Front License Plates?

[krillin]

california law requires that a car have front plates. if this is true then why do i see so many cars without them? i already reserved a speed but i was wondering if they drill holes before they get to the dealership. i called up my fleet rep and asked him NOT to drill holes in the car. he didn't know if he could do it or not but said he'd try. he made no promises though. i'm guessing that they drill holes when they arrive. is there ANY way that i can stress even more that i don't want holes drilled? they warned me that it was illegal tho. bleh...:(

[JonnyMiata]

We have front plate laws here in OH. Almost everyone in our Miata club runs without a front plate. I had no front plate on my '93 Civic Si for 10 years and never got hassled even when I got pulled over for speeding. I asked my Audi dealer not to drill holes on the front of my TT that I purchased and they had no problems doing so.

I don't see why you should have a problem not running a front plate. We have had a bill go before our state gov't several times trying to get rid of the front plate. One of these days it will pass. It will save the state millions of dollars. Wouldn't it be nice to have that money go towards the roads or the schools?

Jonny

[APEXistud]

When I got my MP3 it had holes drilled in it already and they should not drill holes if you ask them not to. I've also been driving around for over a year now without a front plate and have never even been glanced at by a cop.

[Dexter]

when i first got my ES, i took off the front plate and like 2 days later i got pulled over in Stone Park, IL for not having a front plate. no ticket or anything, the guy just asked me where it was, and i was like its at home, and hes like just put it on. going thru stone park is bullshit though, the speed limit is like 30 and i always see someone getting pulled over every day.

when i get the msp, im going to try to drive without the front also. i just hate front liscense plates :p

[Sir Nuke]

go and talk to the OWNER if need be....have them put some note on your file if they have to telling them DO NOT INSTALL FRONT PLATE HOLDER.....

then if they say that they have to install the front plate for you to leave the dealer...tell them to just put it on the front dash....

[aoozoom]

i'm ca also, few weeks back i got a $100 parking ticket for no front plate. sux.:mad:

[DJB00TS]

In wisconsin, state law requires a front liscense plate bracket, not necessarily a front plate. Fucked up i know, but thats the gayness of wisconsin.:rolleyes:

[Sir Nuke]

here is another approach....tell the dealer that under no circumstances are you going to accept the car that YOU baught if they drill holes in it.....talk to the salesman...talk to the owner of the dealership if necessary....there are other means of mounting a licence plate without them drilling holes in the front bumper.

if you want....go to Kmart or Wal-Mart....go back to the CRAFTS department....you can buy small suction cups...much like the ones on the mounts for radar dectectors for the windsheild....they have little knobs on them...get four of these suction cups...and put ONE on each corner of the plate....put the button/knob through the screw hole in the plate...and stick the plate to the inside of the windshield....its an option anyway.

[slug420]

im gonna tell my dealer not to, but I really think, in CT anyways, that it is a law that any car being sold has to have front mounted plates........I think the dealer can get penalized if it doesnt have em

[MikeyG_U2]

I wish there was a product that allowed the mounting of plates without drilling holes. I've been pulled over by Illinois State Police and they check for the front plate, probably because they are bastards and want more money. Thankfully I currently drive a VW GTI which is not a pretty car, so I don't mind having a front plate. If my dream comes true and I get a MSP, I don't want any holes. I'll use the plate if there is a non-invasive method for attaching it though.

[krillin]

this person named jedipimp posted this on mpsport.net

"did they actually drilled it on or is it screwd on to the black piece"

now what is this black piece that he's talking about?

[mp3_559]

Krill hell its a 10 dollar fix it ticket i ran without plates for almost year and half on my mp3 however they nailed me when i got nailed at the illegal drags.. ill probly take it off again here soon.. its only 10 dollars and a postage stamp :)

[krillin]

it's a 10 dollar wha wha? i'm talking about this black piece. i don't know what you're talking about.

[Dexter]

the black "piece" is the liscense plate frame

[krillin]

but the frame is already screwed onto the bumper anyway. why would he ask a question like that? BLAH

[Dexter]

Originally posted by krillin
but the frame is already screwed onto the bumper anyway. why would he ask a question like that? BLAH

judging by his grammar, id have to say he has no clue what he is talking about. lol

[dj5tyle5]

i took the damn black thing off....i think ill just put the license there....or can i put it in the window without worries?? BTW i live in CAlifornia.

[OrangeAppeal]

Just got off the phone with my Saleswoman (gotta be pc here:rolleyes: ), and she said it wouldn't be a problem not mounting the front License Place holder (no holes drilled). I live in CT where the state law is to have a front mounted license plate (never on my car though), but I'm buying the car from RI, where they also require a front mount license plate.

She asked me if i was going to have CT license plates on the car and I told her yes....she said it wouldn't be a problem to leave it off then. I guess as long as I am not registering it in the state I purchased it from, they can legally leave it off (ahh, the beauty of small states with close state lines).

Just thought I would share.

[Sir Nuke]

the cars are NOT delivered to the dealers with the frame already attached to the front bumper...they are in a plastic bag in the back of the car...if the dealer you are dealing with insists that the plate be affixed to the front of the car for it to leave the dealership tell him fine...that YOU will attach it...but under no circumstances are they to drill holed in the front bumber and mount the plate frame....

then when you go to pick up the car take some tyraps with you and attach the plate to the lower grill till you get home...then take it off....and put it in the front window with suction cups if you must.....

