Why No Private Plates in Europe.....?

[Bemmer]

Am i right in saying that they do not have Private Plates in Europe....? Surely as we are in the EU in these difficult times you would think the various Governments would be jumping on the band wagon and selling off Private Plates to fill their coffers....! Well every little helps....

[thinfourth2]

Less vain image obsessed tossers?

[Risotto]

Perhaps they don't have enough vain, self-aggrandising citizens to make such schemes worthwhile.

[LotusOmega375D]

In Germany you have been able to select your number for years for a modest fee (except the area code bit). However, the number has no resale value AFAIK. Also the car loses its number when you sell it, since it has to be re-licenced in the borough of its new owner.

[Garlick]

I know some of these comments are said in jest, but I like 'private' plates.

if I could afford it I'd like PG 1 or similar. I can't justify why, but I would like it.

There, I've said it

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

IIRC, in Germany you can choose the two-letter combination on the plate giving a degree of personalisation.

[christofmccracke]

In Hungary you can get personalized plates

[A2Z]

They have loads in Malta. Guy around the corner from the inlaws has "Dr No" on his M3.

Father in law bought a Pug 307 off a mate of his who was emigrating. It came with the plate "yes 307"

[Motorrad]

.......possibly because the whole thing is a giant confidence trick of 'Emperor's new clothes' proportion playing to people's sense of vanity, imagined individualism and need to show they 'have money'.

Still nice work if you can get it- having your citizens to volunteer to pay voluntary extra tax so you can identify the vehicle they are using.

I regard a government identity tag as something foisted on me- there's no way I'd pay a premium for a 'special' one.


The UK is the only country I know of where there is a commodity market for this product. When I lived in Texas I could have paid a small sum for a vanity plate but really what would be the point?

[Fartgalen]

In Sweden you can have just about any combination as long as it's available/not a reserved word like 'police'/rude, etc.
You buy the right to use it for 10 years, for about £550.

[CampDavid]

In Malta you could choose what you liked for about £300 as long as no one else had it.

We're quite rare in that the entire UK is on the same system, which is a lot of cars. We also blow more of our disposable on motors than pretty much anywhere else.

[CampDavid]

Garlick said:

I know some of these comments are said in jest, but I like 'private' plates.

if I could afford it I'd like PG 1 or similar. I can't justify why, but I would like it.

There, I've said it

964 PG is available for a mere £4400. Buy that and the correct wheels and you're done.

[deltashad]

My name is Grant, and I have a private numberplate

[Peter Griffin]

Garlick said:

I know some of these comments are said in jest, but I like 'private' plates.

if I could afford it I'd like PG 1 or similar. I can't justify why, but I would like it.

There, I've said it

I must admit I like the American system where you can have whatever you like (within reason). PG 1 would be a fortune. Surely the sensible side would kick in and think "for the cost of this plate, I could have a fairly decent car". I guess for someone people they have so much money that it doesn't matter; oh to have that luxury.

As for why no private plates in Europe, many countries don't operate a date based number plate system so there is less incentive/need to have a plate.

[versus]

i like 'cherished' plates.

some countries in europe may not have them, but other places do like America. There you can have almost anything you want, and some places you don't even to have licence plates on the front of the car (not sure about rear).

they make a car feel so much more personal.

[Garlick]

Peter Griffin said:

Garlick said:

I know some of these comments are said in jest, but I like 'private' plates.

if I could afford it I'd like PG 1 or similar. I can't justify why, but I would like it.

There, I've said it

I must admit I like the American system where you can have whatever you like (within reason). PG 1 would be a fortune. Surely the sensible side would kick in and think "for the cost of this plate, I could have a fairly decent car". I guess for someone people they have so much money that it doesn't matter; oh to have that luxury.

Absolutely right! When I say 'afford it' I mean with ease, so I would already have all the cars I desire and the plate would be just a frivolity.

This will never happen sadly, so I bought S55 PSG for £250 instead

[The Black Flash]

Motorrad said:

.......possibly because the whole thing is a giant confidence trick of 'Emperor's new clothes' proportion playing to people's sense of vanity, imagined individualism and need to show they 'have money'.

Well exactly - which is why the OP is surprised more governments haven't done it.

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

Garlick said:

... I like 'private' plates.

Assuming your middle name is Xavier (it is, isn't it?), then the DVLA await your call:

[RDMcG]

Like most of North America where I live in Canada supplies private plates for $200,any non objectionable letter/number combo and they are fully transferable. There is no resale value.

I had some interesting moments when I shipped a car to Germany for some track time. The Canadian plate read "NRDSCHLF" and I was stopped four times by the police,who just could not fathom the plate. However, there was much good humour when they realized it was legal.

Selling plates like this avoids all of the amazing gyrations people go through to approximate a word, the strange spacing and so on. It also makes for some killingly funny plates.

[nonuts]

Garlick said:

There, I've said it

Me too, if they're good, I really want something like F599 BEN and the car to go with it, just need to save a few more pennies and get a proper car and the plate to go with it.