I am seriously going plateless in front on my mini when it comes in. This is not necessarily, aah-humm, legal but that's my choice. Can someone tell me if I need to notify the dealer of this before the car arrives at the dealer to not install a bracket? I'm not sure what they would install if I said nothing, but I've seem a few thread mentions of holes being drilled in front. This worries me since I don't want visible holes. Any advice or pics?

 

Tell the dealer! Chances are they will mount it unless you tell them. I run my C6 Corvette w/o a front and got two tickets for it, but they gave me those instead of moving violations. I was happy to take them. My Mini will wear a front plate when I get it in a couple of months as it will be my daily driver.

 

Yes, let your dealer know ahead of time, and then remind them again once the car comes in. Also, take the unused plate, and run it over a few times, then bend it. When you get pulled over show it to the cop and explain how it's just fallen off, those damn inported car plate mounts!

 

Yes tell the dealer. I use to live in Cincinnati OH and Ohio has front plates. I had a Honda at the time and never put a front plate on. Never got caught either for 4 years.

 

LOL! Classic.

What do you do if you're caught for speeding? Show him a some Super Glue package and yell "Its dem damn Blues Brothers!"

 

I'm plateless in front and I'm luvin' every minute of it!

 

Here in California the dealer gave me the option when I went to pick up the car. But I had to sign a form indicating that I new what the law was and, in essence, released the dealer from responsiblity. They did give me the bracked (but I realized later not the mounting hardware). 2,500 miles and still plateless in the front (but I do carry the plate in the boot).

 

Not sure how legal it is, but I've seen some people put the plate in the passenger side corner of the windshield.

 

MrTIer,

If you bought your Mini from Mini of Dallas, they don't drill holes unless you ask, and that's only when the plates come in (that's according to my MA, Chris). I have been driving with my plates for about one month with no front plate, no problems so far. If you look, there are lots of cars out here in the Metroplex with no front plate, so I doubt it will be a problem.

If you ever get dinged for it, you can get a license plate holder that clips onto the front of the car, rather than drilling.

Congrats on the new Mini. They are a blast!

 

I live in a state where a front plate is not required and I love the look without a plate. I bought my car out of state and when I picked it up they had a plate bracket on. They had drilled holes and it looked horrible. For those of you who have these holes you can use bumper plugs to fill them. They look better than having holes and are cheeper than a bumper repair. The website is www.bumperplugs.com

 

Wow, that is scary! I just sent an email to my MA to not install the front bracket and put it in the boot with the hardware. Thank's for all the good advice.

 

Yes, calling the dealer ahead of time was the right thing to do.

I was going to go without a front plate too. But I don't like being a rolling advertisement for probable cause. To me, it seems sort of like wearing a "KICK ME" sign on my back.

If you decide to add a front plate, you may want to look at a Go-Mini-Go front plate mount. It screws into the front tow eye fitting. I like the look.

 

Not sure which DFW dealer you are working with but I just picked up my car from Moritz and per my MA, they do not put the front plate OR dealer advertising on the car UNLESS you request it. Those are my two biggest pet peeves so it was nice to see they are listening to their customers.

No idea what MoD's policy is if you are going there.

Good luck!

 

Yes, the first time I took delivery it came without a front plate upon request.

The second time the MA did not get the message to service in time.

 

I'm getting my mini at Mini of Dallas and my MA said no problem going without the front bracket and the dealer stickers. I will probably also send a reminder email in about 2 weeks when I go to pick up.

 

I called my dealer at least once a week until the car arrived. In NY State you must have a front plate installed or the will not let it leave the lot. So, I bought the bracket from GoMiniGo. It installs into the tow hook on the front. This way your bumper is not drilled but the plate is on.

My friend told the dealer when he ordered not to drill it but he didn't follow up. Guess what? They drilled the holes in the bumper and mounted the plate! Believe it or not, he got them to swap out a new bumper!

 

So, do they drill holes for an '09 model? or is it now a bracket that doesm't require drilling in the paint?

 

In this regard I don't think the '09s are any different from previous years which means you must communicate "with a high degree of certainty" with the dealer as to your wishes. Some dealers are required to drill unless you intervene...but I'd imagine most dealerships are also very used to fielding the "don't drill" request from buyers, so ask and ask often.

Personally, I'd rather have them drill and hide the unsightly seams and dimples as MINI intended, but then again front plates are required by law where I live.

 

I've gotten out of a speeding ticket BECAUSE I didn't have a front license plate.

The cops won't pull you over for it, but will "tack it on" to your speeding ticket.

No front plate is a minimal charge, with no points carried on your license.

I know what I'm talking about, I have 10 points on my license - all from my BMW.

-ELmO

 

In 2006 I bought my Corvette new from Ramp Chevrolet in Port Jefferson,New York. They asked me if I wanted the front plate mounted. I told them no! I know alot of people who also purchase cars in this state without front plates. If it is a law its certainly ignored by many dealers.

 

Some dealers have to be reminded and reminded. Best to give them the idea that you are obessive about not drilling the bumper. My MA had to catch the prep people to stop them from drilling mine.

I got the GoMiniGo.com no holes license plate bracket. I put it on when driving to areas in California where the license plate law is strictly enforced. In my area, there are no red light cameras, so they don't enforce it.

 

AZ has no front plates, driven to all 50 states in another car and never had a problem.
The law applies to the state in which your car is registered.

 

Personaly, i think side mounting the plate looks better/more sporty then no plate at all. Plus its 100% legal

 

I guess this the only good thing about living in PA. No front plate. Can't think of anything else.

 

As a previous poster said, I elected not to have my front plate put in by my dealer and had to sign a form documenting that I requested they do not put the plate on (and not drill holes).

I am going to risk a fix it ticket but am getting the gominigo no holes license plate bracket anyway, figuring that if I do get caught, I would need to show proof that I did indeed 'fix it'. How would I do that if I don't have holes on my front end? Hence, the gominigo bracket.