i was able to mount my front license plate using two 1/4 diameter 3 inch toggle bolts, first, put the bolts thru the license plate top holes and then attach the "wings" in the proper direction, try and center the plate and collapse the wings and put the bolt thru two "honeycombs" on the lower front grille., it ends up about one inch off center because of where the honeycombs are placed and the plate juts out a bit to rest on the lower part of the bumper but this is a lot better than drilling a hole!, this works on sedans too

 

Sounds like a good solution, but keep an eye on your temp gauge. You may be restricting critical airflow to the radiator.

 

Good advice. I did the same mounting hack and ran all summer without an issue, but it doesn't get super hot in my area.

 

Foosh, check this out:http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/bills/hb/hb0577f.pdf

 

I see one of authors was delegate Frush. Foosh, was that a typo?

 

Nice for Maryland. I'm still screwed in TX. Well, I mean, I won't be running a front plate and I'll tuck a few $$$ aside for any tickets...

 

Check out the date of introduction of that bill. It was neither passed, nor enacted. It died.

Moreover, if it had, it wouldn't cover the F-Type, because the car is supplied in the U.S. with a front plate mounting bracket.

 

Nevada police seem to have a live and let live attitude. Law says must have front but most Nev. delivered cars don't come with the brackets on or hole drilled. When we see one with it on a lot we know it originally was a Calif. car. If you really **** off one then you'll get the ticket along with everything else the cop can throw at you.

 

We've had lengthier discussions about this on another thread here but my take on it is "ruining" the gorgeous front of the F-Type over the (minor...really minor) "infraction" of not having a front plate takes precedence.

No plate for me!

I've never had the front plate on in any of the states I've lived in - all which require you do so - on any of the "two-seater" sports cars I've owned. On those I keep the front plate where it belongs...in the trunk.

Works for me but maybe not for you...

 

I've played it both ways, either au naturel or with the RHO holder. I've usually left the plate off the car when I first get it until the first time I get pulled over when my spousal unit is also in the car. Then the cost benefit equation shifts.

 

It likely depends on where you are at in Nevada. Missouri has a front license plate requirement as well. However, in Kansas City, the city police don't care. They understand it's a legacy law which doesn't enforce safety or provide any benefit today. However, the state sheriffs or smaller municipalities around the KC area do write tickets for anything and will stop you for not having a front plate. Other areas of the state also vary how much revenue they need from tickets...

We (my wife and I) do run front plates on most of our cars as we have to go through these smaller municipalities on a weekly basis. I do not run a front plate on my F-Type (nor any of my previous sport/luxury cars) and just pay the tickets when I get them. During the 10 years of owning my M3, I think I got about 4-5 tickets for the front plate. However, I got pulled over a lot more than that for it (I counted 8 times one year).

FWIW, my father is a retired reserve (i.e. he was never full time) police officer for the KC Police Department and now works part time for the sheriff's department. He says the usefulness of the front plate is gone since most highways are divided with barriers. It was useful in the past for identifying cars but the road layouts no longer make it useful. On normal streets it can still help, but speeds are slow enough that its not crucial (especially given the number of states that don't require a front plate).

 

In Maryland it is now 2 $70 tickets for not having a front plate. So $140 in total.

I paid that on the XKR-S so that has a Skene holder now. This is how the tag was on the XK when I was ticketed.

F-Type is currently running naked until probably it has been ticketed.

I tried the RHO on my Porsche but it covered one of the front parkings sensors so either disconnect or constant sound. Never tried it again, might work on Jags, have not checked the placement of the sensors.

 

Correct, and for me it would be probably 2-3 per week since I drive to and from work (10 times a week) with the only route going by a popular staging area (2-3 idling cruisers) for the Anne Arundel County Police. They are enthusiastic enforcers, and I had many early in my 20 years here. Like you I gave up. The potential for a $1600+/month bill has that front plate looking really good.

People here laughing it off are clueless if they've never lived in Maryland.

 

Went for 5 years in Montgomery County with no ticket, but finally got nailed in PG county. Surprising, since the People's Republic of Monkey County clamps down on so many other things. (They even have restrictions on gasoline powered lawn mowers and actually have a rain tax on water that drains off your property).

 

I can see a Mini getting away with it for quite some time. There are so many on the roads in these parts, its like they're all wearing urban camo.

Can't wait to talk to after you try it in your F-Type.

 

I gave up trying to drive around here with no front plate. The local 'barneys' (Ontario Provincial Police) work on a quota system and are constantly hassling drivers.

