After 6 weeks of excruciating anticipation, I got the call that my Clubman has arrived at the dealer and I will be picking it up tomorrow. The salesman threw me a curve, however, when he asked if I wanted the front plate mounted in the standard centered fashion (requiring the drilling of holes in the bumper) or if I wanted the offset license plate frame which mounts the plate to the side (no drilling required). I never heard of this and had no idea what to tell him. As it stands, they are going to wait until I arrive to pick it up in the morning before mounting the plate, this gives me overnight to think about it. I was able to find one picture of an offset plate on a Mini online but it's hard to get a true feel from just one picture. I was hoping that some of my fellow Mini owners on this site, who have offset front plates on their cars, could help me out and post some pictures of the front of their cars to make my decision easier. Any pictures, or opinions, on the matter would be GREATLY appreciated. I only have until about 10:30 AM tommorow (7/8/10) to decide so PLEASE POST TONIGHT or first thing in the morning!

 

Not mine, but here's a googled image. Personally I like symmetry, but to each their own!

 

I vote for the bracket offset mount. No bumper holes is a major bonus, and i think it looks (much) better.

 

I live in a state that requires a front plate.
I have the tow hook-mounted plate bracket, and I keep it in the back of the car with the plate on it, in case I ever get pulled over for no front plate.
In over two years (and nearly 40K miles) of driving MINIs, I've never been pulled over for it; even when I received a speeding ticket last Fall, the deputy didn't mention it.

 

I also live in a front plate required state. I have a 1980 MGB that I have never installed a front plate on, never had a ticket for that.

I left the front plate off of my MINI too!

Dave

 

Same here. I've received one warning over the course of 6 years...still no front plate

I've never understood the offset bracket concept. We all can acknowledge that having a front plate is ugly and undesirable, but offseting it doesn't seem to help that in any way. If anything, the lack of symmetry makes the front plate even more of an eye sore than it already was.

 

Your missing the point. The off set plate holder goes in the tow hook hole and doesn't require drilling into the bumper. It's not that we want the off set, we just don't want the holes.

 

If only this coutry would switch to Euro style plates like the rest of the world, I wouldn't mind a front plate then. But living in a rear plate only state, it doesn't really matter to me anyway.

 

I use the Go-Mini-Go off set license plate holder as the new one that they make has a solid stainless steel plate that goes behind the plate. The other option is the Craven Platapus that allows the user to offset the plate and not drill the front bumper on the car. Look in my gallery and you will see several pictures of the plate on my car.

 

I'd go for offset, just because you won't have holes in your bumper. Then if you ever decide to go without the front plate, it'll be clean.

 

I bought a Craven "no holes" bracket in anticipation of the arrival of my MINI, but sold it before the car actually got here. I live in a front plate state, have no intention of moving out of state at any point, and don't care to even bother chancing harassment by the popos by not running a front plate. I've been pulled over in other cars and 'warned' because traffic was light (think early Sunday morning / late at night), there were no obvious offenders to deal with and I guess they figured they might as well check me out on the outside chance I was up to no good.

Since I'd made the decision to run the plate on the MINI already, figured I might as well go with the better looking (centered) one - who cares about any holes if the plate's staying anyway?

 

Go with the standard centered position. It looks unbalanced otherwise, lopsided, and if they never mentioned it to you, you would have gone with the centered plate. It is there to stay anyways. Join the crowd. Make a few holes in the bumper. It is only natural.

 

I actually kinda like the ofset place look. I think it gives a slightly more unusual look, another little unique thing about your MINI!

I live in a front plate state and bought the car from a front plate state so the dealer mounted one without asking me, otherwise I would have gone for the offset/no holes approach.

If you get the side mounted plate and don't like it you can move to a center mounted plate or no plate pretty easily. If you start with a center mounted plate then you can't go back unless you somehow fill the holes/get a new bumper, so for me offset plate is the sensible way to go because it gives you a little more flexibility!

 

I understand how the bracket works, but what is the aversion to holes in the bumper if you've chosen to be the law abiding type that wants to run a front plate? You would never see the holes if the plate is installed in the center position.

If it's simply to avoid drilling holes because you think that one day you will run with no front plate....why not just cut to the chase run with no front plate to begin with?

More power to the people that want their plate to the side...I've just never understood the reasoning.

 

Your MINI, your choice But + side plate mount. You can always drill the holes and add the factory bracket later.

If you have bumper holes, and front plates are not required in your state, get some black ABS plastic push style plugs from an auto supply store, scuff and paint the tops with primer and body color paint and insert....a quick fix, looks clean, almost factory.

Nice of your dealer to ask. They are right on the ball.

 

It should also be mentioned that if you're taking delivery of a new car, that means you're getting a second gen. Second gen's, even when not drilled for plates, still have two dimples where the holes would be and give the illusion that the bumper was already drilled. No idea why MINI decided to do that.

 

Meh, I've never been the law abiding type anyway, No front plate, I always drive over the speed limit! Just walkin' on the wild side!

Dave

 

I have the offset plate and think it looks fine. Gives it a little bit more character. Who needs symmetry anyway?

 

no holes here

 

I rock an ofset EURO front plate.


Sory for the CRAPY old cell phone pics.

 

Thats what she said?

Sorry... took me back to college...

 

One thing to note in this pic is the interruption of the front bumper. A centered plate would cover this. I believe the JCW aero kit does not have that section, giving a nice seamless look with the offset plate.

 

my dealer didn't even ask just slammed the ole plate right in the center and put the dealership plate cover over it. woohoo. EURO plates got to love it.......

 

WOW, Thanks for all the responses and photos! You guys really helepd me out. I went with the offset plate. At first, the offset plate didn't look right to me but the more I looked at the photos that were posted, the more it grew on me. And, as a few of you mentioned, I at least have the option of removing the bracket and mounting the plate in the center if I decide I don't like it after awhile. If I went with the centered plate right from the start there would be no turning back. Thanks again for all your help everyone!

 

No problem, The Craven platypuss mount is realy a crazy cool pice it is fully customizable and lets you mount your plate at several different angles, and offsets. I might pick one up for my real front plate, the Colorado Springs boys in blue where geting pretty big on the plate isue when I left, and with the mount I can easily take it off at any time when I am at home up in Denver.