Or 135k for an ORG45M?
tinyurl.com/bvcbf3g - Daily Mail
edit, might help to put the right link in - d'oh
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 20 Dec 12 at 21:27
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Only a rickhead would a PEN15 on a plate.
I quite like Nicky Clarke's H41 RDO though.
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I think you'd have to pay me a lot more than that to drive around with any of those numbers on.
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I dont get private plates, I just dont. I get a free one with the car.
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I've already got one thanks, I suppose if I were to lose it I might stretch to GBP90K for a replacement as I do find it quite useful ;-)
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I've never understood this. But I suppose 'vanity' plate sums it up?
Locally, we have the system of Province then town then sequential numbers
so CA 123 456 was Cape Province, Cape Town, and 123 456.
Then they added a vanity system, so you can buy a 6-letter code, followed by a provincial code - FRED-WP.
makes no sense apart from a 'look at me' factor, and if you do drive like a muppet, then FRED-WP is easier to remember than CA 774 604!
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I'd quite an amusing reg plate such as HAV 1T or LUV 1t, and no-doubt there's the odd B1 TCH about somewhere.
:-))
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They are often known as Prat Plates, and for obvious reasons
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There's a 911 I sometimes see on the Surrey stretch of the M3 with a cracking plate
BA51ARD
There's a strategically placed numberplate screw to modify the 1 to look like a T
I have no problem with these plates. They certainly do no harm, and in cases like this one, bring a smile to an otherwise tedious commute.
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I don't mind them either. And I have seen PEN15: on a silver S class Bentley in the late sixties/early seventies. I was very pleased because I had a two-tone silver/gunmetal Bentley at the time, albeit an older one, and was in psychoanalysis (Freud held the view that any machine appearing in a dream was a penis). I wondered if the owner of the S class was also seeing a shrink.
Even then, though, I don't think I'd have paid good money to stand out from the crowd. I certainly wouldn't now.
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They give me a laff as well. A neighbour of a friend has TWA 71E with the 7 doctored slightly to look like a T.
Ted
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>> They are often known as Prat Plates, and for obvious reasons
What are those obvious reasons?
"I don't want to do it, and therefore anyone else who does is a prat"?
Whilst I wouldn't pay for a plate, or at least not anything like real money, I cannot say I'm offended by those who do. All seems pretty harmless to me.
And as DP says, they bring the occasional smile.
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I am not offended in any way and nobody would care if I was either. People don't tend to walk around with signs across their backs with their names on, except sports people and their followers. I can understand personalised luggage straps. I don't see what pleasure a man called Bert, say, gets from driving around in a car with the number plate 8ERT. People see it and think I wonder if he is called Bert and that is the end of the matter. A cheap way of telling people who you are, if you want to tell them, is to print a banner poster with the information on it and stick it across the bottom of the rear window of your car. Costs nothing and conveys the uninteresting information.
I agree that they may cause amusement but at a price that I don't think is good value for my money!
Last edited by: Meldrew on Fri 21 Dec 12 at 14:02
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I entirely agree with that, especially since some of them are so obscure and not actually funny when (if) you do actually work them out.
Bit like bumper stickers, some of which are funny if you seem them once. Not usually funny if you see them twice and would annoy me if I'd got one.
However, I see no harm in it as I said and terms like "prat plates" just annoy me.
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"...some of them are so obscure and not actually funny when (if) you do actually work them out."
Totally agree. And people paying that sort of money (well, for the so-called personalised plates, especially exotic ones) have a strange set of priorities, in my view - the money would be better used by charities.
The purely fun ones are - well, just a few seconds fun, but at least raise a smile. I would count PEN15 as one of those.
However, I wouldn't want to deny the right of people to make idiots of themselves.
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I find they are often an indicator of a driver it is wise to be wary of. The vertically challenged guy with a complex in a 4X4 pickup with wide wheels and chrome roll bars etc. for example.
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15-20 years ago saw a large" teddy bear" get out his ROLLER, up by Harrods, with his plate being ..... GAY 50D,,,,, say no more.
Recently on A3 saw M11NEY, and over Bracknell LYD14 , my daughters name so took a photo, only on a BMW, so bit disappointed
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Until a few months ago I regularly saw FEK 1T on a Yaris in Settle. Seems to have disappeared.
I still have P444NUT on retention after my exs daughter wrote of her KA. Just hoping someone might buy it off me at some point. Im quite happy with the 04 plate on my Beemer.
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I once owned V107 FET, but couldn't find a shrinking violet to buy it.
I bought a Micra, TAZ NNNN for my daughter Caroline. Got some stick for not finding CAZ.
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We had someone at work who was frequently getting stopped by the police-couldn't understand why! His number was AMP 15T!!