I don't know about your states...but when we pick up our cars new here we don't get our plates then anyway....so WHY would the plate frame need to be attached to the front bumper before you left the lot with it? that makes NO SENCE....we don't get our actual plates for up to a month after we get the car from the dealer...it takes the state that long to get them to you....then you pick them up from the dealer...and unless you requested them too...they don't even install them.....

[dj5tyle5]

Well, They put that stupid license plate thing on there so that they can display there damn dealsership name. Is there anyway to fix the holes once there in there without completely painting the bumper and all that???

[Protege5 kid]

I don't think any of us Ontarioians would ever take that front plate off...when a car doesn't have one around our area it sticks out like a sore thumb...plus the cops don't really like import tuners so it's just another excuse to pull us good looking young guys over!

[Sir Nuke]

Originally posted by dj5tyle5
Well, They put that stupid license plate thing on there so that they can display there damn dealsership name. Is there anyway to fix the holes once there in there without completely painting the bumper and all that???

yes there is.....you can get some small plugs to fit in the holes nice and snug....then just use your touch up paint to paint them....then pop them in after they dry....some of the guys here on the board have gotten such plugs at Home Depot.

[JPBlackMP5]

Great suggestions SirN

[LazerBlueP5]

No holes are drilled- the cars come standard with the holes and threads to mount the licence plate.
I live in NJ and it's state law here to have a front plate as well- but haven't had it on since I bought the car...and haven't been bothered yet. *Knock on wood*
It doesn't seem like a thing you'd 'usually' get pulled over for, more of like a thing they'd add in after they pull you over for something else. Also having illegal tint, and other violations ups your chances you will get pulled over and nailed for the absense of a front plate.

[chitownmp3]

I know I'm about to jinx myself ! I havent had a plate on the mp3 since I got it .I have been sweatted about it but no tickets.
As far as the plate being installed by the dealer ,mine was cool he noted my file that when the car came in for new car prep that the plate bracket was not to be installed.I did have to sign a b.s. waiver saying I was gonna install it.{sure one day.....maybe}:rolleyes:

[BondoBob]

I would like to mount it on the lower part of the spoiler (so the plate is on an angle.) It's too damn cold to go look at mine, anybody play around with the front spoiler enought to know if there is any support down there.

[Dexter]

Originally posted by Protege5 kid
I don't think any of us Ontarioians would ever take that front plate off...when a car doesn't have one around our area it sticks out like a sore thumb...plus the cops don't really like import tuners so it's just another excuse to pull us good looking young guys over!

....as if an orange car doesnt stick out enough :p

[spankee]

I just discovered the two holes in the front bumper of my 1.5-week-old MP5 a couple nights ago. I was pretty steamed. To make matters worse, when I removed the plate bracket the nut inside fell backward (it shouldn't have), so I can't put the bracket back.

I went to the dealer today to talk to them about at least getting the nut put back and they offered this ugly white thing that would go on the outside of the bumper. I declined. I told them I wanted another nut put back on the inside of the bumper so I could put the bracket back on right. I'll have to bring the car back so they can "take the bumper off" to do this. I didn't believe them, but tonight I opened the hood and tried to get in from the top, removing two screws and four plastic plugs, but couldn't get behind the bumper.

Is it going to be impossible for them to do this or will they f*ck up my car doing it? Has anyone done this? I swear I'm going to rape them on the survey if I'm not happy...

Sir Nuke: My salesman told me that they come to the dealer with the bracket installed. I didn't believe him. What happens if they have to do a dealer trade to Oklahoma or whereever where they don't have front plates?

-Robert in Dallas

[digi168]

In BC you need a front plate but I asked them not to drill the bumper and just attached with tie straps to the lower grill. I have the black plate frame in the trunk. If you look really closely at the bumper there are two little dimples where the screws are suppose to go..

[johnjay5]

Is there any product to cover the drilled holes?

[JasonH]

Originally posted by johnjay5
Is there any product to cover the drilled holes? Gee, I don't know...


Originally posted by Sir Nuke
yes there is.....you can get some small plugs to fit in the holes nice and snug....then just use your touch up paint to paint them....then pop them in after they dry....some of the guys here on the board have gotten such plugs at Home Depot.

[Newf]

Can't speak for the states, but I used to work at a Honda dealership. All cars then, and now the MAzda's have little tiny dimples as the other car put it, these mark where they are supposed to "drill" the holes for the plate. Plates are not installed before the dealer gets them.....at least not here.

As for taking the bumper to get the screws off HA! BS!

Just order in another plate, and use it's part...would be cheaper would it not?

[JPBlackMP5]

johnjay5,
SirNuke's earlier quote:
"yes there is.....you can get some small plugs to fit in the holes nice and snug....then just use your touch up paint to paint them....then pop them in after they dry....some of the guys here on the board have gotten such plugs at Home Depot."

[krillin]

no point talking about front license plates when you don't have the car. where ARE these cars anyway?

[DCsJester]

I purchased my MP3 in Virginia where front plates are required. However, my car had no holes drilled in it or front plate bracket. The sales rep said to just put it in the window and that would satisfy the law. While parked outside my house I've been ticketed three times for not having a front plate, and the ticket notes the plate is in the front windshield. What is up with that?