot of the roads are unmaintained, most people take snowmobiles around when it gets too bad out, but that thins out the weak after a few years =)
 
Yeah. How are the summers out there, short?

depends on how you look at it, it gets hot and humid and sometimes the bugs are a bitch summer goes from about june 21 through sept 21st give or take but you can't beat the spring and fall anywhere. The lake areas get somewhat congested in the summer and then again in Oct for the leaves but depending how far north you settle will set how short the warm months are.
 
Much much different than CA!!

Maine is cool, but their inspection laws are the most strict in the north east...maybe country?? You definitely have to know people or put on smaller tires for inspections. You're only allowed two sizes bigger than what came factory, yada yada. Or you can just know someone.
 
and if I'm not mistaken, no visible rust is allowed, with that being said up in the north country you'd be hard pressed to believe that's true
 
and if I'm not mistaken, no visible rust is allowed, with that being said up in the north country you'd be hard pressed to believe that's true

REally, hadn't heard of that one!! That sux!! And yeah....what truck in maine doesn't have rust and huge tires (once you get away from the coast)????

This is off subject but in MA duct tape "is a suitable fix for body damage" according to the inspection guidelines.
 
Man that is terrible. Any other guidelines for cars or anything? What are the smog laws around there? And I'm guessing a 31" tire isn't 2" taller than factory, is it?
I still don't understand the reasoning behind only 2" taller tires.
 
The 2" tire thing is more of a speedo/electronic stability/antilock brake thing. It's not anything to worry about, pretty hard to enforce.

Basically inspection is you bring your vehicle to an inspection station. They make sure your brakes work, all your lights, you have mirrors, good tires. Its really a safety inspection. Rust can be visible, just not structural. Through the body, stuff like that.

No smog unles you live in cumberland county, which is like freeport south or something like that.

31s will pass no problem, I got mine to pass at the dealership on 32s. As long as you pass inspection, you are set. You only get pulled over if your tires stick out. Ive been pulled over with 32s, 33s. No issue at all with tire size.

Otherwise I think the only other guidelines involve how low you can make a vehicle, etc. Long story short, it's gotta be safe. And it's pretty much up to the inspecting garage's discretion. They have a rule book, but ya know how that goes.

And winter is absolutely unpredictable. Could be warm with tons of snow. Could be -30 with little snow. Could be long, could be short. But the summers...

Come about may it starts getting warm, 60's. Then the days start getting long. Right now it's like a 5 am sunrise and daylight until 8 or so. Summers can get into the 90's and humid. But not for long, come fall it's nice again. Can't beat it :D
 
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