I was looking at the current minis and i just can't see a regular US license plate looking good in the front bumper. The EURO style plates look a lot better! Would any1 know if they're legal in California?

 

I can't imagine ANY license plate looking good on the front of a MINI. . .

No, making your own front license plate is not legal anywhere except in states that do not require a front plate.

 

Well they are legal so long as you properly display your STATE ISSUED CA plate. So you could screw ina Euro plate then tow hook mount your CA plate and probably be ok.

 

Get the towhook bracket it's a little pricey like $50 but you won't have to have holes drilled into the bumper.

 

Isn't that what the inside of the windshield is for?

 

What if its the same CA issued license plate #, but with euro plate design? thanks

 

Thats not always legal, and I'm not fmailiar enough w/ CA law to reccomend that course of action.

 

Nope not legal, you need to mount the same piece of metal that they hand/mail you. Sorry just the way it is

Much is put into state plates to make them easily itentifiable for state to state and various types of plates within a state, it bascilly comes down to easy identification which enaces your individual safety because enforcement is easier.

 

The only legal CA plate is the DMV issued plate and it must be properly displayed on the bumper, so placing it in the window is just as illegal as having no license plate.

CA Vehicle Code: 5200. (a) When two license plates are issued by the department for use upon a vehicle, they shall be attached to the vehicle for which they were issued, one in the front and the other in the rear.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/wa...ction=retrieve

 

CA is funny with some of their laws. You can pick up a CVC or california vehicle code book and it will explain everything you ever wanted to know. Its really funny because my neighbor is a San Diego PD cop and he doesn't have a front plate at all on his car. I will definitely be opting for the tow hook mount.

 

Yup, the MINI looks so much better without the plate. I didn't get my front installed and will only get the tow hook mount if I get the "fix-it" ticket. With the mount it'll still be cheaper than the ticket and you can take it off after showing the officials.

 

Does anyone know if it is definetly legal to have the US plate on the tow hook mount, and then a Euro plate on the front bumper? I would assume that since you are properly displaying both your front and rear US plates, that the Euro plate would not be a problem? I would think that it would fall along the same lines as cosmetic mods? What do you guys think?

 

I ride around with no front plates. Cops have to be able to catch me to give me a ticket.

 

you're a Cop-Tease

 

In LA, when I'm in bumper to bumper traffic they have no problems catching me..

 

Enforcement of the front plate requirement varies from place to place in California. Santa Monica and San Francisco are known to enforce it aggressively. San Francisco uses traffic light cameras, which rely on your front plate for identification. For Santa Monica it is a revenue source.

In Monterey County, many cars don't have front plates. No one seems to care. I have the GoMiniGo.com tow hook plate holder. It is solid stainless steel and made well. Stainless is expensive and hard to work. So, $50 seems reasonable to me.

 

Putting a euro plate on the front is illegal in CA and a poseur move to boot.

Hell, I've done euro delivery and still think it's massively look-at-me to put ED plates on a BMW when you're back in the states.

 

IMO Mounting the plate on the tow hook is legal in CA as long as its on the bumper front.

 

Thats nice.. But I just think you're being a biotch, it was all about differing the look of the vehicle, nothing more. Of course if dissing people makes you feel better about yourself then have at it. Cheers!

 

ummm...so would you be the pot or the kettle?

Back OT, the euro plate is illegal even if it's the same number/letter combo as your officially issued plate. As some have stated, you might not get bothered (ever) but it will always be a possibility that you get a fix-it.

The tow hook mount is 100% legal. While the law dictates the distance from the ground that the plate must be, it says nothing about it having to be in the center of the bumper. Several cars have it mounted off to the side from the factory (Mitsu EVO comes to mind)

 

Okie dokie

 

Law is the law, how about disagreeing civilly? All MINI enthusiasts at the end of the day

That said don't do the crime if you don't want to pay the fine

 

Racing stripes, fancy wheels, and the MINI styling itself are much more "look-at-me" than a Euro plate. Just owning a MINI has a fair amount of "look-at-me" to it. Otherwise, no need for the nostalgic retro style. BMW wouldn't have had to license the MINI name, and whatever else was included. They could have just made a BMW Rabbit/Golf/Mini like car of their own design and given it a number. Much of the Youification is for look-at-me effect. Should we all wear grey overalls and sweatshirts? Or, is it good to wear nice cloths?

 

Naw, that'd just make you a poseur
Oh, and please stop all you Vendors on here from inticing us with your Wares

Sorry, but I'm sure most of us realize that Bling goodies for our vehicles don't add horsepower or handling upgrades.
And the "poser'' ( that'd be english spelling) blanket statement was rude, again sorry if I'm a Kettle or Pot or whatever for pointing that out.

 

Take it as you like. I'm not fond of people adding cosmetic mods and find it to be a very Orange County/East San Diego thing to do to a car. Euro-plates are the equivalent of "Powered by VTEC" stickers in my eyes.