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A family in the street have private plates the whole family have the same first name then a number which is part of there name.
Looks sad but each to there own.
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>> A family in the street have private plates the whole family have the same first
>> name then a number which is part of there name.
>>
>> Looks sad but each to there own.
>>
It's basically just a convenient tax on the stupid. In many ways better than normal taxes, because it gets the rich AND stupid.
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PEN 15 was owned by motorcycle racer Steve Parrish, the patron of a lorry drivers' charity often mentioned here.
When I worked at a backstreet bodyshop in the 90s a regular customer (a bit of a wideboy) rolled up grinning one day in a newish Merc sporting "BOL 10K"... We teased him for weeks afterwards by asking what "Boliok" was supposed to mean.
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There was a guy round here who I knew in the 80s. He was not too legal and made money around the fringes of the motor trade......mostly trading from home. He had 3 identities and eventually got himself a couple of years bird for clocking.
He found out about a loophole/anomaly in the DVLA at the time. I think it ran like this. You thought of a reg number that was nice or valuable....say A1. Ring the DVLA saying you'd been offered a Morris Minor, reg no. A1 and were a bit suspicious about it. They would say the no. was allocated to another car, in which case you'd say ' Thanks, I'd better leave it then ' .
Or, they'd say ' We have no record of this car ' This was at a time when records were being computerised. If this was the case, he'd apply for a V5, making up a model and VIN. I know he got a few V5s this way.
It was no problem for him to get an MOT, tax the ' car ' using trader's insurance then sell on the number.
Ted
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But Ted, that isn't even very 'wide' by motor trade standards, and more importantly it involves quite a lot of what would seem work to me (being a highly trained bureaucrat more or less, I hate forms and bureaucracy so much that I sometimes get into trouble for it or lose money).
Cherished or meaningful or semi-suggestive number plates seem to be everywhere just now. Saw one tonight, can't remember it or the car but it included I think 33FKT... Perhaps they aren't really there though and I am hallucinating like a friend who had a psychotic episode during which car number plates were sending him messages. He also had dreams which scared him witless, and attempts to use reason and analysis to make him see them in a different light were worse than useless. Some fool of a quack subjected him to electroshock therapy - not entirely dissimilar to hitting someone over the head with a baseball bat - but fortunately that was cut short and he recovered. Perhaps the shocks worked in a way, I hate to admit.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Thu 27 Dec 12 at 00:38
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...BOL 10K...
I think I've mentioned OBO 110X before, presumably issued in all innocence in 1981-82, but not to the black Range Rover Sport that I saw it on.
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Thu 27 Dec 12 at 09:57
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The top three postings currently read
'Would you pay 90k to get your hands on a PEN15?
Does such a tool exist
.... and what to replace it with'
well it amused me ;-0
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I know 2 families who each have the reg plate ending in the 3 letter family surname. And extensive families too.
One family are a complete set of didgery do's, the other strangely normal (to all outward appearances).
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I had a "private" plate for donkey's years. It wouldn't have meant much to anyone else in that it didn't spell or even appear to spell anything instantly recognisable but it was more like a crossword clue which, if solved, described my business. So in the respect of being in any way amusing or useful, well, it just wasn't but I sort of liked it enough to keep it for many years. It certainly wasn't capable of making my car look more desirable as it spent most of its time with me on workaday estate cars.
So why did I have it? Vanity? Don't think so. An attempt at humour? Well, it wasn't funny. Disguising the age my car? Why would I feel inclined to do that to a diesel Mondeo estate?
I can't really say to be honest, I just sort of liked it and that was fine by me. Seemed to irritate some others though although I'm not sure why.
In the end, I suppose I just got bored with the faff of changing it from vehicle to vehicle. I know it's not difficult but it wasn't really that important to me so eventually I got rid of it.
For what it's worth I think the practice of having a private plate has sort of moved from initially being some kind of exclusivity statement through to just being popular fashion and finally to being a bit naff. Most fashion driven items follow a similar cycle.
I think it has been a side effect or extension of the trend for conspicuous consumption we saw through the late '80s the '90s and the early part of this century where many were seduced into badge display on their clothes and other consumer goods. As if having a label displayed to the outside world was an affirmation of personal identity and affiliation. Humans are desperately desirous to be differently the same.
However, like most things which don't have serious consequences or effects on others I really don't mind or care at all what others do. It doesn't affect, concern, offend or register with me me in any way and harms no one other than those who frankly, somewhat irrationally, allow it to annoy them.
