Why do I see so many rubbish cars with very exclusive number plates?

boxosox

Yesterday I saw the reg "002 007" (which I don't even understand how it's a reg) on a really cheap, crappy Honda.  I'm assuming that number plate is really rather expensive.

I'm noticing it more and more - very exclusive number plates on very old, very cheap cars.  What's the reason for this?

YBR

Perhaps you only pay for the numberplate (registration) once, and once owned it can put it on whatever car you own.

If a family down-size their car having previously had more disposable income ... ?

droopsnoot

The plate will be OO 2007 - two letter Os, followed by 2007, that's showing on a red Honda. It's mis-spaced by someone with delusions of Bond. It doesn't come up in the DVLA auction results, which suggests it was originally issued to a vehicle and has been transferred from that to something more modern. 

Maybe they bought the plate years ago when they had a more expensive car, or maybe more bothered about the plate than the car. 

Mildly_Miffed

It costs £80 to transfer a plate from car to car.

OO 2007 (oscar oscar two zero zero seven) is an Essex-issued plate, originally issued in the very early 60s.

It's on a red 2021 hybrid Honda CR-V - probably £20k-worth - hardly "very old", "very cheap" or particularly "crappy".

Shedman

When I was about 20 (so a long long time ago 😢) I saw 'my' numberplate (ABC1 or might have been AB1... although obviously not those letters) on a tatty old Bedford van outside a house where the guy was doing some odd job work.  Oh how I regret now not asking how much he'd sell it for as it wasn't much of a thing back then. I see the **1 is now on a 2017 Land Rover Discovery.

Okell

boxosox said:

Yesterday I saw the reg "002 007" (which I don't even understand how it's a reg) on a really cheap, crappy Honda.  I'm assuming that number plate is really rather expensive.

I'm noticing it more and more - very exclusive number plates on very old, very cheap cars.  What's the reason for this?

Even if*** the car was "a really cheap, crappy Honda" I'd have thought the answer was obvious.  The plate might be worth more than the car.  Why wouldn't you keep it and use it?  I imagine any plate containing the consecutive numerals "007" could be quite valuable with a bit of judicious spacing...


*** As has been pointed out, the car might not be as "really cheap [and ] crappy" as you imagine.

photome

boxosox said:

Yesterday I saw the reg "002 007" (which I don't even understand how it's a reg) on a really cheap, crappy Honda.  I'm assuming that number plate is really rather expensive.

I'm noticing it more and more - very exclusive number plates on very old, very cheap cars.  What's the reason for this?

Does it matter ( even though it isn’t a cheap crappy Honda). 

Some people cherish cheap crappy cars ( in your words)  I have a very old , well 16 years, it’s a very nice car to drive , no personal plate though 😀

Baron_Dale

Why on earth does it worry or even concern you? Are you saying only certain people with certain cars should have them? Its personal choice. My car is nearly 8 years old and I have a personal number plate because I liked the idea of something unique. Referring to someone's car as 'cheap, crappy' comes across as rather unpleasant and entitled.

facade

They have the right to use the registration, so they can put it on any car.

If I had PEN 15  (which doesn't return a trace- I'm sure it was valid a while back) It would go straight on my crappy old car!

One I've  actually seen is BJ69 KFC which is driving around on a fiat 500, probably that it was issued to, what a mistake-a-to-make-a by the DVLA, it is definitely worth more than the car now...

born_again

Could it be that the owner can no longer drive & has to sell both car & plate?

Okell

facade said:

... If I had PEN 15  (which doesn't return a trace- I'm sure it was valid a while back) It would go straight on my crappy old car...

I believe that registration was withdrawn (oo er missus!) several years ago.

Don't know about KNO 8 though...