Front license plate on your MINI?

Discussion in 'Cooper SE' started by HappyKafka, Jul 1, 2021.

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  1. Newbs

    Newbs New Member

    I guess, but that’s not the rear quarter panel. I was planning on putting mine above the wheel well on the quarter panel. I am assuming the intent is to have the decal visible from the side of the vehicle, based on the description, so it seems like putting it above the wheel well serves that purpose. On the rear bumper it isn’t really visible from the side, right?
     
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  3. teslarati97

    teslarati97 Well-Known Member

    The bumper portion is curved so you will see maybe 20% of it from the side. If you want to really put it on the quarter panel, you might as well affix it in line with the rear brake lights.

    As for legislation the California government defers to California Highway Patrol:
    (1) For vehicles meeting ULEV, SULEV, or ZEV standards, as described in paragraph (a), the decals shall be of white material, issued to each vehicle in sets of three. The two larger decals shall be affixed on each vehicle's rear quarter panels, one on each side of the vehicle, behind the wheel wells, with the State Seal in the up position. The smaller decal in the set shall be affixed to the right side of the vehicle's rear bumper, with the State Seal in the up position.
    (2) For vehicles meeting Enhanced AT PZEV or TZEV standards, as described in paragraph (b), the decals shall be of green material, issued to each vehicle in sets of four. The two larger decals shall be affixed on each vehicle's rear quarter panels, one on each side of the vehicle, behind the wheel wells, with the State Seal in the up position. The two smaller decals in the set shall be affixed to the right sides of the vehicle's front and rear bumpers, with the State Seal in the up position.

    So even the California DMV doesn't even know the exact rules and is probably open to legal challenge. Do whatever you want!
     
  4. Tommm

    Tommm Well-Known Member

    I went the less expensive route and had a bumper sticker of my plate made. The sticker on my Cayman is 5x10. That is the standard sticker size on the makestickers.com site, and how much height I have on the bumper. I haven't measured the Mini yet. I just asked Nicole at www.makestickers.com about 5.5 x 11 and actual size which is 6x12. Here are the quotes "1x Glossy Rectangle Stickers - 11"W x 5.5"H : $11.46 + applicable tax 1x Glossy Rectangle Stickers - 12"W x 6"H : $11.73 + applicable tax." Of course check first and confirm.

    I think we can ask for them to cut the edges round like the plates. I have no affiliation with them. I'm just a satisfied customer.

    Just remember to fill the screw holes before you take the picture!

    I have to wait until the title work is done before I can get plates. I will post a picture in a few months. Here is the Cayman solution, and I think we have more vertical space so we can go closer to actual size.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2022
  5. Irish Mini

    Irish Mini New Member

    In Ireland it is against the law to drive a car without plates. When u collect a new car it must have front and rear plates on it before u leave the forecourt. Vanity plates are not allowed and u just have to put up with the plates issued to u by the licencing authority. It does save a lot of hassle and wasted money too
     
  6. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    They say talk is cheap, but I don't mind spending a little to start conversations about my cars. Many people who didn't know MINI made an electric car have asked about my ELEKTRO vanity plate.

    FYI, my first Mini was a 1968 Morris Mini Moke, IONIZER is for our Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, IGO ECO was on my gen-1 Honda Insights, HMMMM was on my 1979 Mazda RX7, I put the REALBUG plate on my 1966 VW to protest the New Beetle, and my late uncle-in-law worked for Minute Maid.

    upload_2022-7-28_1-43-44.png
     
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  8. GvilleGuy

    GvilleGuy Well-Known Member

    I don't see every post on this forum, but am not sure I've seen you post this wall of cool plates before. Love it. Good ideas for custom SE plate names, as well.
     
  9. rlozano

    rlozano Member

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  10. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    That no-hole mount looks like a great idea! Be sure to post photos of how you attached the quick-release mounting plate to your SE.
     
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  11. SameGuy

    SameGuy Well-Known Member Subscriber

    YUL
    Spendy, but looks like a great option in front plate jurisdictions. Thanks!
     
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  13. rlozano

    rlozano Member

    I did it on my previous car, so it is simple based on the instructions:

    upload_2022-7-28_10-36-41.png

    And this pic from my mini se:

    upload_2022-7-28_10-38-11.png

    so there you go as simple as that.
     
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  14. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    Thanks for the photos! I like that way better than the tow-hook option (but so happy Michigan doesn't require front plates).
     
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  15. rlozano

    rlozano Member

    I am in Texas, so I do not carry a license plate, but I just have it there just in case they start enforcing it. Still illegal not to have it.
     
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  16. Totally awesome wall of collection! Also a personalised plate adds to the identity mod of your car. Here in NZ, your personalised plate is yours for life and can be transferred to your new car.
     
  17. insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    Is it really for life? If you allow it to expire can't someone else claim it?

    In Michigan a personalized plate can be transferred to another car. However, it didn't make sense for me to transfer my MOKE plate from my Morris Mini Moke to my Mazda RX-7. I chose HMMMM for that car.

    Back then Mazda was promoting their rotary engine in a TV ad with a song that went, "piston engine goes boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, but the Mazda goes hmmmmmmm." While that was true, another one of the ad's claims didn't stand the test of time: "the rotary engine is here to stay."

    There must have been another Mini Moke owner pining for my MOKE license plate because it was snapped up shortly after I allowed it to expire and it has never since become available again (I check occassionally).
     
  18. Yup for life, unless you sell it to someone else. You change your car but not your personalised plate.

    Would love to hear the stories of each of your personalised plates, bet they are all engaging!

    Ours was chosen by the commander-in-chief, I didn’t have a say, 1st letters of our names and our bday numbers; such an engaging story, but hey that plate is ours for life.
     
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  19. Tommm

    Tommm Well-Known Member

    I was able to get "POORSH" on my 944 in NY. Too bad I couldnt keep it in CO. I dont like vanity plates on daily drivers. Too easy for someone I flipped off to recognize me. Got "O KMAN" on the Cayman as a joke. I laughed the few times someone who is standing behind the car, looking at the car with "Cayman S" in script on the hatch, and asks what the plate means.
     
  20. GetOffYourGas

    GetOffYourGas Well-Known Member

    The other solution is to not flip them off (even when they deserve it) ;)

    Road rage is too real, I keep my emotions to myself. Ok, really, I let my wife know how I feel if she is with me. But too many people have tried to run others off the road for stupid things.


    Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
     
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  21. Puppethead

    Puppethead Well-Known Member

    Rule #6
     
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  22. Tommm

    Tommm Well-Known Member

    Yeah, sure! Nancy was right. Just say no.
     
  23. LittleWoods

    LittleWoods Active Member

    I was going to go plateless on the front but decided I didn't want to stress my wife and/or daughter if they were driving and got pulled over. So I got the Sto-N-Sho bracket and installed it yesterday - took all of 5 minutes. Looks fantastic in my opinion and glad to have something that's centered but not drilled into my bumper. Being able to remove it easily whenever I want is also great. Now to wait for IL to finally remove the front plate requirement....

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