Got new plates

N

nate010753

New member
I have just recieved my new plates in the mail. I was just wondering if there is any advantage to allpying a sealant ( I have BF) to them before I put them on? I hate the fact that the plates are white and tend to show dirt more. I have used clear lenses over the plates before but police have given me tickets for that. ( but not ofr the 15% window tint go figure???). Anyways I was also thinking of Saran wrapping them but that would just get torn off in weeks. I was just wondering if anyone does anything special to them while they are new to help keep that new look?
 
I just wax my plate when I wax the rest of my car...yes, plate as in singular. I'm supposed to have two, but a front one messed up the look of the front of the car, and since the police don't seem to enforce 'no front plate', I just have the one in the rear.



Even my Dad, Mr. follow-the-rules himself wouldn't allow the dealer to drill his bumper on his new ES300 to mount the front license plate holder, especially in light of the fact my brothers and I have driven 10 years plus without front plates and no tickets. ;)
 
I only wish I have thought to ask the dealer not to drill the front bumper :mad: :mad:

but it didn't cross my mind at the time. Its been bugging me for some time now and I was thinking of plugging the holes but I doubt that would look any good. In the mean time I just try to keep the plate looking clean. Thanks
 
dengsxr- I treat my plate/plates the same as the paint. A healthy layer of sealant and/or wax can keep the impacting bugs from causing so much damage in the warmer weather and can help with corrosion, etc. now in the winter. Might also help keep the white plates from yellowing. BFII is working fine on the plate of the car that has BFII on it.



Additional tip: get some self-adhesive rubber/silicone bumpers (available in different sizes and thicknesses) from the local DIY place. Put 'em on the back of the plate. They'll keep the plate away from the surface of your paint and make it easier to wash (or at least rinse) behind it. Won't work on every car/application, but worth looking into.
 
I just put a couple layers of wax on just like the rest of the car... but I also keep the plastic cover on it... never had a problem except the one time I forgot to remove the ice/snow from it and a cop just gave me a warning.
 
I put a coat of whatever is going on the paint, onto the plate. Right now that's Zaino. Also, like Accumulator's suggestion, I put some bumpers on the backside of the license plate. Keeps it from smacking the paint (and sounding like a cymbal) everytime the hatch is closed.:xyxthumbs
 
I have one of those factory plate mounting brackets that sit right on my front bumper. I am not sure how it is held on I would image screws I have to look at it when I get home. So the plate is not sitting right on the bumper it is on a mouting bracket. I am just aggrevated :angry that I didn't think about not having them add that on. In my opinion I think cars look sooo much better without front plates!
 
I bought a plate protector from Auto Sport. It is comprised of a powder coated metal frame, a lexon plastic cover and a rubber gasket to seal the lexon cover to the plate. I personally like the look of it, but I certainly appreciate the purity of not having a cover too. Oh yeah... I still Klasse'd the plate prior to putting it under the cover.





For a picture of the plate protector:

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1314&size=big&papass=&sort=1
 
babijc- Thanks for that link!



dengsxr- Actually, like titus, I was thinking about the adhesive bumpers more for the REAR plate. All my front ones are on brackets/etc. too.



Don't feel TOO bad about not having them "front plate delete" your car. Some come with the holes from the factory anyhow. If it REALLY bugs you, you can have a bodyshop fill them in (there's durable stuff for that these days) and repaint the bumper cover IF your bumper isn't "textured". Did that to the WRX after some highway debris marred it-no more factory plate holes.



Speaking of :angry , the extra-cost plates for our MPV are corroding already! Looks as if they'd been scratched around the letters/numbers even though they'd never been. Klassed them right out of the package, wash them carefully, etc. Just a bad manufacturing job. Man they look awful!
 
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