Toyota mechanic who likes his beverage

Don't they just use sticky pads these days?

It's an apprentice job, so yes, the term mechanic would be stretching it.

Incidentally, they like to be known as "motor vehicle technicians in the

Most likely there is a jig at the dealership that has long since been lost.

Many new cars have the plates fixed with double-sided tape now; SAAB for example have not used screws for years. The potential for mounting them on the piss is then almost limitless.

Chris

Since numberplates are stock sizes they should have templates for each model. But you'll see plenty new cars with the plates pissed. Guess they give the job to the work experience lad.

They use double sided sticky tape these days, which might make it a touch more difficult to get them straight, if you are not good at joined up thinking.

On Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:11:59 +0000, Dave Plowman (News) grumbled:

Indeed. When I was an apprentice at Citroen years ago, PDI inspection, fitting radios/speakers and plates was one of the jobs I got all the time. Radios and speakers were a piece of cake. Number plates were too, but we had no templates or sticky pads. We used to line the plate up "centrally", then drill through the plate and hatch together and put self- tappers in to hold the plate on.

Then people wonder why their boot carpets got wet...

Mike P

And rust galore in a few years...

I had a plate on the SD1 fall off on a very hot day after being stuck on with those pads. It was on a slight curve, though.

When I bought the E39 at 2 years old from a main dealer I had my number transferred from the old car. And the new rear plate was pissed. I took it back for a few things to be fixed under warranty after a week or so - so much for their 1000 point check or whatever - and told them to sort it. Which they did - but you could see one of the old holes. So I told them to get a new plate and do it properly. The service manager said they'd have to charge as I hadn't paid for the first set separately. ;-) That was the start of me realising BMW main dealer service was rubbish.

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Jeez, must have gone downhill, I never had a single problem, they were excellent.

I've had three BMWs and used 5 main dealers over about 20 years. Not one dealer has given flawless service. I use an independant these days and I've no complaints with them - so I'm not just being picky.

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Not arguing with you, I'm just saying I never had a problem the dealer I used, obviously I had no reason to try other dealers. I think the only thing I could possibly criticise them for was they didn't manage to valet the car before I collected it once, apparently the guy who did it was off sick and they were busy, really no big deal.

The after sales service was awesome too, including sending a BMW assistance tech 380 miles to open the boot on a car that my partner had locked the keys inside, for free!

If I had the money to go and buy new tomorrow, I'd be very seriously looking at another BMW.

Many years ago a mate bought a Volvo from Kingscroft in Leatherhead. The front reg plate read X XXX OPD and the rear read X XXX ODP. He didn't notice it, I did when I saw it several days after he had collected it!

In message , Doctor D writes

Was it the same colour on both ends?

Nothing dodgy about the car - only the chimp who made and fitted the number plates (and presumably carried out PDI)

I think he meant the colour of the number plates. But I can remember cut and shuts that came back with different plates each end !