Import sized number plates

[Shamrockez]

Hi Sorry, i don't own a Micra, but I have a question about them - well, sort of. I've seen a few import Micras with import sized plates on the rear. Some of them have had all the letters/numbers on the same line - and I was wondering if any of you guys know where I could get one made up for my import New Beetle?

Thanks

*Lucy*

 

[paul_k10_Lx]

loads of ebaysellers do them

 

[Pete]

alot of motor factors will offer import plates FOR IMPORTED CARS ONLY. The different styles are daft. The legal typeset is that that you see on most japanese imports but for some reason there is a second typeset that alot of american imports tend to have on (all the text squished onto one line) because it looks alot like an american licence plate.

 

[Shamrockez]

Thanks for your replies. This is the kind of plate I'm looking for:

(hope Elliot doesn't mind me using a pic of his car - I'll remove it if he wants).

The law states that you can use an import sized plate on an imported car which doesn't have space for a normal one.

The size of the recess is this:

And my show plate looks like this:

Obviously that's miss spaced so not legal. But I was thinking if I could get one made up like the Micra above, then plate would almost read what it's supposed to, and still be legal.

I've had a look on ebay but can't find anyone who will do the numbers/letters all on the same line.

I don't suppose anyone knows the measurements for this kind of plate?

Thanks,

*Lucy*

 

[Arnold]

Elliot's one looks like a motorbike plate. At various car shows, you'l always find a stand where someone is making custom plates, different sizes etc! You could always try one of those if you cant find anywhere which makes them

 

[Shamrockez]

My Dad lives inthe Channel Islands and has a friend who will make up any kind of plate for him (that's where my miss spaced one came from), so if it's just a motorbike plate with import letters on, then that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

 

[waseem]

try www.fancyplates.com.com thats where i got my plates made from they do imports and any size & style you require

 

[Shamrockez]

Cheers - I'll have a look at that when I get home (blocked at work).

Don't suppose you know what size (inches) it should be? There seems to be loads of different sizes for import plates and I don't know which the right one is!

 

[Elliot]

Hi,

Gosh, that's an old pic of my old car...lol.

The plate on it was from my works, which supplies the plates for all of the Skyline's we deal with.

They are made by a company further down the road from us called Boundary car care. Their contact number is: 01744 813282

Just tell them the dimension in width taking off a few mm's per side for the recess in your bumper. Then tell them the height, and just let them that you want all of the letters/numbers on the same line.

I have the same plate on my Skyline too:

My celica has the traditional style Jap sized plates, which I'm not too kean, so will probably upgrade to the same one's on it soon.

-Elliot

 

[Antony]

right then, as a person that makes plates for a living, and is registered by the DVLA to make plates. i seriously suggest you dont do it.
the single line plates on the micra and skyline are normal car square plates, (aka land rover plate size) with motorcycle letters on. wich is highly illegal unless you have a motor bike or a japanese import. (note it is for jap and american cars only, not beetles)

plus, you must still have a gap twice the size of the gap between the letters, between the two sets of letters.

im sorry but it cant be done and pass an mot... and you will be flagged up on the VOSA number plate recognition machines.

get a japanese car...lol

 

[Shamrockez]

It IS an American car - it was imported from Texas in 2000 - hence steering wheel on the 'wrong' side and smaller plate recess.

The 'legal' plate on it at the mo is a propper sized legal plate, with legal import sized letters:

This is a bike plate with bike sized plate with bike sized letters:

And this is a 'Land Rover' sized plate - which as you can see, doesn't fit! the plate was too high for the recess and everytime you took something out the boot, it caught:

So if I get an import sized plate - as seen in the top pic, with legal sized import font (it is an import), with legal spacing - but all on one line, would that be ok?

I would take it to the DVLA local office, and the local police to see if it was legal first, as I don't want to loose the plate.

Cheers

*Lucy*

 

[Pete]

As far as i'm aware, if it abides by the letter spacing rule for the import sized letters it doesn't matter. If, with the approved letters and the approved spacing, you can fit it all in one line (dubious weather you could or not) then you 'should' be fine.

 

[nismo_k12]

ive got a question.

why you got an imported lhd american beetle for??? not cheaper to get a european one?

 

[Kirton]

if you dont mind me asking, why did you get an imported one from America? You could have got one from the UK which surely would have been cheaper. Or is it a special model that you can't get here?

 

[Shamrockez]

As far as i'm aware, if it abides by the letter spacing rule for the import sized letters it doesn't matter. If, with the approved letters and the approved spacing, you can fit it all in one line (dubious weather you could or not) then you 'should' be fine.

that's what I thought. I've had a good look at the regs on the DVLA website, and I've measured it, and it will fit onto one line. I'll prob get one made up, then take it down to DVLA, police etc to see what they think.

 

[Shamrockez]

I bought him last year, and he was imported back in 2000. The difference between a LHD TDi (which is what I wanted cos I'm doing over 25k a year) is more than £2000. As a poor student, I couldn't afford to pay £2k for the steering wheel to be in the 'right' place.

I could have got a European spec TDi but they were the same price as mine. Plus, I've always wanted a red one to match the red 71 Bug I have.

I may have bought with my heart and not my head But I love him to bits and wouldn't change him for the world.

It's amazing how quick you get used to LHD. I bought him from somewhere in the middle of London - so I had to get used to it pretty quick!

Cheers guys

*Lucy*

 

[nismo_k12]

sounds good to me lol