Number plate mystery - Any sleuths who can help?

demontfort

Hello,

I'm in the process of buying a 2017 used car from a large franchised dealer, car is covered under the manufacturers approved used programme. Although the car is 2017 spec and registered, it has an 2011 plate. The dealer has also given me a service history print out for the car but for a 2017 plate registered to another car. I've run my own full background check on both registrations and there's no red flags. For the car I'm buying VIN and service history check out and it's definitely registered in 2017 and I can see that the 2011 plate was switched to the car I'm buying in 2018. I'll also be following up with the dealer but wanted:

• Any suggestions on why the previous owner might have put a 11 plate on a 2017 car (plate is definitely not personalised unless previous owner has a very weird name)?
• Whether having an older plate would impact the car value and if so could I change it to a 2017 plate?

Thanks

DM

BOWFER

It can only be that the previous owner liked the 11 plate, or maybe sold the 17 plate that was on it to someone and had the 11 plate lying around to be used.
Older plate shouldn't affect the value at all, it's registration year that matters.
Yes you can change to a 17 plate.

AdrianC

There is really only one answer as to why they've put a personal vanity plate on the car...

Because they wanted to.

Yes, you can get it transferred off. £80 onto retention, then you can get the £80 back if you don't want to retain the retention.
https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers/give-up-private-number

Flight3287462

One of my wife's elderly relatives has had the same  number fore the past 20-30 odd years and it is just the number he happens to remember so he just rolls it on to the next car.

demontfort

Thanks for all your replies as it's put my mind at ease. I'm still flummoxed as to why people get attached to certain numbers or fork out a fortune on a personalsed plate.

BOWFER

demontfort said:

Thanks for all your replies as it's put my mind at ease. I'm still flummoxed as to why people get attached to certain numbers or fork out a fortune on a personalsed plate.

The irony being you're away to buy a plate because it's bugging you the car looks older than it is.
If anything, more vanity than someone who just wants their initials.
It's evidently important to you everyone knows it's a 17 plate, which is fair enough.

silverwhistle

No, I don't take that from the OP's post even if you did. I'd be concerned too that something was being hidden by such a strange change. They also didn't say they were going to change the plate but were worried about resale value, which seems a eminently sensible thing to do.

BOWFER

silverwhistle said:

No, I don't take that from the OP's post even if you did. I'd be concerned too that something was being hidden by such a strange change. They also didn't say they were going to change the plate but were worried about resale value, which seems a eminently sensible thing to do.

They asked if they could change to a 17 plate.

demontfort

BOWFER said:

silverwhistle said:

No, I don't take that from the OP's post even if you did. I'd be concerned too that something was being hidden by such a strange change. They also didn't say they were going to change the plate but were worried about resale value, which seems a eminently sensible thing to do.

They asked if they could change to a 17 plate.

I'm not a big fan of cars, less so of expensive number plates. I was concerned an old plate might devalue the car, rather than wanting to draw admiring glances from ladies at my 17 plate as I sped along with the wind in my hair.

I'm also buying it for my dad's 75th birthday but was worried about his reaction when I told him how much it cost for a car with a 10 plate (at least now I know it's easily resolved).........You'd understand if you'd met my dad in a bad mood!

Grumpy_chap

demontfort said:

plate is definitely not personalised unless previous owner has a very weird name

Some people do see patterns or meaning in very weird places, and the desire for a personalised plate can be beyond the limits of what plates can be issued.

I also think, if I were to get a personalised plate, something that is meaningful to me and those that know me, but innocuous to strangers would be the best.  So GR11MPY would be better than GC 2021 as the former will not be obvious to those not in the know.

I guess if you ask enough acquaintances what they think the "11" plate is meant to spell, they'll probably work it out.

Are you certain that the "11" plate still belongs to the car you have purchased and not just the old vanity plate left on the vehicle, but the actual number transferred off to retention or another vehicle?

BOWFER

"vanity plate" is such an odd term for anyone in the UK to use.
Personal or private plate, yes. even cherished.
But 'vanity' has a sneering edge to it.