Private number plate

dipsomaniac

Best vanity plate I have seen was on a lotus at donnington - PEN15

AdrianC

AdrianC said:

So what else do you call it?

Private plate? Nope, it could not be more public if it tried.
Personal? Nope, it's on public display.
I'm open to other suggestions...

Oops, I forgot "Unique"...

poppasmurf_bewdley

dipsomaniac said:

Best vanity plate I have seen was on a lotus at donnington - PEN15

Which unfortunately does not exist.  And a friend of mine had the genuine PEN51 many years ago, but this also appears to have been withdrawn. Maybe the DVLA have got very prudish! 

Grumpy_chap

BOWFER said:

dipsomaniac said:

Isn't it mse to change your name to your reg. Rather than buy a vanity plate😀?

Aaah "vanity plate"
The cry of those annoyed they can't afford one and want to place an unpleasant trait on the owner.

I don't understand why some who have selected a registration plate from the choice available baulk at the use of the term "vanity plate".

It does seem to match the first definition of being vain, as given:

motorguy said:

Definition of vain

1: having or showing undue or excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements : CONCEITED

Selecting a registration plate and paying to do so seems no different (in most cases) to choosing a designer watch or suit - it is all about achieving whatever "good" feeling comes from enhanced appearance and is a way of portraying success / "arrived" status.  Both the designer suit and the act of selecting a registration plate are a matter of personal choice.

If certain people do not feel that "vanity plate" is the appropriate term, what term would they prefer and consider more appropriate?

dipsomaniac said:

Just justify how vanity plates save money

I can see different ways that selecting a plate can save money:

1. There is a local removal firm near us and all the vans have plates from a sequence of plates with no age-identifiers.  That way, any opinion on the quality of the business if formed upon the condition and manner in which the fleet of vehicles is maintained rather than a superficial and visual age-identifier.  As such, the vehicles can likely be older overall than might otherwise be the case and the business can be more competitive.
2. If buying a car of more premium nature which confers status in it's own right, then a plate that does not show the true age can mean that a substantial saving can be made versus brand new car.  We are talking Bentley / Rolls / Ferrari league here.
3. In another way, though not saving money, but facilitating the generation of more income (which achieves the same end result as money saving), an individual working in a consultancy business may not want to show a brand new car as it can  attract negative comments around "typical consultants overcharging" whereas the same care with a non-age identifying plate (or an older plate) might be more amenable to some customer base contacts.  So, a 5-Series with a "21" plate may be less desirable than the same 5-Series with the plate GR11MPY.

Anyway, all this talk has made my wife want to select her own plate, and I am thinking of getting a complimentary pair:

• FUR12Y 
• D1CES

born_again

Kinda amusing that people think choosing your own plate for £299 is vain, but do not blink at spending tens of thousands on their car just because its a (insert some german marque here)

motorguy

dipsomaniac said:

motorguy said:

onlyfoolsandparking said:

dipsomaniac said:

Just justify how vanity plates save money

Who said they save money? tell me and I will find them, I have a very particular set of skills.

Because Dipso thinks this site is about spending the least amount possible on anything including motoring and cant accept thats not the case borne out by the vast array of topics that come up on here and not taken down by the mods.

According to him, we're only "allowed" to talk about saving money on here.  He seems to forget that noone has yet died and made him Forum God.

Do you access this site via a different URL?

I think you must.  Heres the first page of topics in the motoring board right now.  Only a small percentage meet your criteria for money saving, yet the site itself lets them stay up.

• Private number plate
• Leasing a car whilst on probation at work
• RAC approved warranty repairs
• New car advice on a lease
• Avoid overspending at Shell petrol station
• Catalytic converter stolen. Then AA-assigned garage damaged car on pick up. Now written off.
• Ford Fiesta mileage has fallen off a cliff
• I want to know the category for automatic truck driver license
• Help me decide what car to buy.
• Update ford satnav
• Card providers to 'reserve' up to £100 for pay at pump - here's what's happening
• Warning Light?
• Driving License Renewal
• Car Finding Service
• Car Damaged by Fallen Tree in Hotel Car Park £17000 damage
• Understanding UK Pink License
• Rear brake drums, removal to check/dust out.
• Nuisance neighbours - car business in the street
• New used car has grinding brakes
• Car broke down yesterday

AND, like i said, the Motoring Board isnt even in the Money Saving Section. 

motorguy

AdrianC said:

motorguy said:

AdrianC said:

motorguy said:

If someone sticks some plate on their Audi A4 TDI that means something to them - even if its just their initials or whatever - then i dont see how thats vanity

I don't see how it's anything but.

I'm not saying people can't be vain... Of course they can, if it's what floats their boat. But why deny it? Are they embarrassed by their vanity?

They're not.  You seem obsessed by labelling it as vanity.

So what else do you call it?

Private plate? Nope, it could not be more public if it tried.
Personal? Nope, it's on public display.
I'm open to other suggestions...

