Pushing_Tin

My E63 that I bought came from another state that does not require a front license plate. My state (Oregon) does. I was going to buy the plastic bracket from the dealer, but they wanted $200 for it. So I found one online from Rock Auto, and bought it for only $50, but there are several issues.

First issue is that it came with no mounting hardware, the second issue is the pointy nose of my car, the license plate just does not sit flush againt the plastic bracket. I do not know if the E55 has a similar fitment, but if any E63 owners could take a picture of the way their front plate is mounted and how it fits that would be very helpful. I could bend the plate, but that's going to may look pretty ghetto.

Thanks in advance for any comments/pictures.

PACougar

I know someone makes mounting brackets for the plates that use the tow hook hole in the bumper.

AMG_RL

here's what PACougar is talking about, avoid drilling holes into your bumper: http://www.gominigo.com/MB.html

how are the cops in Oregon? Ive ran no front/rear license plates for about 1 1/2 years now and never had an issue with it.

instag8tr

my state requires it but i never run a front plate especially if there was not a place for it. I refuse to drill a bumper. Most cops will not even look twice at a Mercedes without a front plate.

BlkE55K

Pushing_Tin

I may go this route instead thanks, I'm still interested in seeking what the plate looks like mounted on the stock MB bracket.

E55Dimon

People live in Oregon?

I kid. I got pulled for no front plate yesterday. I will never put one on.

503C43 ////AMG

You will need to mount the plate off to the side due to how the E63 bumper comes to a point (the vette guys have a similar problem). Like others had suggested your best bet is to go with the tow hook mounting as it is off to the side, this should solve both of your problems (avoiding the "point" of the bumper as well as avoiding drilling holes in the bumper)

Pushing_Tin

Did you get a ticket or a warning?

220S

fwiw, I have a tow eye hook plate mount for my P-cars and never run plates on them. Works great but in LA the parking meter enforcement can write tickets if you have no plates. It's a pain to put the plate back on all the time when I'm in the city. Cops don't bother me, but it does give them an excuse to pull me over.

With the E63 I run a plate all the time, it's my daily driver. It's just less headache even if it looks bad. And no excuse for a cop to pull me over.

But the front plate on an E63 doesn't look 'ghetto' imho. It doesn't look any worse than any front plate on any car.

dychen

Got 4 tickets in a short span in NYC, so I threw that sucker back on. Not worth the headaches.

Pushing_Tin

220S, thanks very much for the pics. Looking at your pics it does indeed look like your front plate is bent, and not sitting flush on the surface. Is that a MB part or an aftermarket part?

220S

I purchased the car new two years ago and it was already on the car. It's a OEM MB plate frame put on by the dealer.

The plate cannot sit 'flush' on the surface obviously because the plate itself is flat and the bumper/frame is not. I didn't bend the plate myself but simply attached it with the two screws and let it 'pull' itself flush into the frame. But sure, the frame is curved so the plate will curve, too.

So yes, the plate has a slight bend to it. But I don't see the 'problem' since it's curved up front anyway (the bumper, the frame.) If you look at Euro E63s outside of the US, they are also bent in the middle. It's just the way it is. It might look better with the long Euro plates, because they are longer. But it is what it is....

In the real world, does it really matter? At least it doesn't bother me. It's just a front plate.

220S

p.s., think of it as being aerodynamic

Pushing_Tin

It wasn't a problem per se, I just thought I got a one size fits all bracket and wasn't happy with the fitment, I assumed (wrongly) that an AMG specific bracket would have more plastic, or stick out further to make a flush surface. But you're right it's not that big of a deal now that I know they are all like that. I think the tow hook setup would be easier to mount and I won't have to drill the bumper. And you're right, it's way more aerodynamic!

220S

fwiw, if you plan on running a plate all the time, the tow eye hook frame looks worse, imho. It's good for when you need a plate on there once in a while, but not all the time. I have two really well made ones from Pro Mount (anodized CDC machined aluminum.) And with a Porsche, the tow eye cover is very small (a very small round hole) whereas the E63 has this big rectangular plug.

The plate looks really weird off to the side and sticking out on the tow eye hook. I never run the cars with the plates on except if I need to (like parking in the city, or just trying to keep cops away.) And if you do get a ticket, with the tow eye you can easily put the plate on and get the ticket dismissed (here they call them "fix-it" tickets.)

It's up to you but I'd try to see one on the car first before you go that route.

Pushing_Tin

You make some excellent points, I'm going to think about what to do next. I'm leaning towards just keeping the bracket I got from Rockauto, even though they were willing to take it back and pay the shipping.

220S

btw, I meant CAD machined. lol. I don't even know what CDC means. Center for Disease Control?

btw, here are the ones I have. Don't know if they make them for the E63 but it's maybe worth asking. Again, I think it'll look weird on the E63 as a permanent solution. http://stores.promountequipment.com/...997/Detail.bok

Peter_02AMG

Tow hook plate holder $60
http://www.rhoplate.com/Products-MB.html


Remote Control Retractable Front License Plate Holder $140

http://www.ninosport.com/Altec-Retra...EU-p/400eu.htm

Pushing_Tin

heh the remote control one is sweet! No W211 available from the other company though.

220S

fwiw, I know a few folks who got that Canadian Rhoplate and threw them out after a while. They're cheap for a reason. And the retractable plate set up is also kind of a joke. It says "universal application" but it's not. And it's too convoluted for practical use. Panorama (you're a P-car owner, maybe you're a member of the PCA?) ran an article a while back about the various ways of mounting front plates temporarily. btw, what do you do for your 997? Leave it blank?

Pushing_Tin

So I must assume that there aren't any license plate frames that will fit the front with the plate bent like that??

MBNA109

Oooh I may have found a cheap & 1 expensive possible solution courtesy of th BMW guys:


http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...=374893&page=1

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=378549

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=378800


http://skenedes********/FPBracket/Choose.shtml

E55Dimon

Oh, I got a warning. I do have several tix for that though.
It was the day after my birthday, maybe thats why warning.
Still not putting one on

Helli217

I've gotten several too. (warnings)
Not mounting it.