snartzz

Hellow everyone,
This is my first post, but I have been lurking around here for
a few weeks. I must say, I've learned qutie a bit about my
car just reading all the things that come thru here...thanks.
But I do have a question...
I bought a '97 pearl white SC400 (85,000 miles) a few weeks
ago, and in my state,Ohio, we're required to display a front
license plate. I hate to ruin the look of the front end with that
ugly plate, and I don't really see any place to mount a holder.
Any ideas, or expirence?
I'd say the hell with it, but my wife is all upset ;>) because my
son got a ticket for not having the front plate on his '01 Cellica GT.

Brad,
Cleveland, Ohio

mikeloc24

I just got a parking ticket for not having a front plate here in LA. These suckas really have nothing better to do I guess. My car was PARKED on a residential street for goodness sake! and they still ticketed me for no front plate

I spoke to a friend who works for the city and he said to put the plate behind the front windshield on the dashboard. It's still technically displayed on the front of the vehicle and you don't have to drill any silly holes in your bumper to do it.

Women freaking out over silly things is the reason why I'm not married, well that AND other things too I guess

SC & LS 40

Check your state laws’; placing the plate in the windshield is not legal in some places.

I had to add a front plate to my SC. Buy the bracket from the dealer (I think it is less than $50.00, it comes with all the fasteners you will need). On the bottom of the bracket there are two small dimples that fit in to two small recessions on the underside of the top opening of your grill. Hold the bracket in the center, line up the dimples with the recessions and mark the bolt holes. Drill out the bumper cover to reveal the nuts for the bracket bolts.

PERRYinLA

Hi Mike! I knew West Hollywood has been giving out those kinda tix for years (I got one, too). I didn't know LA has joined in, but as cities implement those red-light cameras at intersections, they instruct their meter maids to issue tix for missing plates in parked cars, too. That's an income source they've left on the table for years and it was only a matter of time before they've smartened up.

Brad- If you have been lurking that long, you've seen my other posts where I showed pics of my front plate bracket, which goes into inner holes that are already in the top side of the air intake slot. I don't use the brackets too often, though- I like the look of my car without it, too. The fines are not too big (so far), so I just pay them and consider it the price I pay for a cleaner look.

mikeloc24

Perry! What's the haps man? Long time no talk to! Yeah, I've been over there for about 2 weeks now and already have gotten 2 silly parking tickets. One because I was parked in a street sweeping area 10 minutes over the allowed time and then the meter maid decided to stick it to me again by giving me a totally separate "no front plate" ticket. I got one of those a while ago near USC and the cops told me all about the damn intersection cameras they're setting up all over the place. Now they're even targetting my car when it's parked! But it's like you said, untapped money by the city. I just pay the ticket, curse them to hell, and move on. Check the laws to be sure but that's what I was told, my problem is that I've never had a front plate. The dealer never gave me one and I never cared to go and get one...oh well...

Perry hit me up one of these days since now I'm only 10 minutes from you! (Olympic and Highand). I have some new goodies to show you

MrJohnTan

I used to be a service advisor for a Lexus dealer in San Diego and we used to install customer's front license plates for goodwil (free). I would check your local dealer and see if they could do that for you.

Twirl

im with him

0l33l

iTrader: (3)

I'll be in the same boat as you guys. Right now I don't have any plates displayed because I still haven't payed registration fees because the previous owner payed them, and the DMV wouldn't let me pay in advance (WTF???). So i'm like why the f*** am I gonna put them on if I'm gonna have to take them off, and I have one of those small papers on the rear windshield from the dealer. I have the plates from the previous owner with a nov 2004 sticker in my pass side bag (or whatever you call the thing behind the front seats).

Perry, where do you live in WH? I'm on clinton and flores

silversprucesc3

have the dealer do it for you...
Ct. has also been enforcing this law... I prefer the look without it but don't like paying tickets..lol

PERRYinLA

In 1998 and 2002 I got no-front-plate tickets in West Hollywood. The fine on the citation is $31, but if you attach your front plate and go to the sheriff's station to get it verified, the fine is only $10 ( I then remove the plate when I go home).

The fines may have gone up and your mileage may vary, but for 7+ years I've driven around L.A. without a front plate for only $20.

0l33l (how is that pronouced?), I live near Beverly and Robertson. I'm actually in LA, but adjacent to Bev Hills and WeHo. Other CL members have noted that our cars are rare on the road, but I'll bet you and Mike have noticed they remain pretty common in our part of town!

kylesc400

my state requires a front plate, but ive had my sc for over 2 years and its never seen one; never been ticketed for a lack of a front plate, even when i was pulled for almost 'arrest me' speeds one time. i guess it depends partially on how much the cops around yu care

snartzz

Thanks for all the responces....and comiseration.
When a car is as beautiful as an SC, you just hate
to ruin the lines by sticking some ugly add-on
to the front end. But since I'm not the only famliy
member that will ever drive the car, it looks like I'll
be putting the plate on.
But, bullheaded as I am, I'm going to see if I can
come up with another way to mount the plate holder
before calling the local dealership for the "right-out-
on -the nose" factory plate mount.
I'd like to see it off to one side, and down lower,
so it wouldn't be the leading edge of the car.
If I come up with anything good, I'll let you know.
Thanks again, and I'm sure I'll be back with more
brain picking questions for you expirenced owners.

Brad

adidosc

<phew> i'm so glad i don't live in a state that requires front plates! can't stand the way it looks and i refuse to ever put one on the front of any of my cars... ever.

snartzz, i hope you can find a solution to your problem! i would take a look in the SC gallery too while you're at it, you just may get some interesting ideas as to placement of the license plate.

MeehSoFly

same hea!! I hate front license plate. luckily we don't have front license plate either..they're ugly and makes
you car look uglee too. we don't even have inspection. at least that's one good thing about my state..hehe

jcm3

I never put a front plate on and last week i got a $50 ticket for improper positioning of plate (Plate was in my front window). I paid the ticket but refuse to put a front plate on the bumper.