# How Many people remove number plates to detail?



## Brigham1806 (Apr 1, 2011)

Ive seen a large number of detailers and enthusiasts, peeping cars which number plates still attached to the car?

it's a personal pet hate of mine, i always remove them as i feel all the car should be clean...


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

yeah ive taken off alsorts of stuff thats easy to do , bumpers , mirrors , side strips , carpets etc


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## Summit Detailing (Oct 9, 2006)

Yes - if the Detail includes any form of machine polishing:buffer:
No - if it's a Protection type Detail

:wave:


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## ryan l (Apr 2, 2013)

yes even when i give a car a quick wash my neighbours think im crazy lol


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## R14CKE (Aug 10, 2012)

I can't now as iv got them anti theft screws the police fitted while the mrs was at the supermarket cos she thought i would of done it lol


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## ryan l (Apr 2, 2013)

you can easily get them anti theft screws off with a normal screw driver it just takes a bit more time.


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## clap (Aug 26, 2013)

Took them off for the first time yesterday. Why have I not done this before? Car looks much cleaner now. I'm learning its the little things that make all the difference.


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## The Beer Hunter (Aug 11, 2013)

Yes, it's a 'must' :thumb:


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## Big Buffer (Jan 1, 2011)

It saves on editing out tbe reg on pics also.
I have some plates with my user name on ive never used yet as well


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

The Beer Hunter said:


> Yes, it's a 'must' :thumb:


This your Golf mate?


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Hmmmm - I have done this in the past but havent done this recently. I agree that it satisfies the OCD side of me but I had to get new plates with sticky pads as the screw heads on the plates were really annoying me. Now they're too much hassle to remove each time - although if I'm doing a serious detail off they come.

Am I weird?

Cooks


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## Turkleton (Apr 18, 2010)

Of course! Looks so much better too


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## Elliot_C (Jun 22, 2012)

Used too but not at the moment as they are difficult to get out the surrounds


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## Banham49 (Aug 27, 2013)

My front one is held on by magnets so its easy to remove. I dont remove the back just work round it


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## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Yup not been done properly otherwise, only on a full detail, weekly wash simply wash over them hoping the EXO behind has helped keep the dirt away


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## Jdudley90 (Mar 13, 2011)

For a full detail yes, weekly wash no. I don't know which one I pick?


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## jenks (Apr 20, 2009)

Not me. Private plate so no screw heads on show. Sticky pads used so no chance of removing each time.


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## The Beer Hunter (Aug 11, 2013)

VW Golf-Fan said:


> This your Golf mate?


Yes sir'


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## StephGTi (Nov 10, 2011)

If it's only a routine wash then no but if I'm spending all day on the car then yes  So satisfying finding out what's lurking underneath them lol


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## Brigham1806 (Apr 1, 2011)

The response is just as i thought, it is surprising how many people take it that one step further and others who don't. Of course not everyone removes the number plates on every wash, but on a big detail you want the very best. 

very surprising seeing a number of detailers posting during pictures on social media with plates still on...


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## J1ODY A (Nov 28, 2008)

Yes, & then I always think how much better the frontend looks without it, & how can I relocate it somewhere better before just putting it back where it was


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

I don't charge enough to mess around with plates lol. 

On a serious note, it can be more hassle than it's worth. Some people don't have the correct screws on. Those plastic cap things often break/snap the top off. Many plates are on plints which require bumper off to get to. A lot of plates are stuck on with double sides foam pads. 

Of course, it would depend on what car it was and what the customer was paying and expecting. I'd be happy to remove them but most of the customers I deal with are happy to see tyres dressed.


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## Astro (Dec 4, 2005)

I often take the grill off my Wrangler so I can clean behind it. 
Have to say its real easy just five pull type connectors, take about two mins.


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## BRUNBERG (Oct 21, 2010)

Summit Detailing said:


> Yes - if the Detail includes any form of machine polishing:buffer:
> No - if it's a Protection type Detail
> 
> :wave:


This for me


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## charlie0500 (Sep 5, 2013)

*removing number plates*

Hi I started removing my number plates after once finding rusting swarfe behind a number plate on a Honda civic I owned because someone could not be bothered lining the number plate up with the pre drilled holes and drilled new holes through the new number plate into the boot lid

hope this helps :newbie: charlie0500


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## piston_warrior (Jul 25, 2012)

I have pressed plates stuck on with foam pads so that's a no from me.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Number plates, and periodically the rear lights. Bugger taking the front ones off, that requires bumper removal.


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

its simple really if you take them off you are detailing the car, if you leave them on you are just valeting it.

Detailing is cleaning the car to the minutest detail....including arches, engine bay, floorpan...every nook an cranny.

If you are giving the car a quick wash and hose off that is exactly that a quick wash not a detail!


