Number plate mystery - Any sleuths who can help?

strawb_shortcake

Found this  website that details some recent and record highs of DVLA registration auction sales. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.carreg.co.uk/carreg-news/amp/dvla-auction-high-earners/

AdrianC

annabanana82 said:

Found this  website that details some recent and record highs of DVLA registration auction sales. 

www.carreg.co.uk/carreg-news/amp/dvla-auction-high-earners/

DVLA aren't the only people selling plates. They only sell previously unissued ones.
Most - especially pre-63 "ageless" - were originally issued as normal plates, and then transferred between cars.

BOWFER

AdrianC said:

annabanana82 said:

Found this  website that details some recent and record highs of DVLA registration auction sales. 

www.carreg.co.uk/carreg-news/amp/dvla-auction-high-earners/

DVLA aren't the only people selling plates. 

This is true, but people also still have to be aware that these numberplate companies are often selling plates you can get directly from DVLA.
I've bought 5 numberplates over the years, all direct from DVLA.

Jenni_D

BOWFER said:

I knew a guy who bought numberplate '1P' after winning the lottery (he was already quite well off anyway).

There's a car (Range Rover) in my town with the reg 8P. I always wondered how they got the car so cheap.

Grumpy_chap

Sometimes, I think, the best "personalised" plates are those that are most "normal".  I have just seen a car with the plate format "AB 70 ACB".  It is enough to spot that the alpha-parts are linked and I suspect it is the initials then the initials plus middle initial for the driver so they "know" but it is not so different as to attract unwanted attention.

Having said that, the best number plate I think I ever saw was of the form "AA 1" (it wasn't that, but two letters, one number) driving around in the early 1990's on an aged (even then) Mini Metro.  The number plate was so clearly worth many multiples more than the car, it clearly sent the message that the owner liked that car and could afford anything else she chose if she wanted.

NBLondon

Grumpy_chap said:

Sometimes, I think, the best "personalised" plates are those that are most "normal".  I have just seen a car with the plate format "AB 70 ACB".  It is enough to spot that the alpha-parts are linked and I suspect it is the initials then the initials plus middle initial for the driver so they "know" but it is not so different as to attract unwanted attention.

DVLA used to advertise that very idea.   I agree, it's subtler and not particularly noticeable unless you know the owner.  Less so if it's owned by a couple using two sets of iniitals.  Or if you know the area codes and notice that it's very not local.    Would one then move it to a new car or pay again for AB 73 ACB?  If you can get the combination you want for a few hundred - it might be worth it to some people.

On the other hand, I'm sure MY 71 BMW would have been dearer and possibly in demand for people buying a new X6.

AdrianC

NBLondon said:

Or if you know the area codes and notice that it's very not local.

Not all cars are supplied by local dealers, of course - and once we're talking about used cars, they can very easily be the opposite end of the country.

So the first letter "local mnemonic" is very often pretty much irrelevant.

NBLondon

AdrianC said:

NBLondon said:

Or if you know the area codes and notice that it's very not local.

Not all cars are supplied by local dealers, of course - and once we're talking about used cars, they can very easily be the opposite end of the country.

So the first letter "local mnemonic" is very often pretty much irrelevant.

I'd say at a quick glance, 60% plus in my neighbourhood are London plates; then 10% Kentish plates.  If I ordered my initials on a newly issued 71 plate (that's what Grumpy and I are discussing) it would be a Newcastle plate.  So it would stand out to a bit - but only to a few fellow geeks.

Buying a used car and trying to get the initials combination with the right year identifier would be rather harder I suspect.

AdrianC

NBLondon said:

AdrianC said:

NBLondon said:

Or if you know the area codes and notice that it's very not local.

Not all cars are supplied by local dealers, of course - and once we're talking about used cars, they can very easily be the opposite end of the country.

So the first letter "local mnemonic" is very often pretty much irrelevant.

I'd say at a quick glance, 60% plus in my neighbourhood are London plates; then 10% Kentish plates.  If I ordered my initials on a newly issued 71 plate (that's what Grumpy and I are discussing) it would be a Newcastle plate.  So it would stand out to a bit - but only to a few fellow geeks.

Buying a used car and trying to get the initials combination with the right year identifier would be rather harder I suspect.

I'm on the border of C-Cymru, V-Severn Valley.

We have two prefix plates ourselves. One is M-Manchester/Merseyside, one is H-Hampshire.
Amongst local friends and neighbours, I can think immediately of O-Oxford, B-Brum, K-(umm, don't ask)...

Last new co.car I had was supplied from a dealer in North Yorkshire when I was working in Hertfordshire...

searchlight123

i used to see locally on an old hatchback car B1LKO and as a Phil Silvers fan I used to always chuckle. Sure it was worth many times more than the car it was on.