Front Plates on my CLK55
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: North Colo Sprgs CO
'02 Silver CLK55 Cab
Front Plates on my CLK55
Now that my AZ car is living in CO i have to put a front plate bracket on. Thought of drilling and bolting it on is needless to say unplesant now that i've gotten used to the look without it. To top it all off my dealer doesnt have any and suggested the AZ dealer may have some laying around since they dont use them. Well they dont since they leave them all in the trunk with the spare tire. Anyone out there have a silver CLK who doesnt need their front plate holder?
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 929
Likes: 3
From: Littleton, CO
2005 E55 silver
yeah, don't worry about it. I had a 96 Trans am, I ran no front plate for several years and never had a problem. I am tempted to remove the front plate holder from my clk (black). I think it's just a fine for no plate, but not sure.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
From: San Mateo, CA
2004 Mercedes Benz CLK 500
it should only be a fix it ticket at max. In CA where I live, fix it tickets are like 15-25 dollars..not that bad. I have ran my clk500 without a front plate or bracket since buying the car and had no problems so far. *knock on wood*
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,064
Likes: 5
From: Northern Virginia / D.C.
01 LORINSER CLK 430 - 02 KLEEMANN CLK55 - 88 Euro / Jap AMG 560 SEC Widebody - 16 AMG GTS
I'm all for the no front tag look and agree that the cost of the occasional ticket is worth the clean front end. I don't have a front tag on my car. One thing though, if it's a law in your state that your vehicle display a front tag and your car doesn't have one, that constitutes probable cause for a police officer to pull you over. Not a big deal - EXCEPT, what if you've had a few to drink? In Virginia the legal limit is only .08. 
Most people can drive just fine at .08 and would not be so drunk that they would be driving in a way that would attract an officer's attnetion so as to cause him to pull you over. But if there's no front plate, then that's enough to pull you over. Once you've been stopped, then down goes your window and all of a sudden the officer smells alcohol... then you're on the side of the road seeing how long you can stand on one leg or if you can count backwards from 84 to 67. Next thing you know, you get a conviction for DWI and the insurance on your beloved Benz goes through the sunroof..... 
Most people can drive just fine at .08 and would not be so drunk that they would be driving in a way that would attract an officer's attnetion so as to cause him to pull you over. But if there's no front plate, then that's enough to pull you over. Once you've been stopped, then down goes your window and all of a sudden the officer smells alcohol... then you're on the side of the road seeing how long you can stand on one leg or if you can count backwards from 84 to 67. Next thing you know, you get a conviction for DWI and the insurance on your beloved Benz goes through the sunroof.....
Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: So. Calif.
CLK 320
I'm saving mine just in case I get a ticket. I too prefer not to install the front plate. I think MB should have designed something so you didn't have to drill (easier to take off too).
I'm in the Los Angeles area and I heard that LAX has been ticketing cars lately without the front plate.
I'm in the Los Angeles area and I heard that LAX has been ticketing cars lately without the front plate.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: North Colo Sprgs CO
'02 Silver CLK55 Cab
[QUOTE=lowphat]I'm all for the no front tag look and agree that the cost of the occasional ticket is worth the clean front end. I don't have a front tag on my car. One thing though, if it's a law in your state that your vehicle display a front tag and your car doesn't have one, that constitutes probable cause for a police officer to pull you over. Not a big deal - EXCEPT, what if you've had a few to drink? In Virginia the legal limit is only .08. Most people can drive just fine at .08 and would not be so drunk that they would be driving in a way that would attract an officer's attnetion so as to cause him to pull you over. But if there's no front plate, then that's enough to pull you over. Once you've been stopped, then down goes your window and all of a sudden the officer smells alcohol... then you're on the side of the road seeing how long you can stand on one leg or if you can count backwards from 84 to 67. Next thing you know, you get a conviction for DWI and the insurance on your beloved Benz goes through the sunroof..... [just as long as they dont search the trunk and find the 3 keys of hash and the dealer's body]
Most people can drive just fine at .08 and would not be so drunk that they would be driving in a way that would attract an officer's attnetion so as to cause him to pull you over. But if there's no front plate, then that's enough to pull you over. Once you've been stopped, then down goes your window and all of a sudden the officer smells alcohol... then you're on the side of the road seeing how long you can stand on one leg or if you can count backwards from 84 to 67. Next thing you know, you get a conviction for DWI and the insurance on your beloved Benz goes through the sunroof..... [just as long as they dont search the trunk and find the 3 keys of hash and the dealer's body]
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 166
Likes: 6
2005 E55, 2002 CLK55, 2005 SLK350 also a 2009 BMW 335-IX
Installing plate holder without holes...
I had to attach my Front Plate and Holder temporarily for a VIN certification at the local Highway Patrol office (I was transferring the title to my Florida home). I used some very strong double stick tape and it held on fine. I would imagine that this would work longer term if needed. When you want to remove the plate frame, use a hair dryer to loosen and soften the tape and you should be OK... It beats drilling holes!
HEO
HEO
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
2006 SLK55 AMG/// 2006 Porsche CaymanS 2010 135i
Originally Posted by dennism13
I'm saving mine just in case I get a ticket. I too prefer not to install the front plate. I think MB should have designed something so you didn't have to drill (easier to take off too).
I'm in the Los Angeles area and I heard that LAX has been ticketing cars lately without the front plate.
I'm in the Los Angeles area and I heard that LAX has been ticketing cars lately without the front plate.
Some of my friends with S4's or TT's do "the magnet thing" where they epoxy 6 high strength magnets under the bumper skin (very easy on an Audi because the center piece is removeable) and do the same to a steel plate bracket. Then they can install or remove the plate as often as they like, the magnets hold very well too. I'm not sure if anybody has tried this on an MB but a web search may turn up a similar solution. The magnets come from www.gaussboys.com For a visual of the Audi solution see:
http://home.earthlink.net/~tsitmc/au...nseplatemount/
