moscit

Hi All,

I'm thinking of installing a euro license plate on the front of my C230K and am wondering if any of you can tell me if there are special mouldings for mounting these. Or do you have to screw into the bumper? (something I really don't want to do!)

I presume most of you have state or provincial license plates on the front of your cars (In Quebec we have no such thing). How are these mounted to your bumpers?

Also, do any of you know of where to get a hold of a authentic Stuttgart plate from Germany?

Any info would be great.
Thanx

VoyagerDude

Next time you're in Stuttgart area, have a screwdriver handy

VoyagerDude

As far is I know the North Americal license place bracked get screwed into the bumber. ouch.
Maybe DtS can tell us how is it done in EU.

revstriker

When I lived in Germany, you could order plates from a company. You just gave them your number, and they would make them. They would also do custom plates. There were different size plates based on what kind of car you had (for instance, the old VW bug had a big square plate on the back). You could actually get a plate in the size and shape of the plates that we used if you had an american car.

This was some time ago, and before they went to the Euro plates, so I'm not sure if you can still do this.

stevenb

Here in Belgium, and I'm pretty sure it's like this in de rest of Europe, you just screw your plate to the bumper. Actually, I screwed a special plate-holder to my bumber, and the plate snaps into the holder, so you can't see any screws from the outside.

Personally, I prefer the look without the front plate. Big adittional advantage: in Germany they radar you from the front, and no plate=nobody to send the fine to :p .

On the other side, the plate protects your bumber from scratches whens somebody backs up and hits your car.

Stevenb

DtS

Just went out and checked on my car. In front there is a plate holder (in wich the plate is snapped into place) that is attacted to the bumber with TWO screws, and two "clips" underneath, so to answer your question: the front euro-plate requieres drilling.

The rear plate holder is attacted directly to the trunk lid with two or four invisible screws. I have the sedan and noticed that the plastic insert in the lid (where the plateholder is attached) differs on US and Euro cars. On Euro cars, there seems to be more space to put the plate. I don't have any good pics on the front plate mounting bracket, but will try to give you an idea of what it might look like anyway....

moscit

DtS:
Thanx very much for the info and picture. Where do the clips underneath clip onto? Are there slots in the bumber?

Does anyone have any idea where I may be able to get a plate holder like the one picured in DtS' posting?

DtS

Well, it was dark outside when I checked, but I believe there are slots in the bumper (or maybe the clips grips around the edge of it, I'm not sure). I will investigate it in detail tomorrow. I guess the plate holder can be ordered from almost any european dealer. I will look for a visible part# on it. If I can find it, your local dealer should be able to get it for you. I'll let you know tomorrow.

Norm C32

What about the rear plate holder inset? I think the bigger area that the European rear C-class sedan uses would give a bigger appearance and less cluttered look than ones used in the US.

Check out dj-po's tag pic as it shows a few C-class sedans at Brabus.

Norm

Mike T.

How about something else, for example a pseudo-Québec plate on the front that says "Je ne me souviens pas", well that would likely attract separatist vandals to the car, forget that idea...

I have always been partial to the bright red French "Transit Temporaire (TT)" license plates, very flashy and cool, imo. if you could get one with a French Mercedes dealer's logo on the bottom side, all the better.

Beware of the German plates for sale on Ebay - most of them are crap, as it's the law in Germany to scrape off the "Land" sticker when the plate is removed from a car. Most of these are removed by grinder or paint scraper, destroying the looks of the plate in the process. The best alternative, if you insist on an "S-plate" is to find an online German plate-maker and custom order it. But then you'll not get a "Land" sticker or a "TÜV" sticker either, so those in the know will recognise it as a fake. Another alternative is to have a German-style plate made up that says "S-C 230 K" or whatever...

DtS

You mean something like this?

DtS

Ok, now I have done some investigation....

The clips of the front plate holder mentioned in an earlier post grips into two slots (actullay I would rather refer to them as holes...) under the bumber. There are actually four holes in total, and the euro plate holder uses the two outer ones. My guess is that the US/Canada plate holder makes use of the inner ones. Please note that my car is a sedan though! They coupé plate holder setup might very well differ from it... Just craw under and see if you can find two empty holes/slots.

Unfortunately I couldn't find any visible part# on it.

Good luck!

Norm C32

Exactly DTS! I thought it gave the rear end a bit more width and left less divided up with filler panels. I wonder how it would look with a US plate? Photo shop anyone? :P

Norm

BruNo

FYI: the front euro plate adaptor, has the part number stamped at the back of the black plastic panel. All you do is remove the two outer screws at the upper edge of the plate adapator, and pull it downwards to clear the holes on the bumper's underside.

SoCal240/6

Why would you want a European country license plate . . . when you live in Canada????

To make you look "Cosmopolitan"? Or what? I am seriously curious behind the motivation or thought behind that.

Mike T.

I think it's more like "look at me, I've never been to Europe but I can still buy a license plate on Ebay"

A chaqu'un son goût, as they say...

Mike T.

What's with the two Alpenhorns on the rear of your C 200 K?

DtS

Kinda cool, don't you think?? The Alpenhorns are factory standard on the Swedish-spec C200K. They make the car go 10 km/h faster

young

hey hey, no obscure references! what are alpenhorns and why are they invisible to me? i wanna go 10kmph faster! (maybe, they're not so obscure; i just don't know what they are)

as for the plates, i think i've seen them on ebay too. go get them... a friend of mine, "acquired" one in amsterdam and put it on his volvo... i didn't approve of that!

DtS

Hahaha... I think we are talkin' 'bout the exhaust tips

young

doh! got ya... those big blowing horns that i see in stereotypical swiss mountain type of settings... next to a yodeler or something (ricola?) the horns on your avatar confused me. i looked up instead of down and thought maybe it was that disc on the top right side...

DtS

The horns in my avatar has nothing to do with Swiss yodelling ! They symbolizes the horns on a Swedish viking helmet (...what else.... )

Mike T.

Ricola, that's it, Young!

Those "alpenhorns" on your car are the Schätz ones, right DtS? They look kind of cool actually....if a little large (hence my joke comparison).

But for an extra 10 km/h it's worth it, right?

DtS

Yes Mike T. They are the Schätz ones.. I agree they tend to look a little large, but as you say... for the extra 10 km/h its defenitely worth it

moscit

SoCal240/6:
The euro plate is just to give the car a bit more of a european flavour.

Mike T.:
I've been to France, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Austria, Italy and Denmark. Where have you been?