As a new member, please pardon me if this subject has been raised elsewhere. I recently purchased a pristine, low-milage 2006 XK8 coupe that is currently in storage. The car came with no front license plate mounting, which I prefer. The specialist car dealer that registered and arranged storage advised that other of their customers have avoided front plates in New Jersey, with success, though a front plate is required by law. I intend to use the car sparingly, not on toll roads, generally minimizing 'exposure'. Can others comment about their experience with no front license plate, on a car that I think is somewhat diminished in looks by the additional of one?

 

I don't have a front plate on my XKR, and though required in California, I have not been stopped while driving. On the other hand, I have received several parking tickets when parked at a meter or even at a public golf course. What I do now is I keep the plate in my trunk with two 6" long screws on each side, and when I park in public, I take it out, poke the screws through my mesh grill, and it sits there as if installed. Occasionally, I have forgotten to pull the plate off and return it to the trunk, and it has stayed on without fastening all the way home.

 

Welcome to the forum Christopher,

I fully agree with you about the licence plate diminishing the looks of the XK8 (and all other modern Jaguars). Unfortunately I live in a country where it isn't an option!

I'll leave it to NJ members to comment on success or otherwise of not fitting a plate.

When you get a minute, please follow this link New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the New Member Area - Intro a MUST forum and post some info about yourself and your vehicle for all members to see. In return you'll get a proper welcome and some useful advice about posting to the forum.

Graham

 

When I was at a recent car show I saw several cars with the front plate sitting on the dash. I guess that might avoid a ticket if you claim the plate fell off and you are waiting fro the OEM bolts to arrive.

 

Hello Christopher and Welcome. I live in Maine are we are also required to have front plates. I do not put them on my vehicles and I have the mounting bracket in the truck for the Jag. When I purchased the car it had the plate zip tied to the front for state inspection purposes. I have been pulled over previously in a Vette without the plate and was issued a defect slip. I would say certain vehicles may get more "attention" and being pulled over was probably to check on "other things". Good luck with your new to you Jag!

 

Welcome aboard. I suspect it has a lot to do with usage. A daily-driver like mine will get stopped eventually as cops see it over and over. (Fortunately for me, I got just a warning.)

I've resigned myself to having a front plate on there, but find it a lot less objectionable if moved below the grille. (This pic is of my '01, but same deal on my current '03)

 

Was just pulled over by a friendly Maryland State Tropper, had the front license plate inside windshield. Received two citations one for missing front plate and one for a cover on plates, $70 each. Now I have a Skene Design holder which screws in from below so no holes in the bumper drilled from the front.

Police has been diminished to street walkers making money for the state. I was pulled out of the middle lane while others were passing me above speed limit but probably below where it was worth their time. Big crime averted and the public is now safer. it use to be a "fix it" ticket and now it is a cash cow.

 

Texas requires a plate on both ends as well. I drove for decades with various import cars without one, including my XK8. That is until I got ticketed for it during a traffic violation stop.

Paying the ticket was $150, but when I went to the court and had an officer verify it was now installed, they reduced it to $10 and a warning.

It is now attached to the front bumperettes with zip ties. I added a plate frame so from 5 feet away you can't tell it isn't mounted permanently. Not so bad and saves the hassle if you're stopped.

And so the world remains safe for all mankind.

p.s. It is illegal in Texas to display the plate in the front window

 

This might be an option for you as well... take a look at the link below

- Hide The Plate.com

I am in agreement with those folks who think the front plate on the XK8/XKR takes a lot away from the natural beauty. I don't know if I'm going the automatic or manual route but the "fold it out of sight" plate option definitely appeals to me. Currently my front plate and it's bracket are in the trunk.

 

+1 with tberg in California. I've had my Jag for just over a year with no front plate, no problems so far. I have been considering a retractable plate frame. Has anyone had success with one on an early 97 XK8?

 

I think forum member mjlaris (aka Mark) has the motorized hide-a-plate. Maybe he will come along and give his opinion.

 

In the great state of Illinois, we are also required to run with a front plate. I don't have one on my XK8 or my XJSC, but do on my daily driver LR3. So I think a lot of it comes down to usage.. how often will they see your car?

I've been lucky so far, with no hassles about the missing plate.

 

I drove my '05 for two years in Connecticut with the front plate safely stowed in the trunk until my daughter got a ticket for not having a front plate on her Scion. I decided I just didn't need the aggravation, so I attached the plate to the front plinth (or whatever it's called) between the bumperettes with black zip ties. Not sure if that's legal, but think it's unlikely to cause problems, and I really couldn't bear to drill any holes just to mount a rather useless plate. I considered the "hide-away" mount but given the number of times I have scraped the underside of the front bumper -- often on my own driveway! -- I knew I'd wreck it in no time.

 

I live close to the edge of Minnesota which is a front plate. It's been my daily driver for 5 years now with no issues...in Minnesota. When I was dating my now wife, who lived in South Dakota, the same cop gave me a warning twice in one month. I wasn't quite sure how a SD cop could enforce a MN law, but there you go.

 

I confess! I did drill holes in the apron, but not where you might guess from the position of the plate. They're down near the bottom of the apron; you have to get down on the ground to see them.

 

I can't stand front license plates and am looking at one of these also

Show N Go Frame Holder - License Plate Bracket

All depends where you live and whether or not the cops want to be pests about it, but nowadays it usually involves some kind of cash transfer, yes. Never understood why it's so critical when motorcycles like mine have tiny rear plates and never have front plates anywhere I've been.

State governments could save a lot of money (and aluminum) by not printing up two plates for each registration.

 

That's why all you got was a warning. He was really looking for something else - like probable cause - each time you got pulled over. It's a bad stop if he's stopping you for things that don't violate the laws of his jurisdiction, even more so if he repeats the bad stop.

 

Hi Dennis,

Do you have any closer up photos of your mounting - that looks pretty neat; and not so low as to hit the ground.

I'm in CT, and got stopped by a friendly cop last fall who gave me a verbal warning. He told me that they never used to enforce the rule, but with all the automated license plate scanners it was just a matter of time before I got caught - and fined. The scanners will apparently detect when they see a car with a missing plate...

I did buy the Jaguar plinth (goes between the bumperettes), but it really does look bad IMO. Yours is the best looking compromise I've seen between scraping it and ruining the looks. Wouldn't be so bad if US plates weren't so tall. I've even thought of cutting or bending the plate to fit a european style plinth....

-Steve

 

Fixer,

On the run until tomorrow evening now. Back to you then (if the creek don't rise) ...

 

Yelp Hawaii requires front plate also but I've never installed one for anything other than getting my safety inspection, no issues so far with three cares and 24 years living here.