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Personal Number Plate question
Comments
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its often the case here too. Quite handy not having people know what your car has got under the bonnet.Iceweasel said:
With BMWs in Germany it's the exact opposite - they want to hide the fact they have a top of the range model.Car_54 said:
In my experience it's because they want to disguise the fact they've got the poverty-spec bottom-of-the-range model. In reality it merely draws attention to the fact.motorguy said:ontheroad1970 said:
I love X5 owners who have the car de-badged to take off the brand and model and then take a private number plate saying X5 xxx (facepalm)Car_54 said:
A neighbour has one of those - an Audi A6, reg A6xxx.Mr.Generous said:CliveOfIndia said:
- if you're banking on selling the old plate to fund the new one, can you really afford to spend that money on what is nothing more than a useless trinket?There are the model specific ones, like if I had a Ferarri F40 with the reg F40 (I can but dream - some chance)
The problem is that when the car dies, and Audi has stopped making them, the value will plummet.
And anyone who removes the rear model badge on a car generally does so because they either prefer the "cleaner" look at the rear or hate washing or polishing round the badges.
Wife had an A45 Mercedes, debadged. Nigh on 400BHP but looked like an A180 AMG Line. Caught quite a few people unawares.1 -
I did it on my BMW 335 for the reason you said, people assume its a 320d and as you say it catches a few people unawares, fun at the lights when you're up against a 'souped up' VW Polo driven by a teenagermotorguy said:
its often the case here too. Quite handy not having people know what your car has got under the bonnet.Iceweasel said:
With BMWs in Germany it's the exact opposite - they want to hide the fact they have a top of the range model.Car_54 said:
In my experience it's because they want to disguise the fact they've got the poverty-spec bottom-of-the-range model. In reality it merely draws attention to the fact.motorguy said:ontheroad1970 said:
I love X5 owners who have the car de-badged to take off the brand and model and then take a private number plate saying X5 xxx (facepalm)Car_54 said:
A neighbour has one of those - an Audi A6, reg A6xxx.Mr.Generous said:CliveOfIndia said:
- if you're banking on selling the old plate to fund the new one, can you really afford to spend that money on what is nothing more than a useless trinket?There are the model specific ones, like if I had a Ferarri F40 with the reg F40 (I can but dream - some chance)
The problem is that when the car dies, and Audi has stopped making them, the value will plummet.
And anyone who removes the rear model badge on a car generally does so because they either prefer the "cleaner" look at the rear or hate washing or polishing round the badges.
Wife had an A45 Mercedes, debadged. Nigh on 400BHP but looked like an A180 AMG Line. Caught quite a few people unawares.
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Not making it up - ok the BMW badge is a big blue and white circle and remains but I have seen the model being removed and X5 XXX as reg on more than one occasionmotorguy said:
Now, you're just making that up arent you?ontheroad1970 said:
I love X5 owners who have the car de-badged to take off the brand and model and then take a private number plate saying X5 xxx (facepalm)Car_54 said:
A neighbour has one of those - an Audi A6, reg A6xxx.Mr.Generous said:CliveOfIndia said:
- if you're banking on selling the old plate to fund the new one, can you really afford to spend that money on what is nothing more than a useless trinket?There are the model specific ones, like if I had a Ferarri F40 with the reg F40 (I can but dream - some chance)
The problem is that when the car dies, and Audi has stopped making them, the value will plummet.
It would be incredibly difficult to remove the brand "BMW" from the rear of an X5 because the roundel is built in to the boot lid opening mechanism.
