number plate type ? number plate surround delete? what's your setup?

[croak2012]

whats your setup?

I'm going to buy new grills for my front and also new number plates to freshen everything up.

I was thinking about getting rid of surround and getting some aluminium plates with magnets/suckers? anygood?
embossed or not?

or the clean plastic look with no eu badge/border etc and autohaus surround... ?

anybody seen/have those 3d gel number plates ? are they gimmicky or do they actually look stylish?

[Trow81]

I have aluminium pressed plates and autohaus surround but only on the rear as I have a smooth front grille looks good imo. I have read that the gel plates don't last long and begin to peel but I've never used them myself tbh so can't really say


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[grey golfster]

Agree, have seen the gel dome ones peeling.

[rashg60]

You can't really go wrong with a set of aluminium pressed plates - they look clean and stylish.

I'm not a fan of the gel plates - look a little tacky in my opinion.

[Matto]

Personally I wouldn't bother with magnets again. I had them for a while when I had a smooth grill. The number plate was backed with felt to stop the magnets scratching the grill panel but because the felt is like a sponge, it held the water and corroded the magnets.

I then tried the suckers which worked for a while but needed super gluing to the number plate as they wouldn't hold. They just went hard and I came out to the number plate on the floor a few times.

I got fed up and went back to having the standard surround although shortening it down to suit my private plate.

[croak2012]

I have aluminium pressed plates and autohaus surround but only on the rear as I have a smooth front grille looks good imo. I have read that the gel plates don't last long and begin to peel but I've never used them myself tbh so can't really say


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how have you attached your front plate?
can you use double sided tape on alu plates?

thanks

[Trow81]

Front plate is in the window or there is no point having a smooth grille will probably get a small plate and relocate at the front somewhere. Plate has been in the window for over a year and never been stopped
The rear plate surround can either be fixed on with number plate stickies few quid from Halfords or screwed into bumper

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[croak2012]

OK thanks, pressed plates orderd.... I kin d of like a clean look-   does autohaus surround look  good ? everyone... don't want screw holes .... I would like a smooth grille but not sure I would be comfortable with plate on dash...

[Trow81]

Surround looks good in the back I've stuck my in rather than screw but there will prob already be two screw hikes behind the plate when u remove it


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[croak2012]

damn ... my embossed aluminum plates have arrived but... they have a black border around then hmmm.... I will have to go with the border now as I can't send them back haha.... would the number plate surround cover the embossed border ? 

[mr lobitos]

I've got a couple of surrounds sitting in the garage you can have for just  the price of the postage

[croak2012]

hey lobitos - I'm looking into autohaus ones but thanks!
surround on my plates :( maybe would look better with no surround at all ...

[Ashjstarr]

I went with smoothed grille from ebay


Fits nicely but paint finish isnt great so will end up re-painting it in spring.

Also have ali pressed plates, they look awesome and ive put them on every car ive owned.

Ran the front one in the window for a while but got fed up of it rattling against the dash/windscreen so fixed it to the front with pads from halfords, still looks cleaner than the stock grille imo.

[croak2012]

I went with smoothed grille from ebay


Fits nicely but paint finish isnt great so will end up re-painting it in spring.

Also have ali pressed plates, they look awesome and ive put them on every car ive owned.

Ran the front one in the window for a while but got fed up of it rattling against the dash/windscreen so fixed it to the front with pads from halfords, still looks cleaner than the stock grille imo.

just ordered a gt grille that has a surround -- but if it does not look good I will probably just do the same thing as you - buy a fresh grill and stick my ali plates with halfords pads... thanks

[Dave J]

Well I always thought I'd go with the magnets or suckers route on the front, and neither seemed ideal.

So I got a reflective sticker vinyl plate to go on my OEM US smoothed grille - just not sure if to do it, or fit the shortened hard plate with velco / tape. Both are 'technically' show plates, but have proper font, size, spacing, reflectiveness, postcode, etc. Would still ping ANPR cameras if car was stolen, etc. Just not sure if I want to do it now & keep the huuge OEM number plate plinth.
It would look so much cleaner without the plinth and original plate though...