Discussion
With my recently renewed enthusiasm for all things car and driving (see here), when I retuned the hired CLA I decided that I was going to focus on improving cosmetically the appearance of my mini-fleet of Mondeos.
You may see these cars as mundane - I suppose they are - but I like them and the white one has been mine since I was 20 (it was less than two years old at that point). The white is a Diesel, TDCi Business Edition. It's done a high mileage now (nearly 170k I think).
The silver one I bought two years ago to replace a MK3 Mondeo I'd had since I was 17. It sadly died.
Piston rings I think. I was heartbroken. See here. The silver one was alerted to me by the local family run small Ford dealer I use regularly, who has supplied it from new to an gentleman who had become elderly and gave up driving, for whatever reason, I was low mileage, it's a Titanium X so leather seats, heated seats, etc etc, and it's petrol which was more unusual at the time. I had it AA inspected and when their man phoned me with the results he said, if you don't buy it I will!
So these are my personal cars (as distinct from work stuff). I'll be looking to buy something else in a short while (likely a Mercedes A Class funnily enough) but the chances are I will keep these two because I am rather attached to them. That's how I ended up with two cars in the first place.
Anyway I digress.
I know I'll get some stick for this but I have long fancied changing the standard plates for either 3D or Gel, but could never make up my mind. Two days ago I finally decided to do it, and I went for gel. I have to say to the untrained eye that don't look all that different, I have started to wonder if I should have gone 3D! However it has certainly smartened up both cars' appearance and it also says that I give a damn about my cars and I'm not just a "white goods driver" (even though one of them is white).
Do feel free to slate me for doing this, I can take it.
What are people's thoughts on gel and 3D plates? Are they "chavvy"? Waste of time? Best suited to boy racers? Or do they add a minor touch of class to a car?
Scott
You may see these cars as mundane - I suppose they are - but I like them and the white one has been mine since I was 20 (it was less than two years old at that point). The white is a Diesel, TDCi Business Edition. It's done a high mileage now (nearly 170k I think).
The silver one I bought two years ago to replace a MK3 Mondeo I'd had since I was 17. It sadly died.
Piston rings I think. I was heartbroken. See here. The silver one was alerted to me by the local family run small Ford dealer I use regularly, who has supplied it from new to an gentleman who had become elderly and gave up driving, for whatever reason, I was low mileage, it's a Titanium X so leather seats, heated seats, etc etc, and it's petrol which was more unusual at the time. I had it AA inspected and when their man phoned me with the results he said, if you don't buy it I will!So these are my personal cars (as distinct from work stuff). I'll be looking to buy something else in a short while (likely a Mercedes A Class funnily enough) but the chances are I will keep these two because I am rather attached to them. That's how I ended up with two cars in the first place.
Anyway I digress.
I know I'll get some stick for this but I have long fancied changing the standard plates for either 3D or Gel, but could never make up my mind. Two days ago I finally decided to do it, and I went for gel. I have to say to the untrained eye that don't look all that different, I have started to wonder if I should have gone 3D! However it has certainly smartened up both cars' appearance and it also says that I give a damn about my cars and I'm not just a "white goods driver" (even though one of them is white).
Do feel free to slate me for doing this, I can take it.
What are people's thoughts on gel and 3D plates? Are they "chavvy"? Waste of time? Best suited to boy racers? Or do they add a minor touch of class to a car?
Scott
Edited by zarjaz1991 on Saturday 20th September 09:20
Sporky said:
A standard, correctly spaced plate is the classiest option.
I'm not against private registrations (hoping that's the correct term) provided they confirm to the above.
These are completely legal and correctly spaced. The company that made them won't do them any other way, and I wouldn't want that either.I'm not against private registrations (hoping that's the correct term) provided they confirm to the above.
Geertsen said:
I m extremely surprised the 4D fridge magnet type plates are legal. You can t read them at night because the text being lit from above casts such a strong shadow. Gel are not so bad for this.
I ve seen a few with missing digits too, where they ve fallen off.
Fair point. Mine are not that obvious at first glance and are fully visible at night.I ve seen a few with missing digits too, where they ve fallen off.
Scott
Geertsen said:
I m extremely surprised the 4D fridge magnet type plates are legal. You can t read them at night because the text being lit from above casts such a strong shadow. Gel are not so bad for this.
I ve seen a few with missing digits too, where they ve fallen off.
I agree, no excuse for any of that and if a digit fell off mine id immediately put the old standard plates back on until I could get it sorted. I ve seen a few with missing digits too, where they ve fallen off.
I should have stressed in the first post, I'm not after doing anything illegal or chavvy or remotely dubious. I just like the look of them.
