Personalised Number Plates - Naff or Cool?
Discussion
Where do you stand on personaIised number plates? I think sticking a standard issue number plate on your pride and joy is akin to wearing dirty trainers with a nice suit. Why take time choosing the colour and options only to deface it with a randomly chosen number?
Long before the DVLA realised they could cash in, cars could sport interesting or low digit numbers by chance to compliment the car. Nowadays a personalised plate (or as we used to call them ‘flash plates’ back in the day) is the only option, but what constitutes cool and what is naff?
In my book anything that looks like you’ve bought a written off 1978 Escort that happens to spell your name is crap (the R843 PAT style plate). Also in this group I put anything that has a random age letter and your initials is also no go, so P28 ACJ is out and akin to monogrammed cufflinks.
Anything that has some humour, spells a word or relates to the actual car is cool - so 'MAG IC' (once owned by Paul Daniels) or 'THE 928S' that Porsche used to own are cool.
Obviously symmetry and fewer digits look better on a car (or is that just my personal affliction kicking in?) and year letters that are an A, S or X with a single digit or duplicate digits are OK...
And black / silver are better than yellow / white plates (where legal)... and no badges or flags. And no gel plates or carbon fibre style (too Max Power Corsa!)
Am I alone in this?
Long before the DVLA realised they could cash in, cars could sport interesting or low digit numbers by chance to compliment the car. Nowadays a personalised plate (or as we used to call them ‘flash plates’ back in the day) is the only option, but what constitutes cool and what is naff?
In my book anything that looks like you’ve bought a written off 1978 Escort that happens to spell your name is crap (the R843 PAT style plate). Also in this group I put anything that has a random age letter and your initials is also no go, so P28 ACJ is out and akin to monogrammed cufflinks.
Anything that has some humour, spells a word or relates to the actual car is cool - so 'MAG IC' (once owned by Paul Daniels) or 'THE 928S' that Porsche used to own are cool.
Obviously symmetry and fewer digits look better on a car (or is that just my personal affliction kicking in?) and year letters that are an A, S or X with a single digit or duplicate digits are OK...
And black / silver are better than yellow / white plates (where legal)... and no badges or flags. And no gel plates or carbon fibre style (too Max Power Corsa!)
Am I alone in this?
For me, I prefer to keep the car on the number plate it came with. So correct spacing, legal font, etc.
I think the problem with modified number plates is that it makes them more obvious, and not in a good way.
A boggo 'born with' plate just blends into the back ground. You might look at it to determine the year of the car, but that is about it.
If you fit a 'private plate', tinted, angled, raised letters, illegal spacing or illegal font - it just looks so obvious that it ISN'T legal. Your eye's are drawn to the plate because it is different.
People change their plates because they want it to look different - but then it makes the car look like any other 'modified' car out there - so how is that different exactly?
The worst one's are the plates that make no sense whatsoever. Sometimes people adjust the spacing of characters on plates that didn't make sense in the first place. In some way, modifying a nonsense plate into something that seemingly makes more sense - but still reads like nonsense. They just make me laugh out loud and think WTF?
There was a time when private plates had a little bit of class. But because so many people turn a nonsense plate into supposedly a 'private plate' these days. All the class has gone. 95% of plates out there are gibberish, making most other people that see such plates think they look pants.
No one with a 'private plate' looks classy any more - so why bother?
I think the problem with modified number plates is that it makes them more obvious, and not in a good way.
A boggo 'born with' plate just blends into the back ground. You might look at it to determine the year of the car, but that is about it.
If you fit a 'private plate', tinted, angled, raised letters, illegal spacing or illegal font - it just looks so obvious that it ISN'T legal. Your eye's are drawn to the plate because it is different.
People change their plates because they want it to look different - but then it makes the car look like any other 'modified' car out there - so how is that different exactly?
The worst one's are the plates that make no sense whatsoever. Sometimes people adjust the spacing of characters on plates that didn't make sense in the first place. In some way, modifying a nonsense plate into something that seemingly makes more sense - but still reads like nonsense. They just make me laugh out loud and think WTF?
There was a time when private plates had a little bit of class. But because so many people turn a nonsense plate into supposedly a 'private plate' these days. All the class has gone. 95% of plates out there are gibberish, making most other people that see such plates think they look pants.
No one with a 'private plate' looks classy any more - so why bother?
I'm largely not interested in them. At one point a group of us organised car events, called V8UK, and V8 UK... plates were all £399.
We formed a fun plan to each get V8 UK and our surname initial, if nothing else to make organising the convoys much easier, being an enthusiastic sort after a couple of beers I got V8 UKS.