After a number of 'stops' I gave up and now have the plate magnetically mounted. Ticket cost here was $110. and could be higher now.

The provincial government is left wing and activist, so they want to control everything and everyone. As a result we hold little hope that our low speed limits and front plate laws will be changed.

Their is a web-site that has over 10 thousand signatures of people trying to kill the front plate law, but, the government won't act, even if they had 100 thousand signatures.

Lawrence.

 

Won't even try it on the F-Type. As you suggest..... it'll be getting a lot more attention than the MINI (though in the '02-'07 time frame, there weren't that many MINIs around... we were still flashing lights at each other). What I will try is the euro shaped plate. The car was designed for that plate profile.

 

GMG motor sports aka gominigo.com sells a jaguar kit that uses the tow hook location. All stainless, easy and looks nice when it is on. Think mine cost around $100. Ticket here in Washington state is $224. I got two of those before giving up on the no plate look.

 

Wrote to WSP just now seeking an exemption for 2015 F-Type. Anyone else tried this already?


Fingers X-ed!


<<<<Start email>>>>
Hello Officers of the Washington State,

This is Ravi here writing to you to request exemption from installing front license plates (as required by RCW 46.16A.200) for vehicle and reasons explained below.

As outlined in section 5 (b) of the aforementioned RCW,
(5)(a) Display. License plates must be:
(i) Attached conspicuously at the front and rear of each vehicle if two license plates have been issued;
(ii) Attached to the rear of the vehicle if one license plate has been issued;
(iii) Kept clean and be able to be plainly seen and read at all times; and
(iv) Attached in a horizontal position at a distance of not more than four feet from the ground.
(b) The Washington state patrol may grant exceptions to this subsection if the body construction of the vehicle makes compliance with this section impossible.

Vehicle Information:
Make: Jaguar
Model Year: 2015
Model: F-Type R Coupe
VIN: XXXX

Reasons for requesting exemption:
1. This car does not come with factory designated "area" to drill holes to install license plates.
2. This car does not come with factory installed license plate brackets to install the plates.
3. This car does not have any part from manufacturer to mount license plates without affecting the structural integrity of the car.
4. As you can see from image attached below, the car has a structural piece running horizontally in the middle of the front air vents. Drilling any holes here is not considered safe and is likely to put the entire piece at risk of breaking over prolonged use of car on varying road surfaces.
5. Tying the license plate to the hexagonal holes in air vents is going to cause following issues:
a) Block air flow to this 8 cylinder 500+ horsepower engine which requires constant uninterrupted airflow to keep engine working at optimum temperature as specified by manufacturer.
b) This is also likely to put the engine warranty under question.
c) This will affect the rhythm of engine operation and result in lower than manufacturer rated fuel consumption.
d) The bottom of the license plate will scrape against the front spoiler resulting in more damage to the vehicle parts and may even contribute to breaking apart of the spoiler when going over speed bumps.
e) There is also the risk of the sharp edges of the license plate causing fatal damage in the event of a collision when the license plate may come loose.
6. Attaching license plate to the tow hook in open position is likely to put other vehicles and pedestrians at risk in the unlikely event of a collision.
7. Least of all, as you could imagine, this will affect the design of this $110K car.

Picture of 2015 Jaguar F-Type below

Additional Reference:
I am given to understand that the exemption has been granted for two previous Jaguar models that look exactly the same and in fact one of them is the ancestor car of this very model.
Cars being referenced here:
a) 1974 Jaguar E-Type
b) 2000 Jaguar XK8
I have also attached pictures of the cars for reference.

Picture of 1974 Jaguar E-Type below

Picture of 2000 Jaguar XK8 below
Therefore, keeping all of the above points in consideration, I kindly request you to grant this vehicle exemption from having to forcefully install license plates and risk fatality and liability in the event of accidents as well as put at risk normal operation of the vehicle as suggested by the manufacturer.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Ravi
<<<<End Email>>>>

 

Essentially none of the above is true except perhaps for #1, but good luck. You should have stopped after #1.

U.S. cars are shipped to dealers with a factory-manufactured front plate bracket in the trunk, but it's not mounted until time of sale, and most dealers ask before mounting it. They usually let the customer decide whether to risk it or not, but that factory-supplied front mounting plate is as secure as it is on any car when attached. In fact, it's mounted the same way it is on dozens of other makes and models .

Everything you said about air flow, warranty, structural integrity, etc. is pure B.S., but I admire your creativity.