And anyone who removes the rear model badge on a car generally does so because they either prefer the "cleaner" look at the rear or hate washing or polishing round the badges.0 -
It's an option when ordering whether to have model designation or not.ontheroad1970 said:
Not making it up - ok the BMW badge is a big blue and white circle and remains but I have seen the model being removed and X5 XXX as reg on more than one occasionmotorguy said:
Now, you're just making that up arent you?ontheroad1970 said:
I love X5 owners who have the car de-badged to take off the brand and model and then take a private number plate saying X5 xxx (facepalm)Car_54 said:
A neighbour has one of those - an Audi A6, reg A6xxx.Mr.Generous said:CliveOfIndia said:
- if you're banking on selling the old plate to fund the new one, can you really afford to spend that money on what is nothing more than a useless trinket?There are the model specific ones, like if I had a Ferarri F40 with the reg F40 (I can but dream - some chance)
The problem is that when the car dies, and Audi has stopped making them, the value will plummet.
It would be incredibly difficult to remove the brand "BMW" from the rear of an X5 because the roundel is built in to the boot lid opening mechanism.
And anyone who removes the rear model badge on a car generally does so because they either prefer the "cleaner" look at the rear or hate washing or polishing round the badges.
The letters and/or numbers might never have been fitted at the factory.
But if you want to remove BMW badges the easiest and no damage way is to use fishing line.1 -
Then for no sinister or bizarre reason other than they perhaps prefer the "clean" look of no model designation or dont want to wash / polish round it.ontheroad1970 said:
Not making it up - ok the BMW badge is a big blue and white circle and remains but I have seen the model being removed and X5 XXX as reg on more than one occasionmotorguy said:
Now, you're just making that up arent you?ontheroad1970 said:
I love X5 owners who have the car de-badged to take off the brand and model and then take a private number plate saying X5 xxx (facepalm)Car_54 said:
A neighbour has one of those - an Audi A6, reg A6xxx.Mr.Generous said:CliveOfIndia said:
- if you're banking on selling the old plate to fund the new one, can you really afford to spend that money on what is nothing more than a useless trinket?There are the model specific ones, like if I had a Ferarri F40 with the reg F40 (I can but dream - some chance)
The problem is that when the car dies, and Audi has stopped making them, the value will plummet.
It would be incredibly difficult to remove the brand "BMW" from the rear of an X5 because the roundel is built in to the boot lid opening mechanism.
And anyone who removes the rear model badge on a car generally does so because they either prefer the "cleaner" look at the rear or hate washing or polishing round the badges.
Quite a lot of projectioning going on on this thread.....1 -
How about this one?

Mr Generous - Landlord for more than 10 years. Generous? - Possibly but sarcastic more likely.1 -
Mr.Generous said:How about this one?
Amusing, but most definitely a faked picture. Firstly, I'm pretty sure the NHS would have a hard time justifying the expense of a private plate. Secondly, illegal numberplate spacing on a government-owned vehicle? I think not.
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That plates on a Mercedes E - MOT expired Jan 31st 20240
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Sign says Approved NHS supplier, so they could be sub-contractors?CliveOfIndia said:Mr.Generous said:How about this one?
Amusing, but most definitely a faked picture. Firstly, I'm pretty sure the NHS would have a hard time justifying the expense of a private plate. Secondly, illegal numberplate spacing on a government-owned vehicle? I think not.0 -
Car_54 said:
In my experience it's because they want to disguise the fact they've got the poverty-spec bottom-of-the-range model. In reality it merely draws attention to the fact.motorguy said:ontheroad1970 said:
I love X5 owners who have the car de-badged to take off the brand and model and then take a private number plate saying X5 xxx (facepalm)Car_54 said:
A neighbour has one of those - an Audi A6, reg A6xxx.Mr.Generous said:CliveOfIndia said:
- if you're banking on selling the old plate to fund the new one, can you really afford to spend that money on what is nothing more than a useless trinket?There are the model specific ones, like if I had a Ferarri F40 with the reg F40 (I can but dream - some chance)
The problem is that when the car dies, and Audi has stopped making them, the value will plummet.
And anyone who removes the rear model badge on a car generally does so because they either prefer the "cleaner" look at the rear or hate washing or polishing round the badges.
I saw a BMW recently with an M-sport badge on the back, except it was upside down so was more of a "W" than an "M". Not sure what the actual spec of the car was.
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