I'm going to buy a replacement pair of number plates, as my existing ones look shoddy and are beyond satisfactory cleaning. I see there are several online suppliers.
Are these typically cheaper than getting the local garage to do them? And the option of a 'border', is that legally OK? Finally, they obviously come un-drilled. To avoid the hassle of doing that myself, as well as spoiling the appearance a bit, is it possible to attach them reliably with self-adhesive strips or pads please?
GIYF :-)
Chris
IME self adhesive pads are OK if the mounting surface is flat. I wouldn't advise their use if there is the slightest curve, as there is on my car for the front plate.
I used them about a year ago for a pair of new plastic plates. Next day, the rear plate, on a flat surface, was still firmly attached, whereas the front plate was only being held by one pad in the middle. It had pulled itself off the pads at the end and straightened out again. It was almost ready to fall off.
My solution was to reattach it with a generous later of 'Instant Gasket' on the back of the plate. Holding the ends in position with sellotape whilst it set. The next day, after removing the sellotape, the plate was still firmly attached at the ends, and has remained so since. So much so that I think if I tried to remove it, it would break.
Not a bad idea if it stops No plates thieves from using it. Which is always a possibility with a plate attached by screws. Mike.
And it's no good! Constantly falling off my Saab 9000 CSE until I screwed it in place. That was difficult enough because the front bumper is filled with foam; nothing substantial for screws to grab. Maybe that's why Saab used glue. So I did a combination, dipped some long screws in wood glue before fixing.
I can't say I've noticed Saabs with missing plates; perhaps it just needed the right sort of adhesive?
Chris
Chris Whelan gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
Probably just needed properly cleaning before the adhesive strips were fitted.
You don't see Saabs with missing plates when the plates are missing.
I don't know how the mail order plate makers get away with breaking the law, unless you send the maker your driving license and V5 (original documents) they are breaking the law.
"Fred" law, unless you send the maker your driving license and V5 (original
If they're in England or Wales, they sell them (perfectly legally) as being "Not for road use" - at which point, they cease to be "registration plates", just bits of plastic. If the purchaser chooses to abuse that, that's their lookout.
If they're in Scotland or NI, it's even easier. Those plate regs only applies to England and Wales.
"Fred" > ones look shoddy and are beyond satisfactory cleaning. I see there are
I think they use a loophole which says something like they can make up plates for other display purposes, but the customer must agree not to put them on a vehicle.
*The registration scheme regulates the supply of number plates in England and Wales. The Road Safety Act2006 extended the scheme to include Scotland and Northern Ireland and will apply from 1 August 2008.*
My machine will not allow me to make legal plates without telling me to record the details, in show plate mode it will not allow me to use the legal font. Number plates are so important that I don't know why the Police etc have not shut down the sellers of mail-order plates? I read somewhere that the registration number of a vehicle displaying incorrect plates could be withdrawn by DVLA, that would seriously piss off a few people.
The UK system of reg plates is really just a plaster of the wound. In other countries, you can only get reg plates from a central guv depot, and the plates are unique metal design that is very difficult to counterfeit.
I had my car MOTd last week, the service guy told me that the thickness of my numbers and letters too thin so next year I'd fail the MOT IF I don't get new number plates so don't get caught with your new plates - ensure they'll pass the new laws
But people with chavvy plates will just swap to legal plates for the MOT and then swap them back afterward.
It has to be said though, there seem to be a lot less illegal plates around here than there used to be.
Abo gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
Same around here. Some of the more egregious offenders are now driving around with private plates that just look silly when displayed legally.
Yes, LU57 LOU, I'm thinking of you.
I bet you're more efficient about it than the bloke in Partco was last week. His computer was on the front desk and the machine at the back of the warehouse. He spent ages inputting the details from my V5 into the PC, then plodded off to the machine; plodded back with the plate; said "Damn"; plodded back to the machine; plodded back with another plate; said "Oh f*ck"; plodded back to the machine - still not carrying the V5 with him! He got it right in the end, and somehow I managed to keep a straight face - but it took one hell of an effort.
Yup, but if you're traffic plod then illegal plates just make your random stops paperwork so much easier.
"Duncan Wood" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
Couldn't agree more.
Prickplates and pimptints must be an absolute gift to TrafPlod, just as they're a damn good clue to the rest of us as to which cars to give plenty of space to.
Which reminds me, I haven't seen P5XCO (with a little yellow fixing stud covering the lower right leg of the X) for a while. Electric blue X5 with pimptints and other bling. He must have a file an inch thick at the local TrafPlod depot.
When they brought in the regulation requiring plates be made by registered traders, I jokingly had a dig at a plod family member about why are there so many illegal plates around still, why aren't they catching them!
The quick reply was "We love dodgy plates. Saves a lot of hassle. We can stop the car as soon as we want without waiting for them to break some minor traffic law. We question them about the plates, then move on to what we REALLY wanted to stop them about."
BobC
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