German Plates

[chairman2300]

For all of you in the U.S.

I found a company on ebay that makes authentic custom German plates. Normally this would not be my thing but in Minnesota you are required to have a front plate on your car. I have refused to put one on because the front end looks so much more aggressive without it. And I REALLY dont want to drill into my bumper. Needless to say the Minneapolis police department now has it out for me. 4 months, 12 tickets for no visible front tag, $1320 later, I have my solution. Customized German plate for $25. Im thinking all it says is 666 just to mess with MPD.

Link http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Customize-a-GERMAN-EURO-license-plate-BMW-Audi-Porsche_W0QQitemZ360141947355QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMo tors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item36014194 7355&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1171%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A131 8

[GEN XER]

I dont think that will solve your problem. If the law is like the law in Va, your plates must match and be DMV issued. By now you will have been locked up for repeat offenses for the same crime.

[chairman2300]

I believe you are correct. My solution if it is a problem:

Drill the holes in the German plate and hang below. I figure that is better than drilling into my bumber.

Sidenote:
Audi quoted me $480 to install and paint the front plate bracket made for theRS6. This is much cheaper. If all else fails, I will have Audi do the bracket.

[GEN XER]

Yes I hate living in states that require front license plates. What are the police retards who cant wait for the cars to pass? LOL! I think it is a waste of aluminum to have to plates on a car. Where are the conservation folks on this one.

[Spidercat]

I feel your pain! Same problem out here. I refuse to drill my bumper. The police must have a lot bigger fish to fry out here, since I've never been hassled about it. My pat answer if it ever becomes an issue: It's an exotic.
Strolling through the local Audi dealer (the same dealership also is the local authorized Ferrari/Lambo/Maserati dealer) when my inspection was due, I noticed all these cars without front plates. I asked "why are you telling me you won't pass my car for inspection for not having a front plate if these cars don't have them and they passed just fine?" I was told that they are exempt because they are "exotics." I could not be given a reasonable definition of "exotic" that excluded my RS6, since my car trumped many of those in most categories (rarity, accel, vmax, etc). Anyway, don't know if MN has a similar "loophole" for exotics. Why don't you snoop around the local Italian car dealer and see if they disfigure their cars with those inane front plates, then take it from there. If they do indeed have a loophole for them, I bet if you kept a couple documents in the car regarding rarity (like the DRC letter), they you may be able to convince the cops that yours is exempt as an "exotic." If the local Ferraris/Lambos have front plates though, your probably out of luck! Just a thought, anyway.

[V8weight]

I believe you are correct. My solution if it is a problem:

Drill the holes in the German plate and hang below. I figure that is better than drilling into my bumber.

Sidenote:
Audi quoted me $480 to install and paint the front plate bracket made for theRS6. This is much cheaper. If all else fails, I will have Audi do the bracket.
That's an outrage. If you ever concede to installing a front plate let me know. I don't know the price of the plate bracket off hand, but I'm positive it's under $40. My shop would charge one hour to refinish the bracket, and no shop with a conscience would actually charge for the install (it pays like 2 tenths to install a license plate bracket) So, about $76 plus the cost of the part.

[DHall1]

Thanks for the link.

2 things. I would never drill holes in the bumper if they were not already there. That said, I would do one of two things. Find some sort of adhesive tape or velcro that would allow you to mount the plate. Or, get out of state plates say...SD and run without the front one.

The long arm may not know what the laws are in SD and leave you alone.

Hmmm

No way would I mount a plate under the plate.

I run Oregon plates in AZ and CO. Why? I dont pay sales tax on big ticket items because we still own a house in Oregon. Not to mention yearly plates on the RS6 are 800 dollars in AZ. You know what I say to that. :noshake:

No front plates on my cars.


For all of you in the U.S.

I found a company on ebay that makes authentic custom German plates. Normally this would not be my thing but in Minnesota you are required to have a front plate on your car. I have refused to put one on because the front end looks so much more aggressive without it. And I REALLY dont want to drill into my bumper. Needless to say the Minneapolis police department now has it out for me. 4 months, 12 tickets for no visible front tag, $1320 later, I have my solution. Customized German plate for $25. Im thinking all it says is 666 just to mess with MPD.

Link http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Customize-a-GERMAN-EURO-license-plate-BMW-Audi-Porsche_W0QQitemZ360141947355QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMo tors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item36014194 7355&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A1171%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A131 8

[snoopra]

Nice plate. I might get one. My local DMV recently adopted this front plate B.S. My car originally came with the front plate bracket, but I took it off. I've already been stopped several times, haven't installed front plate. My excuse is "it's the ONLY one like it here so why would I need a front plate?". Worked so far:)

[GEN XER]

Precisely the reason I am buying a house in South Mills NC. No front plates, lower taxes, lower registration fees, and a lower cost of living, but I will work in Virginia Beach, best of both worlds.