Mine are very understated, you can barely tell they've changed, the letters are not raised much from the plate and that's exactly how I wanted it.
I'm pleased with them anyway.
Scott
I'm a bit more traditional when it comes to cars and keeping them stock, and reflective of how they would've looked when they rolled off the production line.
In my view, with any modification, it's a case of 'what are you trying achieve and does it really do it?'
Standard-dimension printed numberplates just work. There's uniformity in other places like Continental Europe. The UK's numberplate designs have become an unenforced mish-mash, on the other hand. I'd recommend keeping your numberplates as they are, OP, but again, that's just me.
It is of course subjective; I've personally never been a fan of 3D (jellymould effect) or even 4D (fridge magnet effect) numberplates on any car, or understood what the draw or compulsion is to having them fitted by some.
I just can't see anything aesthetically pleasing about them or how they make any car of any sort look better, sportier or classier.
I have also noticed that one accidental/deliberate side effect of 4D numberplates is that the VRN becomes illegible beyond a certain angle.
Based on my observations, and with a touch of satire, they seem to appeal largely to a cross-section of society with the same 'Scouse trim' haircuts who do balloons in their cars with their mates whilst blasting organ house music out of their stereos at car meets in retail parks.
The same who also sometimes think that 3D or 4D isn't enough, and then go on to have their numberplates excessively shortened/shrunken, cut hexagonally or smoked/darkened in the hope of outsmarting ANPR cameras (or all of those things) as well.
In my view, with any modification, it's a case of 'what are you trying achieve and does it really do it?'
Standard-dimension printed numberplates just work. There's uniformity in other places like Continental Europe. The UK's numberplate designs have become an unenforced mish-mash, on the other hand. I'd recommend keeping your numberplates as they are, OP, but again, that's just me.
It is of course subjective; I've personally never been a fan of 3D (jellymould effect) or even 4D (fridge magnet effect) numberplates on any car, or understood what the draw or compulsion is to having them fitted by some.
I just can't see anything aesthetically pleasing about them or how they make any car of any sort look better, sportier or classier.
I have also noticed that one accidental/deliberate side effect of 4D numberplates is that the VRN becomes illegible beyond a certain angle.
Based on my observations, and with a touch of satire, they seem to appeal largely to a cross-section of society with the same 'Scouse trim' haircuts who do balloons in their cars with their mates whilst blasting organ house music out of their stereos at car meets in retail parks.
The same who also sometimes think that 3D or 4D isn't enough, and then go on to have their numberplates excessively shortened/shrunken, cut hexagonally or smoked/darkened in the hope of outsmarting ANPR cameras (or all of those things) as well.
te.I think for me, it was a combination of, the standard plates were looking tatty and I just fancied having a go with gel plates, with the caveat that they must be completely compliant with both the letter and spirit of the law. I think mine are nicely understated but look very smart. I know everyone disagrees but you can see in the photo mine are basically exactly like standard plates just with slightly raised gel letters.
I know, I'm defending an impossible position here.
Scott
I know, I'm defending an impossible position here.
Scott
CaptainScarlet1967 said:
Based on my observations, and with a touch of satire, they seem to appeal largely to a cross-section of society with the same 'Scouse trim' haircuts who do balloons in their cars with their mates whilst blasting organ house music out of their stereos at car meets in retail parks.
The same who also sometimes think that 3D or 4D isn't enough, and then go on to have their numberplates excessively shortened/shrunken, cut hexagonally or smoked/darkened in the hope of outsmarting ANPR cameras (or all of those things) as well.
I'm definitely none of that and I hate shortened or trimmed plates too. Standard size all the way.The same who also sometimes think that 3D or 4D isn't enough, and then go on to have their numberplates excessively shortened/shrunken, cut hexagonally or smoked/darkened in the hope of outsmarting ANPR cameras (or all of those things) as well.
At least we don't seem to get those plates in silly italic fonts and suchlike any more. Not seen those for ages.
Scott
Sporky said:
That seems fair. I'm certainly not in the "call someone names" camp on this one.
Me neither.I respect everyone's views and I know if I had a "classic" car (which one day I will!) I too would want authentic standard plates on it.
These two are "just" Mondeos, (though they are MY Mondeos which makes them very special cars!) and in my eyes they now look smarter. Even though you can barely tell!
Try to see it in this light...it's all part of loving and cherishing my cars (I'm having the rear Ford badge replaced next week on one of them for the same reason as it's deteriorating badly). My cars are a literal extension of me. I've been reminded of that recently and I'd let it slip. You don't get Scott without his cars!
Scott
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