At least in other countries they aren't shy of calling them what they are.

Nobbie1967 said:

dipsomaniac said:

Just justify how vanity plates save money

Maybe it allows status conscious drivers to keep their vehicle a bit longer since it is not readily apparent how old it is.

Why do you care how old somebody else's car is?

Wouldn't worrying about other people's perception of your car age also fall firmly under what we apparently must henceforth refer to as "the V-word"?

I dont think it needs you to give it a label at all actually.

Not sure why you feel a need to. 

I tend to call it - not that it ever comes up in normal conversation - a personal or private plate as its a plate personal to me, and i move it from car to car.  

motorguy

AdrianC said:

motorguy said:

AdrianC said:

motorguy said:

If someone sticks some plate on their Audi A4 TDI that means something to them - even if its just their initials or whatever - then i dont see how thats vanity

I don't see how it's anything but.

I'm not saying people can't be vain... Of course they can, if it's what floats their boat. But why deny it? Are they embarrassed by their vanity?

They're not.  You seem obsessed by labelling it as vanity.

So what else do you call it?

Private plate? Nope, it could not be more public if it tried.
Personal? Nope, it's on public display.
I'm open to other suggestions...

At least in other countries they aren't shy of calling them what they are.

Nobbie1967 said:

dipsomaniac said:

Just justify how vanity plates save money

Maybe it allows status conscious drivers to keep their vehicle a bit longer since it is not readily apparent how old it is.

Why do you care how old somebody else's car is?

Wouldn't worrying about other people's perception of your car age also fall firmly under what we apparently must henceforth refer to as "the V-word"?

I dont think he cares at all.  I think its a tongue in cheek reference to the wrong belief that people put personal plates on their cars to hide the age of them - even though you cant put a plate on a car thats newer than the car.

motorguy

poppasmurf_bewdley said:

dipsomaniac said:

Best vanity plate I have seen was on a lotus at donnington - PEN15

Which unfortunately does not exist.  And a friend of mine had the genuine PEN51 many years ago, but this also appears to have been withdrawn. Maybe the DVLA have got very prudish! 

Dont let the truth get in the way of Dipsos version of reality!

motorguy

Grumpy_chap said:

BOWFER said:

dipsomaniac said:

Isn't it mse to change your name to your reg. Rather than buy a vanity plate😀?

Aaah "vanity plate"
The cry of those annoyed they can't afford one and want to place an unpleasant trait on the owner.

I don't understand why some who have selected a registration plate from the choice available baulk at the use of the term "vanity plate".

It does seem to match the first definition of being vain, as given:

motorguy said:

Definition of vain

1: having or showing undue or excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements : CONCEITED

Selecting a registration plate and paying to do so seems no different (in most cases) to choosing a designer watch or suit - it is all about achieving whatever "good" feeling comes from enhanced appearance and is a way of portraying success / "arrived" status.  Both the designer suit and the act of selecting a registration plate are a matter of personal choice.

If certain people do not feel that "vanity plate" is the appropriate term, what term would they prefer and consider more appropriate?

dipsomaniac said:

Just justify how vanity plates save money

I can see different ways that selecting a plate can save money:

1. There is a local removal firm near us and all the vans have plates from a sequence of plates with no age-identifiers.  That way, any opinion on the quality of the business if formed upon the condition and manner in which the fleet of vehicles is maintained rather than a superficial and visual age-identifier.  As such, the vehicles can likely be older overall than might otherwise be the case and the business can be more competitive.
2. If buying a car of more premium nature which confers status in it's own right, then a plate that does not show the true age can mean that a substantial saving can be made versus brand new car.  We are talking Bentley / Rolls / Ferrari league here.
3. In another way, though not saving money, but facilitating the generation of more income (which achieves the same end result as money saving), an individual working in a consultancy business may not want to show a brand new car as it can  attract negative comments around "typical consultants overcharging" whereas the same care with a non-age identifying plate (or an older plate) might be more amenable to some customer base contacts.  So, a 5-Series with a "21" plate may be less desirable than the same 5-Series with the plate GR11MPY.

Anyway, all this talk has made my wife want to select her own plate, and I am thinking of getting a complimentary pair:

• FUR12Y 
• D1CES

The words that are important i have highlighted above.

Pride in how you look or in something you own is NOT vanity, having undue or excessive pride IS.

If someone wants to personalise their car a little so it stands out from the herd then whats the harm in that little bit of individuality?

If someone is wearing a nice watch or a nice suit how is that vanity by the way?  Taking pride in your appearance?  Is getting dressed up occasionally or having something nice to wear not a nice thing to do anymore?  Are we all that ground down by lockdowns that we've given up on making a little effort sometimes?

And the term i use - not that it ever comes up in conversation in the normal world - is personal plate.  Its personal to me.  I own it.  I take it with me from car to car.  Seems fairly logical to me?