Thanks for the link.

2 things. I would never drill holes in the bumper if they were not already there. That said, I would do one of two things. Find some sort of adhesive tape or velcro that would allow you to mount the plate. Or, get out of state plates say...SD and run without the front one.

The long arm may not know what the laws are in SD and leave you alone.

Hmmm

No way would I mount a plate under the plate.

I run Oregon plates in AZ and CO. Why? I dont pay sales tax on big ticket items because we still own a house in Oregon. Not to mention yearly plates on the RS6 are 800 dollars in AZ. You know what I say to that. :noshake:

No front plates on my cars.

[chairman2300]

That's an outrage. If you ever concede to installing a front plate let me know. I don't know the price of the plate bracket off hand, but I'm positive it's under $40. My shop would charge one hour to refinish the bracket, and no shop with a conscience would actually charge for the install (it pays like 2 tenths to install a license plate bracket) So, about $76 plus the cost of the part.

I will without a doubt go through you if that is the path I take. Thanks for the heads up!

[bfly]

That's an outrage. If you ever concede to installing a front plate let me know. I don't know the price of the plate bracket off hand, but I'm positive it's under $40. My shop would charge one hour to refinish the bracket, and no shop with a conscience would actually charge for the install (it pays like 2 tenths to install a license plate bracket) So, about $76 plus the cost of the part.

The correct US license plate bracket for the RS6 is around $330 and comes primered.

[DHall1]

If I had to put a plate on.

I would take some 3M Clear Bra material and lay a piece on the plate section of the bumper. Then I would take 3M double sided tape(the good stuff) and put the plate on to the 3M clear bra. No brackets/No holes.

End


The correct US license plate bracket for the RS6 is around $330 and comes primered.

[DuckWingDuck]

ya, there's a bracket that's installed onto the front bumper. However, that still requires you to drill into the actual front bumper itself.

That said, as Dave said, just use some strong double sided tape.

[Spidercat]

If I had to put a plate on.

I would take some 3M Clear Bra material and lay a piece on the plate section of the bumper. Then I would take 3M double sided tape(the good stuff) and put the plate on to the 3M clear bra. No brackets/No holes.

End

Just make sure it's the good stuff!
I did exactly that to get it to pass inspection once (some places are real sticklers). I didn't use the clear bra, but I used four pieces of "3M" double-sided tape on the screw mount points (the only points that actually touch the bumper- the rest of the area has a large gap). Anyway, it lasted just long enough for the tech to look at it, note that it was in place, and hand me the inspection certificate. As soon as I shut the door, ...crash! Ah, what was that? Oh, nothing...well, have a nice day!
I had already paid for the inspection, and it had failed because of that one thing. I wasn't going to pay almost $200 for another inspection somewhere else. Enter, tape (great minds think alike). I had to walk down the block to the local grocery store to get some. Anyway, now I know that there's a little shop around me that doesn't fret too hard over front license plates...

[BenA]

:eek:
Ok - I just picked up my $300 front license plate bracket from the Audi dealer. I decided to bite the bullet on the $300 so I could have the "correct" part and here in SD you must have the front plate - although no cop has even given me a second glance without it (except 1 who said "nice car!"). With my luck though, I'll have 2 beers at dinner or something THEN they'll decide to stop me.

Just to prepare any of you in case you decide to do the same... this part is just slightly wider than the license plate and less than half an inch deep. It is basically a plastic license plate itself that comes primered and now costs another $80 to paint. Sure it does fit nice in the grooves on the bumper where the euro plate would go... but I was SHOCKED to be paying $300 for about 3 ounces of flat plastic. The parts manager AND the cashier both said "that can't be right" and both triple-checked the part number and price -- they were even more shocked than I was because I at least had the forum warning about the price.

I can't imagine that any body shop worth their salt wouldn't be able to fabricate something for less than half the price.

[DuckWingDuck]

I can provide photos of the 'frame' if anybody wants to look at it. Of course I don't have mine one ;-D

But ya, that $300 is outrageous, they should've just given it to you. Did you purchase a car that was originally from a non-front plate required state? is that why it wasn't included?

[Turboluvr]

BenA, I should have left you mine when I drove home from Souix Falls. It's the right color and everything. I keep my cars titled in non-front plate states. Being military helps with that.

[Turboluvr]

Of course, I didn't know who you were and you didn't need a bracket yet. :vhmmm:
It's Friday and the brain and fingers aren't in sync.

[SAF]

I've started putting my plate on the dash (during the day) since TX started handing out tickets. Never had one on four different Audis for at least 10 years.

This bracket came with my RS6 and was in trunk since day one. Today after reading these posts, I finally opened it to see if it really was painted Avus to match the car. It is!

