secure number plate fixings

Park somewhere secure? Or fit the plates with exterior double sided tape

Chris

No. The best you can do is make them difficult to remove with ordinary tools.

I recently bought new plates for my 5 series. Not wanting to screw them on I thought I'd try sticking them on with the double sided sticky strips sold by Halfords for the purpose. No problem with the rear plate, as it was a flat surface. The mounting for the front plate is slightly curved. Overnight though the plate had straightened itself, and become unstuck from the sticky pads each end.. The plate was only held on by one sticky strip in the centre. If I hadn't noticed before I drove off, I'm sure the plate would have fallen off.

Refusing to be defeated, I removed the plate and cleaned the remains of the pads off the plate and mounting surface. I then refitted the plate with 3 generous strips of Instant Gasket or RTV squeezed along the length of the plate, using Sellotape each end to hold it while it set.

Next day I removed the tape, and the plate was firmly stuck. I tried pulling it off to make sure. All I succeded in doing was to bend the plate at the corner I was pulling. If I'd pulled any harder, I think I would have broken the plate.

I've no doubt that it could be removed intact, but I think it would need careful teasing with a thin knife to gradually release it. Not the sort of thing carried by your average plate nicker, and not a 5 minute job.

IMO anyone who tried to remove plates glued so firmly, would soon give up, and look for an easier target. Mike.

Gripfill the bugger on :)

Get one of the numberplates that shatter when tampered with. There is nothing to stop someone copying your number and having a plate made. Most places will do it if you offer them enough - even without paperwork.

Park somewhere better, or take them with you when you leave the car :-)

Al.

"Security" screws? You know, the type that they tend to use in public toilets, they screw in but have a tapered step so they can't be unscrewed without a special tool.

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

... which is easily available...

For anyone who seriously wants to take these things. Not your average opportunist low-life.

Let's face it, anything can be stolen by anyone determined enough. The best most of us can do is make it difficult for the scum.

After Katie had the plates stolen off the 156, we bought some 'security' screws from Halfrauds.

Very low-tech, they're a straight slot screw head, but chamfered so you can only screw clockwise.

Seems to be an effective solution - but I'm not sure how you'd remove them if you need to replace a plate, though.

I've always used screws in the past, but have always thought they make a plate look untidy. Especially when the coloured caps fall off, and/or, after time, they get discoloured around the screw holes, when water gets between the numbers and the clear front plastic. OTOH glued plates look smarter, clean easier, and have non of the above problems, and IMO if glued well are just as secure as those secured with tamper proof screws. Mike.