I was just wondering if BMW/Mini dealers do this annoying thing. You know, where you buy a new car and when you take delivery, it's got "MAIN STREET MINI - ARMPIT MEADOWS, IOWA" stenciled on the read end with the address and phone number? I wonder if I have to get a hold of my dealership before delivery and tell them I don't want to advertise their showroom on my car, I'll just be a nice fella and hand out their business cards if they treat me well.

Oh, and no offense to NAM folks from Armpit Meadows, IA...

 

I talked to my dealer about this when I ordered, since my father always told me that if I ever bought a new car to be sure to specify that I do NOT want any dealer decals on the car. Flow MINI of Winston-Salem explained that they do not do that at all (I've never seen a MINI around with a Flow decal on it), but that they give everyone a complimentary license plate frame with the dealer's name on it. It wasn't a bad looking frame either, silver with black lettering. That was fine with me, since I had my own plate frame that I put on as soon as I got my tag!

 

COOL, those tag holders with that name may become collectors items in the future. Hang on to it.

 

Stenciled on the read end, aye? All I've seen in California are license plate frames with the dealer's name and city. They usually have a paper insert that shows while you are waiting for the California DMV to issue plates.

 

MINI of San Francisco "brands" the boots of MINIs they sell

 

At Desert Mini here in Vegas...they give you a plate frame. No decal for the car.

 

Pfffft, I'd be asking them how much they planned to pay me for the priviledge of advertising on my brand-spanking-new car. That's crap.

The minute I took delivery of LilTiger, off came everything that had the dealer info on it, with the exception of the temporary registration in the right corner of the windshield...I had to leave that on until my custom plates arrived. Even that irritated me.

 

My dealer puts a little chrome thingy with their name on it. A little cardboard under one end, and gentle lifting on the other, peels it right off. I have a little collection of them on my tool box.

 

I asked my MA to make sure that they (Checkered Flag Mini) didn't put one of their little round logos on the boot of my car and while I was off writing the check for the car and doing the other necessary paperwork, my best friend was checking out the car. He saw the little emblem and reminded my MA that I'd be highly PO'd if I saw it there so they took it off. I did tell them that I'd proudly sport license plate frames with their name on it if they gave them to me so, they did. :biggrin: I have nothing against advertising a little for the dealership since I was thrilled with the service I received, I just don't want anything un-necessary on the body to have to clean wax from.

 

Mini of Towson in Md gives you plate frame and puts no decal on the car.

 

Don't forget to tell them you don't want them to mount the front license plate. That way they won't drill holes in your front bumper.

 

They will not become collectors' items. The term 'collectors' item' has been morphed into meaning anything that someone doesn't feel like throwing away.

Zip

 

I'm pretty sure there was some sarcasm there.

 

Not an option in Texas. Front plates are required.

 

I wish. I live in Virginia, and front tags are required. I had my MA at Towson mount the front tag holder. My plates just came in and are displayed front and rear. No point in making the police chase you more than necessary!

 

Front plates are required in CA, but I see more cars without than with, I think.

East Bay MINI and MINI of Mountain View both do the license plate holder thing rather than placing a logo on the car itself.

 

If you end up with an unwanted decal or a plastic or chrome badge from the dealer, unless it is screwed in, you can remove it by using a heat gun or a hair dryer (and some patience). Apply heat evenly to the decal or badge, then gently peel it off. Avoid using any metal tools and test any solvent on a hidden area first before using to remove any residual glue.

 

My dealer (Century MINI) puts a decal on the boot. Of course, it was removed before I left the lot My MA just smiled as he watched. They also put dealer license plate frames on the cars. Thus far the frame has been a keeper

 

Dealership licence plate frames were attached to my MINI when I picked him up in late November. I gave them back to the dealership after I got the "Let Motor" plate frames for Christmas.

 

Thankfully Global Imports MINI only does license plate frames

 

When I bought my mini at Carmax it had the plastic plate frame advertisement on the rear and their cardboard name on the front. That night I got rid of both free advertisement "gigs"

 

I despise that those dea;er things they attach to the body. License plate frames are ok. Something glued to the car is not. Something bolted or rivited would be cause for extreme anger.

 

Sandia MINI in Albuquerque provided a really nice chromed metal plate frame. It has, "Albuquerque" on top and, "Sandia" on the bottom. It's nice that they honor the >10,000' mountain peak that hovers over our fine city (Sandia Peak). :-;

Recently there's been some mention of requiring front plates on New Mexico cars. How the heck often is a front plate going to help the police identify a bad guy. They (the police, not the bad guys) are the ones who are asking for the change. Does the probability of it being helpful to the police once or twice offset all that added expense and front of the car ugliness?

 

Front plate is not used to get bad guys. It's used to facilitate red light and speed enforcement cameras. They photograph from the front. Some states have been known to shorten yellow lights such that reaction times dictate that "someone" runs the light at each cycle. Interesting way to increase revenue . . . Insurance companies love it too, as they can raise rates. Watch for the cameras right after the front plates are mandated.

 

Sorry I didn't mean to start a discussion about whether to have a front plate or not. I just assumed that everyone knew about this:


You can purchase them here:
http://gominigo.com/18545.html