Hi,

i asked my dealer to dont drill holes in my front bumper.. he told me sometimes they drill hole in the VDC but he will try his best?

is that true they drill the holes in the VDC?!!

 

My R56 had the front license plate holder installed, manditory in California. So they drilled two holes in the front bumper to do so. Actually on the R56, its not a bad place for the plate, provides very little air flow restriction.

 

I thought they drilled holes at the dealer, because i also told my MA not to drill holes.. and he didn't say anything about VDC

 

My dealer offered to drill holes for me since I am moving to California, but I told him I would have a dealer out there do it. I think the dealers can do it, but it happens at the VDC. The bumper has two dimples in it already, where the holes would go...

 

If the VDC does it, it would depend on where the car is being sent. Here in Louisiana we do not require front license plates. They come from the port without a front plate. But if we transfer a unit from Texas they have the plate installed. If the VDC does that it's because they know the car's going to Texas, otherwise the dealer is doing it. I've installed front plates before and it's a breeze, but I work on Volvo's so I may be wrong. I would think the VDC does not install plates. It'd be a nightmare trrying to remember which ones get plates and which do not, plus it could be a MAJOR problem if they put a plate on a car going to a state that does not require one.

 

I'm in CA too... and my dealer sent me this form in the mail to sign if I wanted holes drilled or not. I signed to have them drilled cuz I figured it's the law, but when I picked it up, they weren't drilled yet. So, I'm guessing it's done at the dealer. I'm gonna leave it off until I'm told to put it on by the fuzz. I see so many cars on the road w/o it. Found this on-line petition to eradicate the law. Can't vouch for the accuracy, but it makes a good point. Plus, it just look better w/o it.

http://www.petitiononline.com/caplate/petition.html

 

on a side note, would a dealer charge to drill the holes?

 

If you are in California and the front plate mount was not installed, I would go back to your dealer and make him install the front plate mount. It's not just two holes, there is a nice mounting piece that wraps around the bumper. I will go take a pic right now and show you mine. See my next post in this thread, it will be a few minutes.

 

I bought my car in Indiana, but I am moving to California. I asked him NOT to mount the front cover, but he gave it to me (it's sitting in my boot right now). From what I can tell, it's just a plastic piece, I saw no other mounting bracket or anything...

 

At my request, MINI of Mountian View did not drill holes. I told them I would mount the plate with this bracket that goes in the tow port.

 

because am going with the no-holes plate holder
http://new.minimania.com/web/Item/NM.../InvDetail.cfm

 

A few weeks ago in San Diego, we had a police officer sit at the bottom of the hill and pull people over and write tickets for not having the front plate. You may not get a warning before you are cited.

Here is the front plate mount that came installed on my R56.

 

Just be aware that the picture is NOT an R56 and the tow mount is on the bumper if you have an R56, not down below.

 

When I get my plates from the DMV, I was planning to eventually bring it into the Dealer, East Bay MINI and have them drill the holes and mount the plastic holder, which is sitting in my trunk right now. And I expect them to do it with no charge. Side note: did everyone else have boot cargo nets in theirs already, or did I actually get a freebie from the dealer? =)

 

It appears the nets are standard now.

 

They seem to be strict on this in areas that have traffic light cameras. In Monterey County they don't seem to care. A large % of cars don't have front plates here. However, if you drive to San Francisco, better mount the front plate.

 

I got the boot cargo nets and have removed them along with the cute cover that restricts storage space. The mini is space challenged enough.

 

It also restricts people from looking in to see what you have in the boot. However, it is designed to be taken out when needed.

 

Upon my order from East Bay MINI I signed a sheet asking them to not drill the holes and plan on having the mounting hardware for the front plate ready in case I get the fix-it ticket. I've gotten a ticket with a previous car for not having the front plate and paid the ticket rather than installing one. Here in the South East Bay and over in Palo Alto where I work I see dozens of different cars every day without the front plates.

 

Come on, I seriously doubt he was writing tickets JUST for plates. He was most likely shooting radar or laser, and maybe added the plate ticket.

I've lived in LA almost my whole life. I have 4 cars right now, 2 of which have no front plate. I have only gotten 1 license plate ticket as a moving violation, but I was doing 90 on the freeway, and he slapped the fix-it ticket on top of the speeding ticket.

I HAVE had about 4 or 5 city cop license plate tickets at LAX. Those bastards roam the central parking at night and write tickets for no front plate. Look around, any car you see w/o a front plate there will have a ticket. They were just pay the fine and go, no fix it with it. Think it was $20 or so.

So thats it, LAX and the 1 speeding ticket.

YMMV

 

I don't doubt it. In New Hampshire where I live they like to sit (outside of their cars) inside the toll booths at the beginning of each month to nail people for not registering or inspecting their car on time. This is different than just a front plate, but I am sure since the front plate is required here too that they would nail you for that if they saw you.

 

You can add Santa Monica to the list. Their city parking enforcement also write tickets for no front license plate.

 

Sorry, but that was his sole purpose that day. Two people in my office got tickets, he pulled them over just for the missing front plate. About a half hour later, I walked by on my way to the food court and watched him do it. He had no radar. Just sat there leaning on his trunk with his ticket book in his hand.