# Number Plate Modification



## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

Decided to give my car a 'mod' in the form of some GB Stickers that I got for the number plates - bought them and will stick them on next time I detail the car.

Aside from these, the only mod I have made is the sill protectors. I'm not one for modding cars normally but I thought these were a tasteful addition.

Below, a picture of how they would look once on the plates.


























2 x Legal Euro GB Badge Car Number Plate Self-adhesive Vinyl Stickers European decals: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike


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## Kiashuma (May 4, 2011)

Like the sill protectors, not a fan of the plates.


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

Make sure it's a bit warmer when you put those sill plates on as they won't bond well in the cold.


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## Clancy (Jul 21, 2013)

Get pressed plates


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

Why not just get a set of new plates with them already on?


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## Chrisr1806 (Aug 6, 2013)

Those GB stickers looks very naff IMO.

Better to buy new plates with them on if you're that bothered.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

I think number plates are generally best left as is and this is no exception, sill plates are ok mind, presume standard ones aren't metal?

Considered similar on the zed but figured i'd never see them.


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

RisingPower said:


> I think number plates are generally best left as is and this is no exception, sill plates are ok mind, presume standard ones aren't metal?
> 
> Considered similar on the zed but figured i'd never see them.


You don't get them as standard on some models, the ones in the picture appear to be OEM accessories.


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

Well the stickers arrived & I tried them on for size. They did not meet my expectations & look rather flimsy and cheap.

I've now ordered the proper GB Euro Number Plates from a specialist. This is what they should look like on the car:


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## -Jamie- (Nov 6, 2012)

Im curious as to why people bother with the horrid looking GB plates, Unless your planning on driving on the continent a lot.


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

-Jamie- said:


> Im curious as to why people bother with the horrid looking GB plates, Unless your planning on driving on the continent a lot.


I just like the look of them, plus they are slightly different to the usual 'plain' styled plates.


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## Andyg_TSi (Sep 6, 2013)

VW Golf-Fan said:


> I just like the look of them, plus they are slightly different to the usual 'plain' styled plates.


I went for the carbon 3D domed lettering style on my replacement plates.

Quite like the look of the German style pressed plates

What have you gone for?


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

Andyg_TSi said:


> I went for the carbon 3D domed lettering style on my replacement plates.
> 
> Quite like the look of the German style pressed plates
> 
> What have you gone for?


I just went for the standard EU Plates.


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## JBirchy (Oct 9, 2010)

Quite funny in that I did the exact opposite to you. My GTI arrived with the GB style plates:



I changed them as soon as possible for plain pressed plates for a much cleaner look...



All depends on what you like.


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

Very ironic indeed Birchy!

Cracking Golf btw, you enjoying the car?


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## M400BHP (Feb 18, 2015)

First thing i do if i buy a car is swap the plates to completely plain


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

^^^^are they strictly legal?


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

S63 said:


> ^^^^are they strictly legal?


Providing the font is the same as other plates & the spacing is correct then I see no reason why it shouldn't be legal.

Does it look dodgy to you?


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

VW Golf-Fan said:


> Providing the font is the same as other plates & the spacing is correct then I see no reason why it shouldn't be legal.
> 
> Does it look dodgy to you?


Probably means that they've meant to have certain details on the plates


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## Clancy (Jul 21, 2013)

S63 said:


> ^^^^are they strictly legal?


Yep :thumb:


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

I thought by law a plate must display a post code (stupid)
Without could it fail a MOT?


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## andy665 (Nov 1, 2005)

I think they have to show the British kite mark and the manufacturer of the plates, completely blank apart from the digits themselves are an MOT failure


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## Clancy (Jul 21, 2013)

S63 said:


> I thought by law a plate must display a post code (stupid)
> Without could it fail a MOT?


Not sure about the mot, but there is no law on the little postcode things at the bottom, it's not mentioned at all on the number plate laws as far as I remember when looking it up before. Remember a huge debate going on on a bike forum over it and the outcome was that it was fine

unless you've changed the letter font or size etc I doubt anyone would ever bat an eyelid at the plate


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Clancy said:


> Not sure about the mot, but there is no law on the little postcode things at the bottom, it's not mentioned at all on the number plate laws as far as I remember when looking it up before. Remember a huge debate going on on a bike forum over it and the outcome was that it was fine
> 
> unless you've changed the letter font or size etc I doubt anyone would ever bat an eyelid at the plate


BS AU 145d:1998


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## Clancy (Jul 21, 2013)

Ah yeah fair enough s 63 my bad

Must of remember wrong


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## J4KE45 (Sep 7, 2014)

Personally, I don't like 'GB' stickers. The only time I like origin stickers is going down the M5 trying to figure out where all the arctic's have come from. For me, can't beat the look of some nice clean pressed plates (region free)


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## J4KE45 (Sep 7, 2014)

S63 said:


> I thought by law a plate must display a post code (stupid)
> Without could it fail a MOT?


From what I know, this is true. I've got pressed plates from a genuine retailer. 100% road legal. They got the reg as normal, then at the bottom, very tiny font, and almost grey rather than black (hard to see) is the postcode, plate style (it's just called 'dubmeister' stupid name i know, but they look mint!) & BSAU145D.


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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

Spoony said:


> Probably means that they've meant to have certain details on the plates





Clancy said:


> Yep :thumb:





S63 said:


> I thought by law a plate must display a post code (stupid)
> Without could it fail a MOT?





Clancy said:


> Not sure about the mot, but there is no law on the little postcode things at the bottom, it's not mentioned at all on the number plate laws as far as I remember when looking it up before. Remember a huge debate going on on a bike forum over it and the outcome was that it was fine
> 
> unless you've changed the letter font or size etc I doubt anyone would ever bat an eyelid at the plate





S63 said:


> BS AU 145d:1998


No this was revoked a couple years ago when they realised it was a stupid and unworkable rule. Companies just sold 'show plates' and printed whatever they wanted including the BS code.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Bero said:


> No this was revoked a couple years ago when they realised it was a stupid and workable rule. Companies just sold 'show plates' and printed whatever they wanted including the BS code.


Interesting Bero, now is this fact or urban myth? I'm sure one our testers failed a plate for this in the last year or two.

So far I've found this, written in 2011

VOSA, the body responsible for the MOT test, have introduced new rules regarding number plate inspection at MOT time. These rules have been in existence since 2007, but VOSA will be enforcing them far more rigorously.

What are the new rules?

Registration plates must be present, secure and show the correct registration. They must also be the right colour, use the right character font and size and display only acceptable international flags or symbols. Characters must also be correctly spaced.

Features which have the effect of changing the appearance or legibility of any of the characters so that the vehicle's true identity is less easily established will also be unacceptable.

Plates fitted to vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2001 (51 reg onwards) are also required to display the British standard reference BS AU145d and the name and postcode of the plate supplier.


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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

Page 8 of here  shows the official temporary suspension, I'm just searching further now....I believe it has not been lifted.

Edit: -

Boom



> The references in the following table list the specific Reasons for Rejection which are now
> obsolete and will remain unavailable for selection:
> 
> A registration plate obviously not displaying a BSAU 145d marking
> ...


I was starting to doubt myself as I could not find this. BSAU 145d has not been required to be printed on plates for 8 years, there is still a lot of misinformation out there though :thumb:


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Yep, just been reading it myself and indeed there is no longer any requirement for the "small print".........who could have believed common sense prevailing!


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## VW Golf-Fan (Aug 3, 2010)

Update:

These are the proper GB Euro plates which I bought as I felt that the stickers looked a tad tacky & cheap.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

Looks much better.


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