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## JMorty (Apr 25, 2011)

I would if it's the fist time I've touched the car. Don't need to every time really. Makes it easy to hide the number plate in pics


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## B0DSKI (Nov 25, 2011)

On my own car/van no, but if somebody is paying then always yes


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## bazz (May 15, 2007)

i have removed the plates once just to wax behind but now just leave them on its my car and my mums


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## SteveyG (Apr 1, 2007)

Not unless there are proper threaded inserts for the screws or magnetic plates. Anything else is asking for trouble.


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

PugIain said:


> Number plates, and periodically the rear lights. Bugger taking the front ones off, that requires bumper removal.


not a bit excessive though?


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

SteveyG said:


> Not unless there are proper threaded inserts for the screws or magnetic plates. Anything else is asking for trouble.


With you on this Steve, suprising how many plates are just screwed in to plastic bumpers. It is so easy to make the hole on these too wide needing larger screws or something.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

bidderman1969 said:


> not a bit excessive though?


Nooo course not.

I took the rear bumper off my 406 due to damage that I was repairing (also rear wheels, arch liners, rear lights)
At the time my mate turned up I just told him I was stripping it down to clean it. I'm sure he thought I was mental.


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## -Raven- (Aug 26, 2010)

Yes! You can't detail a car properly with the plates still on. 

It also saves a lot of time blurring out the plates in the pictures later!


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

I'd never remove my plate, anyone who does needs their head checking tbh


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## JMorty (Apr 25, 2011)

Ha, nice. Looks great de-plated.


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## beko1987 (Jul 25, 2010)

I always do it when I girst buy a car, or if doing a clean for someone else and it's easy to do.

It gets a coat of whatever goes on the rest of the car, then put back on. Don't generally take them off again unless I'm really bored!


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## keejoonc (Nov 13, 2013)

Im too lazy to do that


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## devonutopia (May 29, 2006)

I thought you meant in the photos taken during.  I will ask if people want plates removing/blanking off before hosting photos. If anyone doesn't care, I don't bother. It's usually the high end car owners that do like to have them removed. The biggest challenge is finding the right colour match to paint them out in MS Paint


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## Paintguy (Oct 31, 2005)

Taking this further - how far would you guys go in removing stuff?

I assume taking wheels off to do a proper job of the inner arches is fairly commonplace, but what about removing things like washer jets, door handles and mirrors for better access when machine polishing? Removing side mouldings and the like to get the years of accumulated dirt out from behind them? Seats to get full access to the carpets? That kind of thing.


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## JMorty (Apr 25, 2011)

Paintguy said:


> Taking this further - how far would you guys go in removing stuff?
> 
> I assume taking wheels off to do a proper job of the inner arches is fairly commonplace, but what about removing things like washer jets, door handles and mirrors for better access when machine polishing? Removing side mouldings and the like to get the years of accumulated dirt out from behind them? Seats to get full access to the carpets? That kind of thing.


Seen a done some of that. Taken arc liners off before to clean the actual arch. MagpieV6 with the Clio V6 has been known to take a bumper off to polish a back box. Ha :thumb:


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## 66Cobra (May 27, 2012)

Paintguy said:


> Taking this further - how far would you guys go in removing stuff?
> 
> I assume taking wheels off to do a proper job of the inner arches is fairly commonplace, but what about removing things like washer jets, door handles and mirrors for better access when machine polishing? Removing side mouldings and the like to get the years of accumulated dirt out from behind them? Seats to get full access to the carpets? That kind of thing.


Next it will be the windscreen to do a proper job...


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## Alex L (Oct 25, 2005)

Yep, every time I wash the car. Just saves drips and water marks.

On my Legacy though I'd ideally remove half the car to stop the drips


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## -Raven- (Aug 26, 2010)

Paintguy said:


> Taking this further - how far would you guys go in removing stuff?
> 
> I assume taking wheels off to do a proper job of the inner arches is fairly commonplace, but what about removing things like washer jets, door handles and mirrors for better access when machine polishing? Removing side mouldings and the like to get the years of accumulated dirt out from behind them? Seats to get full access to the carpets? That kind of thing.


Have a look at some of Rui's detail threads in the International section. :thumb:


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

I often take bits out or off to detail. Especially when doing engine bays. 

Again though it all depends on what I'm being paid to do. If I'm doing an enhancement ( what most of my customers want) then I don't take the wheels off. For a full detail or wheel package the wheels come off.

I do give arches a good APC and tar/ fall out with the wheels on regardless though. Angled adapter for my PW really helps get rid of the dirt.


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## Brigham1806 (Apr 1, 2011)

The response to this thread has certainly surprised me on where people cut corners.

I don't always take my number plate off when washing as this can be a pain. But when polishing etc.. I do. 

Thanks for all your responses.


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