number plate mystery

hi, i read recently that the new number plates are from left to right 2 letters for licensing area then 2 numbers for the year and finally three random letters.

there is a new focus at the end of our road and from left to right it starts with a letter 'T' then three numbers then three letters.

why would someone have a number plate like that on a new car?

Reply to
john west +++
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T123 BOB ... cos his name is Bob ?

Maybe not an exact match, but thats more than likely the reason.

Reply to
Andy M Jenkins

The message from "john west +++" contains these words:

Because in some way that number is special to them - and they've far too much money.

Either that or it ain't a /new/ Focus!

Reply to
Guy King

Some people like to make sure you can't tell the age of their (new) car at a glance in case it gets nicked.

Rob Graham.

Reply to
Robin Graham

Somewhat defeats the point of buying a new one then

Reply to
Paul

The message from "Paul" contains these words:

How so? Unless you only buy a new car just so you can show off.

Then again, considering how much cheaper a six-month old car is...perhaps you're right.

Reply to
Guy King

I vaguely remewber reading that its illegal to do it the other way round. ie, newer plate on an older call. Can anyone back me up?

Reply to
Barry

True, you cannot put plates on a car which make the car appear newer than it is. From DVLA site: Will I be able to transfer a new style mark onto my old vehicle? No, registration marks cannot be transferred onto any vehicle if it may appear to make the vehicle look younger. No vehicle first registered before

1 September 2001 will be able to have a new style mark.

Alec

Reply to
Alec

The message from "Barry" contains these words:

Yes - you cannot plate a car to make it appear younger than it is.

Reply to
Guy King

Correct, but I recently saw a T plated Toyota mk2 MR2 on Ebay that was clearly an imported revision 1 or 2 - which means is actually a 1990 - 1994 car.

Were the DVLA interested when I enquired how this could have happened - nope, just replied to me saying that 'according to their records is was manufactured in 1999'. Yeah, like an owner would take loads of trim and bodywork off and put older stuff on (even the interior was the same as the pre-1994 model).

Reply to
Johnny

Johnny ( snipped-for-privacy@spam.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

No, but somebody, somewhere down the line may well have taken the paperwork and identity off a newer car and put it on the older one.

It may well have made a very clear and distinctive sound, a bit like that of a bell....

Reply to
Adrian

It's because T reg is around 4-5 years old, and the theory is it makes the car look that old. It means that there's 4-5 years less time to wait before the car appears old enough to become an appreciating classic.

Peter

Reply to
AstraVanMan

Assuming "old boy" implies he's retired then he must have a damn good pension - chap I know bought a new ST24 for £23k and at trade-in 18 months later got back £11k.

Reply to
Scott M

AstraVanMan ( snipped-for-privacy@WithThanks.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Is it a new Focus? Could it be a well-cared for used one? First ones were about S-reg, weren't they?

IIRC, the location of the indicators moved a year or two back from the bumper to the headlight cluster.

A friend transferred a 79/W-suffix plate (nothing memorable, three letters, three numbers, not a round number, not initials or a word) onto a far newer car, because the car the plate had come from was one that he'd had for years and enjoyed, so the plate held memories.

Has anybody else noticed that certain age letters suddenly look "old"? At the mo, it seems to be about V-reg that's the cut off point. Anything newer, and it still looks "recent". Older and it just doesn't. The car wearing the plate is irrelevant - model, condition. Mebbe it's just me.

Reply to
Adrian

Scott M (smorris_12@delete_this.yahoo.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Since Pete's up in ScouseLand, IIRC, it's not impossible that the old boy's an ex-Halewood Ford staffer, on a healthy company pension and retaining discount buying rights. It's entirely possible he's getting damn-near free motoring.

I knew a pair of twins at Uni who were both sponsored by Ford - staff deal included buying two new cars a year at 35% discount (and IIRC, that was after any dealer discount). Two of 'em, four new cars a year at a big chunk off - they made money by picking the "right" cars in the range, then selling privately three months later.

Reply to
Adrian

just to educate someone who doesn't know a lot; what would the 'right cars in the range' mean here? please

Reply to
john west +++

john west +++ ( snipped-for-privacy@REMOOVEhotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

The ones that don't depreciate as quickly....

Reply to
Adrian

: Mebbe you're right!

Reply to
""manx.exile "

what would make some in a range depreciate more quickly?

Reply to
john west +++

john west +++ ( snipped-for-privacy@REMOOVEhotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Erm, market forces?

People wanting some models in a range more than others? Some models being over-priced new? Some models being more difficult to source new or used?

Go and buy a copy of WhatCar or similar, and look down the depreciation percentages listed. See if you can spot why depreciation might be better on some specs of model than others.

Reply to
Adrian

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