Front plate removal before/after...does it look better?

White95Max · 05-28-05, 04:05

Should the plate be left on, or taken off?

JDookie · 05-28-05, 04:25

Definitely take it off.

A friend of mine ordered a new mustang, which comes with a fully painted over front plate mount (you would have to actually break throught the paint to reveal the screw holes), and he specifically asked them to not mount any kind of dealer advertisement or anything on the front bumper. When he arrived to pick the car up, guess what he found. That's right, a dealer plate bolted right to the front of the car, which can never be repaired unless the holes are filled in and repainted. He actually refused the car, and told them to find him another one, which is the same thing I would have done.

I'd hate to live in a state that requires a front license plate.

RuffRyder · 05-28-05, 04:27

Quote:

Originally posted by JDookie
I'd hate to live in a state that requires a front license plate.

Thanks!

As in NJ you must have the front plate along with the back.

JDookie · 05-28-05, 04:31

Quote:

Originally posted by RuffRyder
Thanks! As in NJ you must have the front plate along with the back.

Sorry buddy, that sucks. I feel for you!

General Lee · 05-28-05, 04:49

Yeah, usually the states that issue plates for the front and rear require that both be installed. Here in Maryland you can be cited for no front plate.

95Max- how much damage did the front plate do to the paint?

Intercooled · 05-28-05, 05:16

[quote]Originally posted by General Lee
[b]Yeah, usually the states that issue plates for the front and rear require that both be installed. Here in Maryland you can be cited for no front plate.

Same here in NH.

White95Max · 05-28-05, 05:26

That car is a 2004, so it hasn't had time to cause any damage.

I've had my front plate off for the last 2 years, and I love how it looks without it. I was asked twice by cops why I didn't have a front plate on. I said "Oh I just waxed my car yesterday, and I forgot to put the plate back on".

I tell them that the plate is in the trunk and I'll even put it right back on in front of them.
Both times the cop said, "no just put it back on when you get home".

Okey dokey

Bill D · 05-28-05, 06:40

When I moved to FL I had to install 4 Bumper Plugs or get a patch/repaint job on the front bumper cover. Car looks nice with the four Bumper Plugs now. You could make extremely economical versions of the same idea by going to a parts store and getting some plastic trim retainers for about a quarter each, spray painting them with good OE quality paint; a few coats I'm guessing and install them ( might have to make the holes in the bumper larger with a drill like I had to)

For those in front state required states, if the deed hasn't been done already to your front, you could retain your front plate on your passenger side sun visor with heavy duty rubber bands. Be sure to have it down especially while on highways. That might be accepable to the cops.

Denzil · 05-28-05, 06:50

I used to use suction cups to hold my license plate at the dead top center of my winshield. People never really seemed to notice it either... even the cops. LoL.

Now I just have it offset on the front air dam of my Integra, you know, JDM style =P.

Jinba ittai · 05-29-05, 07:48

If you have a choice, leave it off. It definitely looks better with it off. It's a shame that the bumper is designed with a square spot on it for the license plate. It's much better when there's a separate bracket that bolts onto the underside of the bumper so if you take the plate off it's like it was never there.

The first thing I did after buying my Miata was unbolt the front license plate bracket. The car looks so much better without it. My state does require a front plate but for 4 years I've left it off without any problems. However this car isn't a daily driver and I rarely drive it around town. It's used for long distance trips out of state and I've never had a problem at all but if I am I'll remember the line about taking it of when I waxed it.

I leave the front plate on the family car because I don't want to tempt fate as it is driven all over town and is more likely to catch the eye of the police but if given a choice I'd leave it off. Plateless is always better.

Hemi57 · 05-31-05, 12:05

White95Max, I feel like voting for the plate to be left off but I am not keen on the raised area on the front either. Your call.

Here in Australia the authorities take front plates very seriously. We have lots of fixed and mobile speed cameras (government calls them "safety cameras", the public called they "revenue cameras") and eTag tolling points which take front pictures.

holland_patrick · 05-31-05, 03:38

http://www.autogeek.net/europlates.html

I had one of these on the front of my Sonata and it looked great.
I just used the numbers from my real plate.