Hmmm, and they're worth $300 unpainted? :D

[DuckWingDuck]

what the hell, putting it on the dash works? here in california, you gotta put that shit on the front bumper or you still get that $10 fix-it ticket.

[SAF]

Yep, Classics and Antiques do it here all the time. It just has to be "displayed" facing forward. I put black tape around it to cover the edges and push it up near the inspection stickers behind the instrument dome. I barely notice it's there. I've even pulled it from the pocket behind the passenger seat and slyly slipped it up there before being "approached". No mounting bracket AND no tickets.

[BenA]

Yes, thanks for the offer! We'll need to work on our ability to see the future better... that way we wouldn't miss opportunities like this.

And yes, unfortunately I bought it out of a state where front plates weren't needed so there was never one on it. I did voice my displeasure with AofA and the dealer just for the record. I think this is an example of Audi saying "well, if they've got enough $$ for an RS6, we should be able to get about $300 out of them for this $4 part... then when we've made enough by gouging them on enough other parts, we'll offer to replace all of that faulty DRC equipment we installed?"

Sorry for the vent... bitterness is almost gone... just have to avoid looking at the front of the car for a few more days so I'm not reminded.


BenA, I should have left you mine when I drove home from Souix Falls. It's the right color and everything. I keep my cars titled in non-front plate states. Being military helps with that.

[DuckWingDuck]

So i went to the SCCA event this weekend and saw somebody who put his front lic. plate behind the instrument panel/on the front dash too! Wonder if that passes for legal in CA....

[DHall1]

For the 10 dollar fine. I would try it till they busted me.

On my Supra....there was no friggin way I was mounting the front plate. Mostly because I cut a big hole in the front bumper to install ducting that ran into my big HKS intercooler. I dont think my car passes any 5mph crash test. Doh! But my intercooler is very happy.

:wo:


So i went to the SCCA event this weekend and saw somebody who put his front lic. plate behind the instrument panel/on the front dash too! Wonder if that passes for legal in CA....

[DHall1]

I didnt even think about that.

My Avus painted bracket is still in the trunk of my RS. Its never been installed and painted to match. Just sitting in the trunk for 6 years.




Yes, thanks for the offer! We'll need to work on our ability to see the future better... that way we wouldn't miss opportunities like this.

And yes, unfortunately I bought it out of a state where front plates weren't needed so there was never one on it. I did voice my displeasure with AofA and the dealer just for the record. I think this is an example of Audi saying "well, if they've got enough $$ for an RS6, we should be able to get about $300 out of them for this $4 part... then when we've made enough by gouging them on enough other parts, we'll offer to replace all of that faulty DRC equipment we installed?"

Sorry for the vent... bitterness is almost gone... just have to avoid looking at the front of the car for a few more days so I'm not reminded.

[LIRS6]

:eek:
Ok - I just picked up my $300 front license plate bracket from the Audi dealer.

$300 is cheap ... mine cost me $73k ... but it came with a car attached to it.

Sorry, had to have some fun ... can't believe that Audi would even charge for a part that is required by a state.

[SAF]

And yes, unfortunately I bought it out of a state where front plates weren't needed so there was never one on it. I did voice my displeasure with AofA and the dealer just for the record. I think this is an example of Audi saying "well, if they've got enough $$ for an RS6, we should be able to get about $300 out of them for this $4 part... then when we've made enough by gouging them on enough other parts, we'll offer to replace all of that faulty DRC equipment we installed?"


If the car was originally sold in a state that didn't require front plates, then (like mine and DHall's) the color matched bracket should have been tucked away in the trunk. But if you bought it <i>used</i> from that state, it was not the fault of Audi that you didn't get one, it was a previous owner that left you hanging.

[DHall1]

Yep, its no fun hanging. Just ask Ken Lewis. All the money is gone, all the profits have been washed out of a lemon that he is now holding the bag. SOL for him. Could have been worse...He could have had to eat the bullet like the Freddy chap.



If the car was originally sold in a state that didn't require front plates, then (like mine and DHall's) the color matched bracket should have been tucked away in the trunk. But if you bought it used from that state, it was not the fault of Audi that you didn't get one, it was a previous owner that left you hanging.

[BenA]

OK... where exactly do they "tuck it away" in the trunk. :vhmmm: I'm a little afraid to look, but will.


If the car was originally sold in a state that didn't require front plates, then (like mine and DHall's) the color matched bracket should have been tucked away in the trunk. But if you bought it used from that state, it was not the fault of Audi that you didn't get one, it was a previous owner that left you hanging.

[DHall1]

down in the trunk under the spare


OK... where exactly do they "tuck it away" in the trunk. :vhmmm: I'm a little afraid to look, but will.

[SAF]

Mine was standing in the right hand side compartment I think. Wrapped in styorfoam.