We don't really do the events any more, and the fact it's a private plate is a source of mild embarrassment every time I remember it, but it's on there now and is sort of part of the car's identity I suppose.
So I'd say I'm in the "not a fan" camp, but do actually have one... The only ones I'd ever consider would be a MYxx xxx if the year and 3 letters were car relevant, as then it still looks like a normal plate.
We formed a fun plan to each get V8 UK and our surname initial, if nothing else to make organising the convoys much easier, being an enthusiastic sort after a couple of beers I got V8 UKS.
We don't really do the events any more, and the fact it's a private plate is a source of mild embarrassment every time I remember it, but it's on there now and is sort of part of the car's identity I suppose.
So I'd say I'm in the "not a fan" camp, but do actually have one... The only ones I'd ever consider would be a MYxx xxx if the year and 3 letters were car relevant, as then it still looks like a normal plate.
Personally I'm cool with private plates.
However, I have no time for those who go out and butcher something legitimate, turning it into a illegally spaced mess of random digits, sometimes with screw caps strategically positioned to visually altering digits to make it look like the plate reads something that it isn't. That, is vain f
kwittery of the highest order. Nor do I think that either tinted plates or chopped down plates look good in any shape or form.
Nevertheless, a decent, correctly spaced, unaltered registration can be a thing of beauty. A nice, simple, neat number; that gets full marks from me. Especially if it's been bolted on a vehicle that's worth less than the plate.
However, I have no time for those who go out and butcher something legitimate, turning it into a illegally spaced mess of random digits, sometimes with screw caps strategically positioned to visually altering digits to make it look like the plate reads something that it isn't. That, is vain f
kwittery of the highest order. Nor do I think that either tinted plates or chopped down plates look good in any shape or form. Nevertheless, a decent, correctly spaced, unaltered registration can be a thing of beauty. A nice, simple, neat number; that gets full marks from me. Especially if it's been bolted on a vehicle that's worth less than the plate.
)I have a private plate on both the bike and car, standard colours type face spacing etc but they mean somethng to me. Most people would only realsie they are private if they see the model of vehicle is actually newer than the plate. No intials and nothing related to the vehicles they are on. I like them, they were cheap and I don't care if other folk think they are good or not.
However illegally spaced, thrying too hard plates do make me think tt .
However illegally spaced, thrying too hard plates do make me think t
t .As long as the plates are spaced correctly, who the hell cares? I have a 5 character private plate that spells out my initials, but no-one would know what unless they know me.
I guess that puts me in the realms of a nice blue suit, with an off-white shirt that just looks a little too old/shabby. Oh... The nice blue suit is a Ford Focus ST - So it's more like a Primark suit.
I guess that puts me in the realms of a nice blue suit, with an off-white shirt that just looks a little too old/shabby. Oh... The nice blue suit is a Ford Focus ST - So it's more like a Primark suit.
SteveFletcher said:
Where do you stand on personaIised number plates? I think sticking a standard issue number plate on your pride and joy is akin to wearing dirty trainers with a nice suit.
The day I get a personalised plate will be the happiest day of my life! 
(Because it will mean that I've got so much money, that I've already been able to buy absolutely everything that I could ever want and need, and still have enough cash to waste on utter crap).
As for the dirty trainers/nice suit, I think the opposite is true. There is nothing more classy in the motoring world than a £100K plus car on the standard plates it came with.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
SteveFletcher said:
Where do you stand on personaIised number plates? I think sticking a standard issue number plate on your pride and joy is akin to wearing dirty trainers with a nice suit.
The day I get a personalised plate will be the happiest day of my life! (Because it will mean that I've got so much money, that I've already been able to buy absolutely everything that I could ever want and need, and still have enough cash to waste on utter crap).
As for the dirty trainers/nice suit, I think the opposite is true. There is nothing more classy in the motoring world than a £100K plus car on the standard plates it came with.
DazzaSport said:
For me, I prefer to keep the car on the number plate it came with. So correct spacing, legal font, etc.
I think the problem with modified number plates is that it makes them more obvious, and not in a good way.
A boggo 'born with' plate just blends into the back ground. You might look at it to determine the year of the car, but that is about it.
If you fit a 'private plate', tinted, angled, raised letters, illegal spacing or illegal font - it just looks so obvious that it ISN'T legal. Your eye's are drawn to the plate because it is different.
People change their plates because they want it to look different - but then it makes the car look like any other 'modified' car out there - so how is that different exactly?
