I have a 2008 XK XKR Portfolio and in NJ you have to have a fron license plate does anyone know how I can put the front plate on my car without making holes on bumper

 

They are required in Texas as well, but most of us (with these type of cars) don't put them on.

Personally I would rather take the chance of a ticket than defile the front of my cat.

 

I will do the same. How long have you had yours ??

 

About 15 months now. Best car I have ever owned hands down.

 

I also do not have a plate on the front although it's required by law. You can search on license plate and tow hook mount to find some options for the front plate. The tow hook is off center so it won't look perfect using this as a mount but it saves drilling holes. I was thinking of some type of way to tie the plate as well using body colored ties that go over the bumper, through the grill and mount somehow.

 

If not required by law in your state, it is better to not have any kind of reflective plate on the front of your car as it serves as a beam source for the radar of your friendly highway patrol and other unsavory menaces.

 

I'm with fstick09. It's law here too, but I can't do it. I got a $15 ticket from a parking meter attendant two months ago. ..if I get 10 more, I'm still OK with it (and I'm not the law-breaking type). The owner before me was the same - required by law in Ohio and was stopped once by the police. When the cop mentioned it, the owner said he couldn't drill the bumper -- the officer smiled and agreed; no citation.

 

skip the front plate, it will destroy the look of the car imo.

 

That is the plan I'll see how long it takes me to get stopped

 

In Columbus you park at any meter or muni parking street,no plate = ticket $35 minimum !

 

My plates finally came in and I only allowed the dealer to install the rear plate. I live in Washington state and what I've been able to determine is that the front plate is still required here so I guess I begin my life as a rebel!!

I just can't bear the thought of ruining the look of the car with a front license plate. My husband had one installed on his Porsche 911 Carrera S by the dealer before we purchased the car. About a month ago he was involved in a minor accident and the insurance company opted to replace the front bumper instead of repairing it so we asked the repair shop to "forget" to reinstall the front license plate. His car looks so much better!!

I did speak to someone at the department of licensing recently who told me that they were going to change the front license plate law in Washington or that it had recently changed. Does anyone here know if that's true? I may call them again today to verify.

Thanks!
Sandy

 

As a long time Corvette owner I refused to mount a front plate here in Illinois. After 3 $75 tickets in 18 months I finally broke down and mounted one.

In these tough economic times municipalities are looking at any way to increase revenues.

So like they say, if you want to play, you have to pay.

Tom

 

Yeah - I'm expecting that I won't make it through my 4 year lease without any tickets but I'm going to try!

I know that in WA state they can't pull you over just for a missing front plate and since I have a radar detector and laser jammer installed on my car, it's less likely that I'll get pulled over. I also know when/where not to speed in my area and when on a road trip, I tend to drive a bit more conservatively.

Wish me luck!!

 

I've not had a front plate on my Z for the last 9 years. I've been pulled over twice for it and got a ticket once. They can pull you over for just a front plate, it's just that they usually have better things to do than harass missing plates on sports cars. /lol

It's a 'fix-it' ticket. About 75 bucks and then show a photo with a plate mounted. I wouldn't worry about it frankly -- a lot of policemen are car guys too and they understand. And if you get a ticket then remember he didn't make the law, it's just his job to enforce it. Paying to keep your nose unblemished isn't that big a deal in my book.

My only lament is that my XKR that I found had already got the plate mounted... so I need to either find plugs or get a new bumper. /sigh

 

The problem going w/o is that you're rolling probable cause, subject to being stopped at any time. If you never have beers after work, OK, otherwise a risk.

As a criminal defense attorney, I can't tell you how many cases get started by innocuous PC ...

 

My '08 came with the front plate already installed. That makes it the first "nice" car I ever had with an installed front plate. I immediately tried to remove the plate and plug the holes but, the paint was already effected by the plate.

So, these days I keep telling myself that it really does not look that bad and, for the first time, I am legal. That makes me feel so much better...:-)

 

I rarely drink. Usually 1-2 glasses of wine on a weekend and then it's usually my husband who drives. I had a BMW that went without a front plate for 3 years and I never got stopped but that was about 6 years ago. It's good to know where I stand legally so that I understand the risks.

 

The first photo is the license plate holder that came with the car and where it's attached.
The second photo shows the toggle bolt that attaches it. Leaves no marks. Available at Home Depot.

 

Great solution!! (if you absolutely have to...)

 

Been a while since anyone posted to this thread, but I'm still running without a front plate. In fact I'm still using the dealer paper plate in the rear as well, trying to justify the lack of a front for as long as I can get away with

That said, I have been issued a parking ticket or four, and I don't like being rolling probable cause for a bored cop. Hence reviving this thread...

I saw this amazingly cool looking product in the XK8 forum. A stealth, motorized, stealth, retractable plate hider. Way slicker than others I've seen. Seriously, if this mounts to our cars and works as advertised, I'm jumping on it! Check it out:Altec Retractable License Plate Holder - 400EU.

James Bond style (almost) for $140! Seems like a deal, but of course no idea whether there's clearance or not, or whether it'd be a problem to mount for some other reason, or whether it retracts and extends enough for our cars. Also, it could be that even retracted it'd be ugly and show the edge of the license plate and a rail/bracket. Not having seen the product in action it's hard to tell... I guess it'd extend down from the bottom of the nose. Since that's already WAY close to scraping on driveways, etc, I fear the extra size of this item would mean it'd get mangled pretty quickly. Or am I wrong?

Should this work? I'm glad to be a test case if someone with more knowledge thinks it will.

Skeeter