Front License Plates

[kurtlikevonnegut]

I will note, I DO have this little item with my front plate mounted to it and keep it in my car, so that if I do get pulled over I can tell the officer "It fell off and I didn't have a chance to clip it back on."

Amazon.com: ThatGrin LLC Genuine Slipstream Bracket for 2020-2016 Tesla Model X - Patented USA Made Version - NO Holes, NO Adhesives, NO Drill Front License Plate Mounting Holder 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 : Automotive

Now you'd just better hope that the next cop who pulls you over isn't a Rivian fanboy.

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[TessP100D]

If you have personalized plates, why not run the front plate too. It’s keeps you legal, so you won’t have to take time off to solve the compliance issues when you get pulled over and you get to show off your plates.. which you took time to consider and orDer and pay for each year .

 

[CharonPDX]

Having had multiple vehicles that didn't ship with a front plate holder installed, yet sold in a state that does front plate compliance (Oregon, as mentioned by other people,) it's frustrating. More than half of Americans live in states that require a front plate, more than half of the population of the world live in countries that require a front plate. Why do automakers continue to insist on tacking on crappy afterthought front plate solutions instead of designing them in in the first place?

My mom has been pulled over three times for missing front plate - the first was when her car was new, and it didn't come with a front plate holder - she had to go back to the dealer to get one. With the note from the dealer saying they had forgotten to supply it, she got the ticket thrown out. The other two were both after her front plate was stolen. Both times were even on the same drive! (She drove to Canada, someone up there stole it, she was pulled over and outright ticketed the first time as soon as she re-entered Oregon, and pulled over again and warned an hour later! If she hadn't shown the ticket from an hour earlier, probably would have been another ticket.)

 

[Smithery]

More than half of Americans live in states that require a front plate, more than half of the population of the world live in countries that require a front plate.

Focusing solely on the US: While more than half life in states with a front plate requirement, many of those in those states note that enforcement is extremely uneven.

E.g. I've lived in California my whole life, have driven cars without a front plate for 15+ years all over the state, and it's never come up.

I've gotten a handful of speeding tickets in that time, and not once did either the CHP or local police pulling me over mention the missing front plate.

Why do automakers continue to insist on tacking on crappy afterthought front plate solutions instead of designing them in in the first place?

Because you can always add holes to a bumper to mount a plate for people who want/need it, but you can never REMOVE holes from a bumper for people who don't want/need it.

 

[jeeden]

Excited that there is a thread I can provide some real input to here....

So this is a common concern in the world of sports cars and especially show cars as you can imagine and there are a LOT of solutions out there for it. First step is usually making sure to tell the dealer about 80 times before you take delivery of the car to NOT drill the front bumper and mount the plate bracket. Then there are tons of brackets that offered no-drill solutions.

I can personally recommend this one that I have on my mustang:

https://ccmustangbrackets.com/

It uses 3M tape to mount under the front of the car and then you attach the bracket to the mount with a lock washer. I have had it on my mustang for 6 years and never had it even come loose. I do remove it before going into a car wash. This particular one is a really nice guy in VA (where I live) who came up with them, sold them at a reasonable price, and has since had them knocked off by a bunch of Chinese companies. I would recommend that particular one though.

There are others that will fold down the plate flat and then you slide it under the bumper.

They even have brackets that will do that from IN the car via a little electric motor for when you absolutely have to have the plate hidden for the maximum amount of time throughout the day or want to feel like The Transporter.
https://www.americanmuscle.com/flipdown-licenseplate-motorized.html


I'm not sure what I will do with my R1S. I obsessed over it with my Mustang and it is nice it isn't drilled, but life gets busy. I can see getting another one like the craigs bracket above

 

[crashmtb]

Excited that there is a thread I can provide some real input to here....

So this is a common concern in the world of sports cars and especially show cars as you can imagine and there are a LOT of solutions out there for it. First step is usually making sure to tell the dealer about 80 times before you take delivery of the car to NOT drill the front bumper and mount the plate bracket. Then there are tons of brackets that offered no-drill solutions.

I can personally recommend this one that I have on my mustang:

https://ccmustangbrackets.com/

It uses 3M tape to mount under the front of the car and then you attach the bracket to the mount with a lock washer. I have had it on my mustang for 6 years and never had it even come loose. I do remove it before going into a car wash. This particular one is a really nice guy in VA (where I live) who came up with them, sold them at a reasonable price, and has since had them knocked off by a bunch of Chinese companies. I would recommend that particular one though.

There are others that will fold down the plate flat and then you slide it under the bumper.

They even have brackets that will do that from IN the car via a little electric motor for when you absolutely have to have the plate hidden for the maximum amount of time throughout the day or want to feel like The Transporter.
https://www.americanmuscle.com/flipdown-licenseplate-motorized.html


I'm not sure what I will do with my R1S. I obsessed over it with my Mustang and it is nice it isn't drilled, but life gets busy. I can see getting another one like the craigs bracket above

I use the universal bracket from Craig’s on my focus RS. Will probably do the same on the R1 depending on what their solution is.

 

[Blueassassin]

Well looks like two sided tape was the answer. not sure it worked well since there is no plate now.

 

[Blueassassin]

There were no holes or mounts that I could see.

 

[Ray R]

I've seen most manufacturers put dimples in the plastic bumpers up front for where the license plate screws go.

 

[staples]

The third image there looks like the factory mount, and not the black duct tape we've seen before.

 

[TessP100D]

There were no holes or mounts that I could see.

It’s there if you look close.
Rivian engineers have come up with new tech.

virtual front plates. It will be the new rage. And I think for once, Tesla will copy Rivian too. Lol

 

[svet-am]

I wonder if Rivian will take into account the state they are delivering to and include the front plate mount if it is needed (but omit if it's not). Else, there's plenty of aftermarket kits on Amazon.

 

[Taycanfrank]

I'm in the "don't put the front plate on" camp. I've lived in WA for 15 years and never put a plate on, I've gotten 3 parking tickets for it for a grand total of like $120. Never pulled over for it or had it mentioned when I did get pulled over.

Just think of it as paying for an aesthetic option. Say to yourself "I'm setting aside $500 for future tickets to add the option of a much nicer looking front".

There are certainly some areas where you'll get constant tickets, the old "gotta hit quota", but I haven't experienced that in WA and I'd try without the plate first no matter what.

 

[Ladiver]

No front plate for me. I plan on getting the winch, so between that and the tow hooks, there will be no place available on the bumper.

 

[AxelR]

No front plate for me. I plan on getting the winch, so between that and the tow hooks, there will be no place available on the bumper.

Plate could easily go on winch cover plate…

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