The worst one's are the plates that make no sense whatsoever. Sometimes people adjust the spacing of characters on plates that didn't make sense in the first place. In some way, modifying a nonsense plate into something that seemingly makes more sense - but still reads like nonsense. They just make me laugh out loud and think WTF?
There was a time when private plates had a little bit of class. But because so many people turn a nonsense plate into supposedly a 'private plate' these days. All the class has gone. 95% of plates out there are gibberish, making most other people that see such plates think they look pants.
No one with a 'private plate' looks classy any more - so why bother?
They probably aren't doing it to be different, or to look classy. Might be for fun, or sentimentality, or to disguise age, or because of some personal significance, or just because.I think the problem with modified number plates is that it makes them more obvious, and not in a good way.
A boggo 'born with' plate just blends into the back ground. You might look at it to determine the year of the car, but that is about it.
If you fit a 'private plate', tinted, angled, raised letters, illegal spacing or illegal font - it just looks so obvious that it ISN'T legal. Your eye's are drawn to the plate because it is different.
People change their plates because they want it to look different - but then it makes the car look like any other 'modified' car out there - so how is that different exactly?
The worst one's are the plates that make no sense whatsoever. Sometimes people adjust the spacing of characters on plates that didn't make sense in the first place. In some way, modifying a nonsense plate into something that seemingly makes more sense - but still reads like nonsense. They just make me laugh out loud and think WTF?
There was a time when private plates had a little bit of class. But because so many people turn a nonsense plate into supposedly a 'private plate' these days. All the class has gone. 95% of plates out there are gibberish, making most other people that see such plates think they look pants.
No one with a 'private plate' looks classy any more - so why bother?
Muzzer79 said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
SteveFletcher said:
Where do you stand on personaIised number plates? I think sticking a standard issue number plate on your pride and joy is akin to wearing dirty trainers with a nice suit.
The day I get a personalised plate will be the happiest day of my life! (Because it will mean that I've got so much money, that I've already been able to buy absolutely everything that I could ever want and need, and still have enough cash to waste on utter crap).
As for the dirty trainers/nice suit, I think the opposite is true. There is nothing more classy in the motoring world than a £100K plus car on the standard plates it came with.
I like small plates so am cool with them. Misplaced and darkened rear ones are a bit naff tho. Also ones ending with a "X" - is that meant to be a kiss?!
Whenm i got the royce i got a plate that was asingle didgt and suffix
As it is now up for sale it is on retentionWhether iput it on my Volvo i haven't decided
But it was 100% legal re lettering and spacing, not the i could do anything with it anyway
If i culd make one law tomorrow it would be
With effect from 0101 2021 all nmumbeplates must fully confirm wity the rwgs.
And the rider
Any that are
Mispaced
Letters altered with the screw caps
Any in different font or on 'foreign' type plates
will be de licenced and no compensation given
It wILL also carry 3 points and a 250.00 fine
Oh apart from the last bit that is already in the statute book,,so why don't the authorities clamp down.
It doesn't even need a stop just a picture and by golly we have a few on here
As it is now up for sale it is on retentionWhether iput it on my Volvo i haven't decided
But it was 100% legal re lettering and spacing, not the i could do anything with it anyway
If i culd make one law tomorrow it would be
With effect from 0101 2021 all nmumbeplates must fully confirm wity the rwgs.
And the rider
Any that are
Mispaced
Letters altered with the screw caps
Any in different font or on 'foreign' type plates
will be de licenced and no compensation given
It wILL also carry 3 points and a 250.00 fine
Oh apart from the last bit that is already in the statute book,,so why don't the authorities clamp down.
It doesn't even need a stop just a picture and by golly we have a few on here
I prefer the more pejorative term vanity plate myself - after all, what else might one be?
Providing it's legally displayed then nobody you'd enjoy associating with would even care let alone be impressed with whatever vanity plate you have.
Illegally displayed ones on the other hand are entirely the preserve of vulgar Council estate Chavs whom you definitely don't want to be associating with and deserve nothing but utter contempt.
Providing it's legally displayed then nobody you'd enjoy associating with would even care let alone be impressed with whatever vanity plate you have.
Illegally displayed ones on the other hand are entirely the preserve of vulgar Council estate Chavs whom you definitely don't want to be associating with and deserve nothing but utter contempt.
I thought they were pointless for years, but one day was idly browsing and saw one I liked at less than I was expecting, so went for it and think it looks quite nice.So my view now is to go for it, and if you like it that's just fine.
That doesn't apply to people who use illegal spacing to try and spell words though, that just makes you look like a knob.
That doesn't apply to people who use illegal spacing to try and spell words though, that just makes you look like a knob.
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