I'm in the process of purchasing one of the few remaining 06 IS350 from the Los Angeles area and was told that the car has a front plate on it. I know that CA has a front plate law, however can the front plate and the black bracket piece be removed from the car without leaving holes, markings or any kind of damage to the front bumper?

 

No it is not.

 

You had to go all the way to California to get an IS? Are you really in Florida?

 

^ Well kinda.

I'm moving out to LA from Miami in about a week.

 

I just moved to CA - and the front plates are STUPID!!

When I got my 3M installed, they took the frton plate off - and the fn dealer tightened the backet too much and put more nice gashes in my bumper.

Its a damn shame they can't do something better when it comes to plate mounting.

Long live no front plates in MI!

 

There are state laws dictating how and where the plates are installed in California.

 

That's what happened to my car as well, the dealer tightened too much, that's why I just leave the bracket on and made a custom piece go over it.

 

what kinda deal can you get on an 06 right now?

 

500 over invoice

 

You shuold be able to get bellow invoice now. I got 1k over invoice a month ago.

 

I had my car purchased in Mission Viejo Lexus, and their cars don't have the bracket installed. But they would ask their customers to go back and have the license plates installed once they receive their plates.

 

Yup, if a front plate bracket is already installed, you can count on 2 holes drilled into the bumper and 2 more 'scars' caused by the screws that hold the plate to the bracket. I wish all the other SoCal Lexus dealers were as thoughtful as Mission Viejo . . .

 

no way youll get below invoice on a still hot car... at invoice is probably the most saving. no dealer will take a hit on a car they can sell no problem.

 

Agreed ...... since there isn't that much difference between the '06's and '07's, and considering the relatively low depreciation rate for Lexus in general, no sane dealer is going to flush a relatively hot car out the door at invoice when he can still sell it for a reasonable profit.

 

my car was done on a swap with a CO dealer and they had already put the plate bracket on . I took it off to see what was underneath and found the four ratty holes in the bumper . I got a tinted plastic shield for front and rear plates which makes them a bit less garish.

Even though two plates are the law here in TX I see many higher end cars (BMW's, Lexus', Infiniti's, etc) with no front plate. If you get stopped and the cop is in a bad mood you get tagged for a relatively big fine ($150 +), but that doesn't seem to stop people from not putting a front plate on.