hmn1

I am in California, where front license plate is required. But I really don't want to put it on, even if the dealer does it. I like the clean look without it.

Do you guys have it on where it's required? If not, I wonder if the cops really actually pull you over for that?

MB-BOB

Since your state requires a plate, I would put one on, OR, be prepared to accept responsibility if you get arrested for not doing so. It's that simple. In my state it's $125 plus court costs.

I understand that most municipalities will cite you only if they pull you over for some other violation first, but I wouldn't count on that. I was once pulled over (in Missouri) for no other reason than to discuss my plate issue. I was given a warning.

Texas just passed a front plate law 7 years ago, and they have a real problem with compliance... probably 10% of cars still do not display the front plate.

If you choose to display the rear plate only, do store the front plate somewhere in the car, so you can prove that it is with the car and not being used on a second vehicle. I keep mine under the floor mat in the trunk above the spare tire kit. And drive sensibly, to avoid the piling-on violation if you get pulled over.

Lynn

I'm supposed to have plates?

LiquidSmile

That would mean I have to register it too? They told me I could not register it until I got a valid drivers license.... Oh well :p

Lynn

We can save money on that silly insurance this way, too:o

hphan

I like the clean look as well, and have been lucky so far in the last 13 months of ownership. *knock on wood* As far as I know, it's just a fixit ticket here in CA, but it also might have just been officers being lenient. At least, that's all my friend ever got on his alfa when he would leave the front plate off (he just had it attached to his bumper with wire).

LorinserCClass

Yeah sure it's "JUST" a fix it ticket, but keep in mind that it takes up an hour or so every time you go to the courthouse/sherriff's office. On top of that you gotta deal w/grumpy *** city/county employees that are irratated at all the "weirdos"at the courthouse. It is a PAIN! I was there 3-4 times in this last year and I just got fed up. Sure it is only 25 bucks plus parking, but the time lost and irratation just started adding up so I have left(and currently have on)the front plates on. So to recap-If you have absolutely all the free time in the world and are very patient and don't mind spending $25 plus parking everytime then go ahead and don't put on the front plates. Good luck.

brabus c

i live in a city notorious for pulling cars over and giving them fix it tickets... mostly ricers..... i use to be one Got pulled over atleast once a month for a fix it ticket.... now with the benz i have gotten pulled over once...Tinted front windows i choose not to put a front plate on my car because i do not want to put wholes in my kit nor do i like the look.... i always take the risk because once theres holes in my kit....theres HOLES in my kit, cant really go back unless taken to a body shop.... if worse comes to worse..do what my friend did and put a EURO plate in the front sometimes cops dont pay much attention and they think euro car euro plate oh well....fix it tickets $10 line at CHP to get it written off 15mins line at court..thats a different story

LorinserCClass

No my friend! It is 15 only to have it SIGNED. Then you go pay some sort of "processing" fee in the clerks window. And where the heck is it that you only wait 15 mins?? Let me know

Buellwinkle

In my driving life I have received all sorts of traffic and fix it tickets and to date I have never received a no front license plate fix it ticket and 3 out of my 4 cars (and all my motorcycles, past and present) do not have plate in the front. But if I did, I think I can deal with a fix it ticket. I would just velcro the plate on temporarily so they can see that it's on and then take it off.

C32Andy

I have never put the front license plate on my car since i started driving at 16......not even for one day...i got a few fix-it tickets for not having a front plate, but to resolve that I just put back the plate, taking it to a police station to get the ticket sign off and mail in a $10 dollar check along with the proof of correction(they stamp ur ticket with a signature from the cop), then its done. i have never been ask to go to pay in person. so i dont mind the $10 fine and 10 minutes at the local police station get it sign off.....on top of that....after the cop signs off my ticket, i take off the front plate right away----when i am still in the police station parking lot

preyx

Here's my story about my front license plate:

Somebody did a convenient hit-n-run number on my car in the school parking lot about 7 wks ago. Fortunately it was just paint, but I decided to file a report with the school police to get something on record for the insurance company. As the officer was writing the report, he glanced over at my car and said, "you know you're supposed to have a plate visible from the front," and I replied "yeah, I know," and he just continued writing his report. No ticket. Apparently he sees too much of this to care anymore.

Actually, the only places where they REALLY care about having a front license plate in SoCal is in downtown LA, because of those red-light cameras. But I hate the idea of drilling into my bumper, so if I absolutely have to, I'll just place it in my windshield, ricer-style.

LorinserCClass

Damn it! Why do you all have good luck w/this! It seems if a cop just sees me they pull me over right away and try to find something wrong. Maybe it's the pot smell......JUST KIDDING I think I've been to just about all the courthouses around here....sucks to be me

kompressorchick

i'm sure it does, enrique

I keep my plate in the glove compartment, and if anyone one asks, my response is, "i havent had the chance to go get it mounted," hehehehe.

bzcat

front plate is a fix it ticket in California. enforcement is spotty depending on where you live. In cities with lots of red light camara like Los Angeles, they are usually pretty strict about front plate. But most cities don't enforce the law because it's kind of pointless. Unless you have a rice rocket or a low rider, the po po will leave you alone.

As far as getting the ticket dismissed, all you need is a signature from any law enforcement officer. So if you know a cop, you just have him or her sign the ticket and mail it in. If you don't know any cop, you can go to any police or sheriff station and it will cost $25 to sign, plus + $10 fine to mail it.

