# Fixing rear L plates on 2016 Fiesta?



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

Been teaching #1 son to drive for a few weeks and have been using SWMBOs little Fiesta - perfect..... Except its really hard to find a space to fix the magnetic L plates on the rear.

Bumper is obviously plastic so it only leaves the boot lid, and the horizontal strip above the number plate isnt magnetic either. There is a slight curve to the lid surface on both sides and coupled with the narrow width of metal (only about 2/3 of the width of the plate), it means at best, about 60% of the L plate touches magnetic surfaces. Today I lost both rear plates as we were driving 

This is what it looks like









Need a solution and creative ideas please - window is an option but its small and the L pate obscures quite a bit of it, and the heavy tint at the bottom obscures the bottom of the plate if you tuck it down, and hence makes it illegal. The plates cant be permanently stuck on either as my wife drives the car most of the time. I could de-badge the boot and have a slightly better contact surface but still concerned the damn things will blow off again - found out it's a 6pt offence if they blow off while we're driving!

Helpful suggestions appreciated please....


----------



## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

I've got magnetic ones for when i take my lad out and they've blown off the front. I've bought some heavier duty magnetic ones from Amazon which are much better, but still stick them down with a strip of blue detailing tape top and bottom. Just keep a roll in the car with the plates. Peels of easy without marking.


----------



## Mikesphotaes (Jul 24, 2016)

I would use Blu tac and tape.

Use the Blu tac around the Fiesta badge and proud of it, then tape around the rest of the plate.


----------



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

I think the blue 3M tape is exactly what I need but wndering if it can be done in white? Rules are pretty specific about the size of the visible white area, so taping over in blue is going to actually reduce the size of the plate a fair bit.... hmmm....

Strangely the front one has been fine but the rears are the issue - I think its because there is a big corner of it usually unattached.


----------



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

tried out some rare earth magnets and they seem to make quite a difference, so ordered some 25x10mm magnets that I can add to the edges - I hope that should add quite a bit of extra 'stick'.

I'll de-badge it as well for a little extra flat surface.


----------



## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

You only need a thin strip of blue tape on the actual plate to secure it, with the lion's share on the car bodywork. Half the battle is stopping air getting underneath it which is solved by the tape.


----------



## MagpieRH (May 27, 2014)

Bigpikle said:


> I think the blue 3M tape is exactly what I need but wndering if it can be done in white? Rules are pretty specific about the size of the visible white area, so taping over in blue is going to actually reduce the size of the plate a fair bit.... hmmm....
> 
> Strangely the front one has been fine but the rears are the issue - I think its because there is a big corner of it usually unattached.


Given the number of cars driving around with L plates on permanently when the learner clearly only use it occasionally, I'd say it's safe to assume as long as you're clearly displaying L plates, a few mm here or there around the edges won't draw much attention from the police.


----------



## GleemSpray (Jan 26, 2014)

Bigpikle said:


> tried out some rare earth magnets and they seem to make quite a difference, so ordered some 25x10mm magnets that I can add to the edges - I hope that should add quite a bit of extra 'stick'.
> 
> I'll de-badge it as well for a little extra flat surface.


 Don't let those rare earth magnets anywhere near mechanical watches / memory cards / smartphones. I am talking 6" away at least.

If you want rare earth magnets for free, just dismantle an old Hard Disk Drive and you will find a pair of mega-powerful crescent shaped magnets near the actuator arm.

They might seem like they are welded to the actuator arm, but that is just how powerful they are - you will need a strong screwdriver to pry them off.


----------



## Maxtor (Feb 23, 2007)

Can you not just blue tac the L plate to the inside of the rear window?:thumb:


----------



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

MagpieRH said:


> Given the number of cars driving around with L plates on permanently when the learner clearly only use it occasionally, I'd say it's safe to assume as long as you're clearly displaying L plates, a few mm here or there around the edges won't draw much attention from the police.


probably right, but given I have several police officer neighbours and live very close to the local station, I'd rather do it right :thumb:



GleemSpray said:


> Don't let those rare earth magnets anywhere near mechanical watches / memory cards / smartphones. I am talking 6" away at least.
> 
> If you want rare earth magnets for free, just dismantle an old Hard Disk Drive and you will find a pair of mega-powerful crescent shaped magnets near the actuator arm.
> 
> They might seem like they are welded to the actuator arm, but that is just how powerful they are - you will need a strong screwdriver to pry them off.


I have a selection already that I've used for various projects, so know just how strong these bad boys are! Got some good size rectangular ones so hopefully will work fine.



Maxtor said:


> Can you not just blue tac the L plate to the inside of the rear window?:thumb:


I tried, but the window is pretty small and the plate is very much in the way - and the lower few inches of the glass are black tinted so they obscure the plate. It would work but too much window would be obscured to be properly safe.

I got some 50p plates from Tesco that only have a magnetic strip top and bottom and they seem a lot stronger than the others. Out for a 2nd drive tonight and they stayed on much better after the de-badging. Lets see....

Appreciate the ideas - thanks all.


----------



## Christian6984 (Dec 20, 2007)

Maxtor said:


> Can you not just blue tac the L plate to the inside of the rear window?:thumb:


I did this on my first car. It was a Fiesta on a 2000 but it had a much bigger window. I put mine low down and towards the right as when your looking over your shoulder for reversing you don't really look that way much.

Could chop down the white parts to make it fit better possibly


----------



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

Christian6984 said:


> I did this on my first car. It was a Fiesta on a 2000 but it had a much bigger window. I put mine low down and towards the right as when your looking over your shoulder for reversing you don't really look that way much.
> 
> Could chop down the white parts to make it fit better possibly


its a 6pt offence for displaying an incorrect L plate or none at all, and that means size, colour etc. Just want to do it properly.

New 50p Tesco ones with only 2 magnetic strips seem to be staying put right now. Fingers crossed.


----------



## Christian6984 (Dec 20, 2007)

Bigpikle said:


> its a 6pt offence for displaying an incorrect L plate or none at all, and that means size, colour etc. Just want to do it properly.
> 
> New 50p Tesco ones with only 2 magnetic strips seem to be staying put right now. Fingers crossed.


Blimey, didn't realise the rules on this were so strict (can certainly see I would have broke the rules unless they were different 15 years ago). Id just go with the as suggested masking tape on the edges as a double measure if concerned, the mk7 has all sorts of angles on the boot which does look to make it a bit of a PITA, but also they are supposed to be removed when the learner isnt driving which make the sticky vinyl ones i avoided seem sort of pointless.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/l-plate-size-rules/l-plate-sizes
"The corners of the background can be rounded off"


----------

