Numberplates - Age related. Thoughts?
Discussion
What do you think of Age Related numberplates?
Let's not get confused with say M1, being on a Morris Minor, then sold for huge sums. But a numberplate like 123MMM being sold off and replaced by the 'new' age - related numberplate of 789 XUY.
Does it bother potential buyers?
I find it odd to have a ream of paperwork for a certain car with the plate 123MM up to 2012, then a new plate to go on the car 789XUY.
Thoughts?
(Numberplates are made up btw)
Let's not get confused with say M1, being on a Morris Minor, then sold for huge sums. But a numberplate like 123MMM being sold off and replaced by the 'new' age - related numberplate of 789 XUY.
Does it bother potential buyers?
I find it odd to have a ream of paperwork for a certain car with the plate 123MM up to 2012, then a new plate to go on the car 789XUY.
Thoughts?
(Numberplates are made up btw)
For me an age related number devalues the car - the XSU 123, XSV 123, AFF 123 stand out as unoriginal/import, unless it was something rare enough that I was unlikely to see another one I wouldn't buy a vehicle with a number like that.
But to the general public (and the people who select vehicles for TV period drama, one of my pet hates!) it makes no difference at all.
But to the general public (and the people who select vehicles for TV period drama, one of my pet hates!) it makes no difference at all.
No doubt that these plates devalue the car. Wouldn't stop me buying but I would expect to pay less. Indeed my own 100e has an age related number, which used to annoy me at first, but hey it's only an index so why worry.
Problem is that most of the numbers are so naff. If they were local to the area of original issue it would be something but apparently there are most unallocated numbers in areas where there were originally fewest cars so perhaps there is some logic.
Transferring numbers does get a bad press in the classic car movement but I am not that precious about it. I can think of several incidences of cars which have donated their numbers to finance their own restoration. Since the car needs to be roadworthy to 'donate' it does at least give the poor thing a start for a future.
Problem is that most of the numbers are so naff. If they were local to the area of original issue it would be something but apparently there are most unallocated numbers in areas where there were originally fewest cars so perhaps there is some logic.
Transferring numbers does get a bad press in the classic car movement but I am not that precious about it. I can think of several incidences of cars which have donated their numbers to finance their own restoration. Since the car needs to be roadworthy to 'donate' it does at least give the poor thing a start for a future.
Depends a lot on the car I think. If its not something of significant value or its without lots of history then why not?
I was lucky - my original 1959 plate was dateless but nothing special, with all different letters and numbers and didn't "spell" anything, so I flogged it.
The DVLA's replacement was much better, with two "1"s in it!
Nice little earner which offset the restoration by a significant margin.
I was lucky - my original 1959 plate was dateless but nothing special, with all different letters and numbers and didn't "spell" anything, so I flogged it.
The DVLA's replacement was much better, with two "1"s in it!
Nice little earner which offset the restoration by a significant margin.
If the car had major historical importance then it's nice to see ths car and no. stay together. Unfortunately a lot of the historic nos. are attached to entirely different/unoriginal/recreations etc.
If it's not a historically important car then it makes no odds to me as far as the value is concerned, having said that I wouldn't sell the plate on my Austin but that is for sentimental reasons - see, no logic here...
A black and yellow plate on an old car tho', now that should be a hanging offence... (cue reflective plates save lives etc.)
If it's not a historically important car then it makes no odds to me as far as the value is concerned, having said that I wouldn't sell the plate on my Austin but that is for sentimental reasons - see, no logic here...
A black and yellow plate on an old car tho', now that should be a hanging offence... (cue reflective plates save lives etc.)
reflective plates were put on cars a long time before they became law in 1973, a 70s car would have gone out of most dealerships with reflective plates at the time as not to do so would have made a new car look older
many 60s cars had reflective plates, I've no idea how far back as I was a young kid then
so a lot of classic owners putting b&w plates on their cars (legal or not) are not making their cars look original to the period, in fact quite the reverse
as for safety most classics owners don't have to worry as their cars don't come out if the sky slightly darkens with clouds let alone have the cars out after dark
many 60s cars had reflective plates, I've no idea how far back as I was a young kid then
so a lot of classic owners putting b&w plates on their cars (legal or not) are not making their cars look original to the period, in fact quite the reverse
as for safety most classics owners don't have to worry as their cars don't come out if the sky slightly darkens with clouds let alone have the cars out after dark
NA - my comment was tongue in cheek as I expect you guessed, you are correct in what you are saying it's just that reflective plates (by their very design) are highly visible and can "overpower" the looks of small old cars. It's particularly bad with old motorcycles.
As for old cars don't go out at night...tsk,tsk...
As for old cars don't go out at night...tsk,tsk...
john2443 said:
For me an age related number devalues the car - the XSU 123, XSV 123, AFF 123 stand out as unoriginal/import
I agree with you that the XSU/XSV/SV plates stand out a mile as robbed of original plate or reimport, I gather they are Scottish borders unissued plates. What I didn't know was that *FF*** come into this catergory. I've just bought a reimport TR4 with an FF plate and was quite pleased it did not have a scottish plate. Now I'm not so happy
. Where do FF come from??If a vehicle loses its original no. it may be issued with an age related no. from a series of nos. held by the authorities for this specific purpose. There are a set of standard prefixs and to a purist they stand out as much as something like a "Q" plate would.
So instead of a no. that identifies where in the country it was first registered, it will be immediately obvious that it has an age related no. such as XSU or similar...
Reasons could be because the plate has been sold, barn find with no documents etc.
So instead of a no. that identifies where in the country it was first registered, it will be immediately obvious that it has an age related no. such as XSU or similar...
Reasons could be because the plate has been sold, barn find with no documents etc.
spoodler said:
NA - my comment was tongue in cheek as I expect you guessed,
oh yes I knew I was being bated just didn't want to disappoint - all in good humour 
spoodler said:
you are correct in what you are saying it's just that reflective plates (by their very design) are highly visible and can "overpower" the looks of small old cars.
true but see and be seen to be safe - that's if the car goes out in anything other than sunshine (and even then)spoodler said:
It's particularly bad with old motorcycles.
from what I've heard I didn't think they all bothered with trivia like obeying laws, road tax and insurance outside of the 6 months summer use 
fourfoldroot said:
I agree with you that the XSU/XSV/SV plates stand out a mile as robbed of original plate or reimport, I gather they are Scottish borders unissued plates. What I didn't know was that *FF*** come into this catergory. I've just bought a reimport TR4 with an FF plate and was quite pleased it did not have a scottish plate. Now I'm not so happy. Where do FF come from??
The original FFnnnn series was issued in N Wales and ran all the way from 1904 to 1955. The subsequent xFFnnn numbers were issued in Bangor. The fact it took so long to get through the FF series suggests that not many of the xFF series would originally have been issued prior to the age prefix seris, and hence why there's probably plenty left for recent issue as date related plates.. Where do FF come from??friederich said:
The original FFnnnn series was issued in N Wales and ran all the way from 1904 to 1955. The subsequent xFFnnn numbers were issued in Bangor. The fact it took so long to get through the FF series suggests that not many of the xFF series would originally have been issued prior to the age prefix seris, and hence why there's probably plenty left for recent issue as date related plates.
Thankyou for that explanation. Mine is a WFF### plate and was issued about 20 years ago so hopefully they haven't got oodles of them left.............Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff