mpx220

Hey Guys,

I had lost my front license plate bracket some time ago (ok...i took it off and can't find it in the garage) and just recently got a fix it ticket for no front plate. I go to my local dealer and he quotes me $68.95 for the mounting bracket!!!

Can I get this bracket from somewhere else for alot less???

Thanks!

weinschela

You can try other dealers as my experience is that they do not all charge the same. One good source I have found is Keenan Motors outside Philadelphia. Ask for Alex. There is also a source where the price will be zero -- your garage. The higher the price from a dealer the more it is worth it for you to look harder.

mpx220

Hahahahahaha! I know. Honestly, I think I threw it out when cleaning my garage in the summer.

Vik888

Can you just "tie it on" and go show it to them? Do you really need to put it on and get your front bumper drilled?

Barry45RPM

How about a junk yard... err Recycler?

kevmac

Have you tried eBay?

Long Islander

Or, get some double-stick foam tape, clean off the back of the plate and the bumper. Just stick it on before you go in to the police station to have them take a look. Then unstick it when you leave their parking lot. Alternatively, can you just stick it on, take a photo, and drive there in another car and show them the photo?

Heejin

How about this?

Vik888

Well, if thats the case, I'll just take a picture, photoshop the plate into it, and keep it in my glove. It fell off officer! I swear!

mpx220

Hahahahahahaha!

cyclrder

mine is off of a honda Element... I didn't want to drill holes into the bumper.. plus it looks better to me.

plus.. I can take it off and you would never know that it had been there.

JDM_SXE-10

I don't know about NY, but here in CA, they require that you bring in the car and it's actually attached to it with something other than tape. People have tried here and it doesn't work.

jallison12

I just ordered the E55 kit from Larry this weekend. It should be here before the end of the week, and if so, I am planning on installing this weekend. If it all works I will post pics.

I had won a bracket off of Ebay...but then never heard from the seller again! I gave her a week to get in touch. Nothing. Sent a couple of emails ("got a tracking number?") but still no reply. In the end I created an claim with Paypal for this. But if the bracket shows up I am sending it back. It's just too late.

The tow hook solution, imho, looks really cool. A little off center, a little bit different. Larry and I exchanged a few emails regarding which kit to order. He has several, which are listed under specific car models. For MB, he lists E55 and SLKxxx. For my E500 Larry thought the E55 would be best. But he is offering a 100% refund if it should not work. Can't ask for better than that, can you?

I think the tow hook solution meets NY front plate requirements. I hope so anyway.

jallison12

Hey fellow wagoner!! In case my tow hook solution doesn't work, how do you attach the Element bracket if not using screws?

Long Islander

I once got a ticket (while parked) for having a clear cover over my front plate (no kidding). This was not a "fix-it" ticket, so you couldn't just prove you corrected the fault. Nonetheless, I took a photo with the plate cover removed, sent it in with a letter and a plea of "not guilty." I got a reply back reducing the fine from $50 to $25.

Long Islander

I totally love it! I don't know why Mercedes, Porsche and others mount the plate brackets so high on the bumper. It looks so much better lower down the way you've got it. Tell us more. How is the Honda bracket mounted? Any close-up photos would be appreciated.

Also, I assume you told the dealer not to drill the front plate holes in the bumper before they prepped your car?

Barry45RPM

Might this work?

http://www.stillen.com/product.asp?i...T01&c=EX&m=all

starbrite

The problem there Barry is that the price is right up there where the OP was quoted from the dealer.
If he shops around at other MB dealers online there must be a parts dept that's willing to sell the bracket for substantially less.
As we know, prices vary widely.

jallison12

Thats the same kind of solution that Larry at MowerAxle has, which Heejin pointed to in an earlier post. Larry has 3 Porsche kits and 2 Merc kits. I ordered the E55 kit for my E500 wagon, which should be with me by end of the week. So, for all you New Yorkers, if you see a silver wagon next week on the LIE / NSP / Hutch / I95, with an off center front plate...that'll be me

Not sure why the kits are so model specific. I figure the length and width of the bolt must vary between cars. But all the other parts must be standard. Larry's plate holder has one slight difference to this Nissan kit (well, the Nissan kits are $20 cheaper, as well). He has a center hole, but also a second hole left of center. The left hole effectively positions the plate more to the center of the vehicle. I think a Cayman guy asked for it as the center hole position was blocking an air intake, or something.

I don't see why they couldn't drill other holes to the right, above and below center. Then we would have several options to getting the placement how we like it.

BTW I was quoted $110 from Rallye Roslyn and the independent I got my service at, for the plastic bolt on plate holder. While Larry's solution is not that much cheaper (with tax and shipping), it is still cheaper. Plus, it is flexible that if I don't like it I take it off, and the car is good as new.

cyclrder

the bracket had two slats that came off the bottom of the plate.. I was able to drill two holes under the car.. fed bolts through slats up to the bottom of the bottom front of the lower facade of the car...I then mounted a flat piece of alluminum (1/4 or less thick, say 13 in long and inch wide) inside and on top of the plastic body molding under the car... this added structure and support... I then drilled a small hole into the center part of the mesh (it had about 3/8 inch of thickness... I then put a long bolt from the upper center of the plate.. with a shank that fit over the bolt that would hold the plate out from touching the car.

It doesn't contact the body of the car where you can see it at all...it is also very sturdy.

I had considered putting it offset... but just didn't want to look like some hacked up kid car

Long Islander

Thanks for the explanation. I didn't notice any holes in your bumper from the original MB license plate bracket. Did you just plug them up with body-colored bumper plugs or did you ask the dealer not to drill the holes for the license plate bracket before they prepped your car?

Heejin

Please, post the picture after you install the bracket I would love to see how it looks.

jallison12

Will do. The kit arrived yesterday, and the weather here in NY is meant to be lovely tomorrow. So, this is my little project for the weekend!
jim

jallison12

Good news from PayPal:
" We have concluded our investigation into your case and have decided in your favor. We were able to recover $44.99 USD "

Yaaaaaaaay PayPal!!

jallison12

Here's the pics:
First is before the molestation
Second with the tow stud in place
Third with the metal plate installed.
Fourth with the license plate attached to the metal plate.

Personally I love it!! Although I can see it will not be for everyone.

The plate kit was extremely good quality, totally solid. If you want to find out more checkout http://www.moweraxle.com, Larry will help you out.
jim