Alternatively, you can pay the fine $30 and not have the ticket dismissed and put on front plate. But if you get caught the second time, the fine doubles to $60 but then you still have the option of putting the plate one and have the ticket dismissed for $10. So essentially, it wilil cost you $10 each time you get caught.

I would rather risk that then uglify my car.

M.L.X.

Well... when I bought my car, the damn dealership already had plate holders on the front.
Didn't want to take them off and have holes so... just decided to put vanity MB star plate on.
Looks pretty cool actually.
Anyway I can have it taken off and holes filled in?
I hate you MB dealer!

trench

I've posted this story before. But my friend's dad is a cop in San Jose, he told us that he never pulls anybody over for not having a front plate. This is because it leaves him an "out," if he feels he needs a reason to pull over a car that he feels might be up to some type of suspicious activity. Ever notice that on COPS half the time they pull someone over it's for something small, like no plate or a broken taillight, then they bust them for drinking or drugs.

- BT

20FHK02

I got ticketed for a couple of fix-it things and speeding, none of the cops wrote me a fit-it ticket for not having a front plate. But when I went to the police station to get the tickets signed off, the cops refused to do so because I didn't have the front plate, but I was not cited.

So what I end up doing is double tape the front plate and go to have the tickets signed off, then pull it off afterwards. I even glue two screw heads on the plate's holes so it looks like it's really screwed onto the bumper!

jo17jC230

I've always driven with no front plate... in the 12 years I've been driving, I've only been given a front plate fix it ticket it once... *knocks on wood*

c2jones

Note: I posted this in BenzForum too, but I'm looking for further reflection. I have a plan to rectifu this, but am curious as to how frequently my situation occurs abroad...

Our new W203 sedan came with a fixed (and forced) license plate assembly, which while offering free advertising for the dealership, also detracted from the front fascia appearance of the car. (At least in our perception.) Here in Florida, front plates are not required.

I use the term "forced," because the item was drilled into the front bumper with some degree of effort, as it left four (4) huge drill holes which forced the bumper material outwardly to make room for the screws. It is a two-piece device and the bumper must have been somewhat resistant to this process. I also use the term “forced” because even though I did not request the plate assembly, they inserted this into our car (not theirs) and then stated they could not remove it unless I was willing to pay $150 dollars worth of body-shop expenses to fill and resurface the large drilled holes!

We paid plenty for the car and ordered every option available for it. We were perfect customers for the dealership as they gained a relatively easy sale because my wife was emotionally affixed onto the particular car. What’s more, because the salesman and his superiors claimed that MBUSA would come down on “him personally” (not the dealership as a whole), and that any negative report would affect the salesman’s status with the corporate offices, we did not make too big of an issue about this at the time. I told them that I would be back to discuss this further, and would be still willing to take this to the corporate offices if I had to thereafter (the bill of sale survey and report that day). I have also had other things brought to my attention about the car that the dealership neglected to cover (like cruise-control break-in, etc.), which will be reflected upon any future reports.

Nevertheless, has this happened to anyone else and has anyone countered the alleged added expense of having to pay for the removal? Is this a part of the dealership “property” rights to affix license plate advertisements that the customer cannot offset? Funny, I don’t see everyone else’s MB vehicles with front license plates on their attached photos in this forum, nor out and abroad, unless they’re in a state that mandates as much. I’m going to take this up with the dealership and institute a tempered insistence upon the removal. The screws are even starting to rust already (car is only three weeks old). The dealership said they could replace the screws with “stainless steel” ones.

The car was a special order and they (dealership) were proud to display the car while it was there. Perhaps the forced plate ordeal is related to this factor. They also know we belong to several auto clubs, including MBCA, in which the advertising may aid them. I wonder if all their cars come this way. I did not notice this elsewhere. Any suggestions?

I’ll post my progress.

Thanks.

Christopher

levelr123g

yea when i bought my 2002 c230 i was pissed when i removed th license plate holder and found 4 big *** holes in my bumper. when i ordered my 2003 c320 i told the dealer not to put the plate holder on and they didnt. i was going to make something to hold the plate holder on without screwing up my bumper but eventually had to give in and mount it anyway. if you can get mb to do something about this it would be great, BUT GOOD LUCK!

b4chow

well in cali it's state law, and my dealer told me the only way to get the front plate brackets was special ordering... they told me as soon as any benz comes in they, automatically put on the holders unless told otherwise... well at worst you can put on one of those vanity plates wit the MB star logo, just make the dealer pay for that...

CarlssonPower

It depends on the dealer..

Mine came without the front license plate. The dealer just left the kit in the trunk so I can decide if I want to put it on or not. Even though the state law in California states front lincense is required but I've never got pulled over for that. And I've seen so many cars on street without front license plate.

amdeutsch

Paying to have it removed is. The statement by the salesmonkey also sucks. Do all the cars on their lot have the front holder mounted?
In my state vanity plates are required front and rear whereas regular's are only required rear. My frame was never mounted. I didn't have to ask for this but was actually asked if I wanted it on or off. Their advertisement is a frame for the rear.

slcvr6

Front plates are state law in Ohio. Nonetheless, I ordered my car and made it explicity known that if a front plate holder was mounted on my car, they would be selling the car to someone else.

When the car arrived, the plate holder was removed from the trunk by the GM of the dealership and the parts manager called to confirm it was not in the car and did I want one ordered. They did as I told them to do.

After the fact, I had it painted body color, but still have not mounted it. The Coupe ones came black, so in brilliant silver, it matches a bit better if I ever go to mount it, albeit without drilling the bumper!