No drill front plate? (non-tow hook)

I don't know what state you live in, but I have one of these on my GTI and will get another when I eventually buy an EV. California only, as far as I know.

https://licenseplatewrap.com

 

Since I was putting on my new plates, I thought I'd share how the front plate holder is mounted. It appears to be two screws through the plastic nose piece. Since my state has always required front plates, every car comes with a front holder from the dealer.

 

I got this it works great https://eosplates.com/collections/mini-cooper-tow-hook-license-plate-mount-bracket-holder/products/2022-up-mini-cooper-mini-cooper-f55-f56-f57-mk3-tow-hook-license-plate-mount-bracket?variant=43337227042965

 

I posted this somewhere else before. I think it was on Planet 9. Someone had a vibration at certain speeds. Tires were balanced, wheels were aligned, struts were changed etc. etc. Still vibrates. Turns out the vibration disappeared the day he removed the tow hook license plate frame for whatever reason. Put it back on, vibration came back.

Rare? yes. Very rare? probably. But keep it in mind if you do have a vibration. Like the pros say, start with the last thing done and work backwards.

 

oops. see now the non tow hook....but to respond I have had mine a few months and no issues. I did use a shorter mounting screw with loctite (blue). My link doesnt reflect this, but at the time it had a specific part number for the SE.

 

Are you saying you apply loctite to the screw that threads into the tow hook hole? Would that cause potential issue when you need to remove it in the case you actually need to install the tow hook for towing?

 

My state also requires front plate and I've never had the front bumper drilled and pre-installed with such plate holder. Instead I've always use took hook plate holders or grille holders on all my vehicles. I do however need to tell the dealership not to drill and install the typical holder.

 

My state also requires front plates. When I bought my first Mini (in 2003), the dealer did not install the front plate. I assumed that, if I was stopped, I could just say "the dealer didn't do it, I'll do it now". I drove that car like that for 10 years and never was stopped (maybe since I had stripes the same width as the plates from the front bumper to the back pumper). When I picked up my 2013 Mini, the dealer asked if I wanted the front plate installed. I figured ten years was pushing the limit, so I've had front plates on my Minis since then.

 

My experience with Loctite is it holds the screw in place better, but isn't like a glue. You just twist a little harder for release than you would normally need to.

 

There are different varieties of Loctites...this is blue which isnt that permanent

https://www.loctiteproducts.com/en/know-how/build-things/threadlocker-red-or-blue-which-ones-right-for-you.html#:~:text=Loctite%20threadlockers%20are%20primarily%20designed,is%20a%20more%20permanent%20fix.

 

Strong magnets on the plate holder, some steel glued to the back of the bumper?

 

Yes. I have actually done this on my Audi with a bunch of rare earth magnets. They are extremely strong .

 

I agree on the idea of magnets glued to the back of the bumper, I did that on our Land Rover.

 

Not to be critical of the magnets, but isn't gluing magnets to a bumper altering it like drilling does? If the bumper is not metal the holes aren't going to cause rust, so holes versus glued-on magnets seem about equal to me.

 

You don't attach the magnets on the front of the bumper. You attach them on the back of the bumper or grille depending on the make/model of the vehicle. In addition, there are many ways to attach the magnets without using glue.

Holes on the body parts (bumper or grilles) are permanently altered as part of the body parts had been removed by drilling. Attaching magnets to the back of the body parts does not alter the body parts at all as there's zero amount of the body parts was removed. Plus you don't see the magnets in the back of the body parts.

 

Yes of course the magnets go behind it. But it's still being altered. I guess what you're saying is you don't want to mar the front of the bumper, which is legitimate. But as someone who lives in a state that requires a front plate that will always be there the holes don't bother me since the plate will cover them. And if the front plate holder is ever removed just put screws with nice heads in the holes.

 

No it's not altered in a sense that the part is no longer complete. Once you remove the magnets, the part becomes 100% original. Drilling on the other hand is alteration as part of the bumper is gone and if you plug or fill the holes, the bumper is no longer original as some of the original part is gone forever.

It's one thing that the drilled holes not bothering you, it's another thing to equate drilling holes to attaching magnets to the back. Drilling holes is permanent alteration, attaching magnets to the back is not.

 

But if the plate is over the bumper and you never see it, then what does it matter?