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>>>I had a "private" plate for donkey's years. It wouldn't have meant much to anyone else in that it didn't spell or even appear to spell anything instantly recognisable but it was more like a crossword clue which, if solved, described my business. So in the respect of being in any way amusing or useful, well, it just wasn't but I sort of liked it enough to keep it for many years. It certainly wasn't capable of making my car look more desirable as it spent most of its time with me on workaday estate cars.
100% the same as the "cherished" plate that is now on the old Alfa. We've owned it for for some 25yrs and it has only ever been on older vehicles, never our new ones. The characters have a more pleasing form than the random jumble often found. No mis-spacing needed and no-one needs to worry about what it's supposed to be. Its use trancends current fashion for "nearly" spellings and what are slightly unkindly termed prat plates (the prat is more often the owner than the plate anyway).
Moving it over to the "new" car is little more trouble than phoning up and swapping the insurance. Seeing it on each car in turn just adds the same familiarity as transfer of the first aid kit, emergency tow rope, tyre changing gloves etc etc.
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Ah now then Fenlander ! Are we to resultantly deduce then that you may be inclined to keep the Alfa for more than a few weeks now?
Can't say you could be faulted for wanting to !
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>>I had a "private" plate for donkey's years. It wouldn't have meant much to anyone else in that it didn't spell or even appear to spell anything instantly recognisable but it was more like a crossword clue which, if solved, described my business.
P81 MRK ?
New years resolution: I must be kind to people.
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>>>now then Fenlander ! Are we to resultantly deduce then that you may be inclined to keep the Alfa for more than a few weeks now?
Well the number had been hibernating on retention for 3yrs so it needed an outing anyway.
But yes I'm very much enjoying the Alfa... so much so that my weekly mileage has doubled as I keep finding excuses to use it.
Of course there's only room for a toothbrush in the boot so we'll need to shuffle cars around if it stays beyond May (hols needs). Mrs F drove it today for the first time and was *very* taken with the effortless power, direct steering and secure handling after her 70hp C3. She was also taken aback how fast 2500rpm in 5th was on a local country road!
I'm just wondering if she might want the Alfa as her commute car (10mls each way of quiet twisty B-roads) then I can sell her C3 and get myself something that will do holidays.... a new Ling car or perhaps the ultimate pairing... a 2005ish Mondeo Estate.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Thu 27 Dec 12 at 15:31
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If I was going to buy another Mk3 Mondeo estate, I think I might try to find one with the 2.2 / 155hp diesel engine. The STs are still fetching good ( probably too good ) money but the others are fairly much a bargain now.
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P.S. to above. Tell you what I have noticed Fenlander. Jag X-Type estates are getting to be quite good value...
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an old friend of mine was given a new company car with the plate "???? NOB" on it, another of our happy band immediately said "I did not realise you were getting a personalised plate" - one of the funniest off the cuff immediate responses to something I've ever seen
Oh those were the days...
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I recall, in the '60s, Leeds City Police took delivery of a fleet of the then new ' Panda ' cars.
All had reg numbers MUG ***D or similar. They were soon re-registered before hitting the streets.
Ted
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For those with spare cash....
FU 1 is available fo just under£100K
or thr famous FU 2 for £210K
Times are hard ?
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Best one locally - local BUTCHER - m1nce.
In local use Mince = Rubbish.
It was on a Suzuki mini van originally- battered and bruised example however it is now no a newer van - another Suzuki. He also owns m2nce which varies X5, big Merc etc etc
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I actually dont care what somebody's initials are but, if they want to tell me, they can do it by putting a printed banner along the bottom of their rear window saying " Hi - my initials are
A B C." Job done for nothing!
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I used to have a "private" plate. I also used to wear flared trousers. I have neither of those now.
Others are of course free to continue with whatever pleases them. None of my business.
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>> None of my business.
Quite. I like amusing number plates and find it rather sweet that some people are prepared to pay for one with their initials or their profession, or one like PEN15 which I actually saw on a silver Bentley (with some bad body rust) in London many years ago.
But I'm far too idle and indifferent, not to say poor, to search one out and pay for it myself.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sun 17 Aug 14 at 12:18
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"I also used to wear flared trousers."
Where the hell can I get them from? I've been wanting a good pair of flared jeans for a few years. And I'm not talking about the 'boot cut', I want proper flared jeans like I used to wear in the late 70s. Totally bulge-tastic.
Last edited by: BiggerBadderDave on Sun 17 Aug 14 at 13:15
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My purchase of initials for SWM was just a sop to limit the earache when I came home with the unauthorised purchase of another motorcycle.................it worked as well !
The one on the Jowett has been with me for over 40yrs. It's a ' nice ' number, inasmuch as it has good letters....** CFR. Easy initials to match with a name if it ever gets sold on. It's not original for the car anyway......transferred off a Hillman I owned at the time. Only a fiver as well !
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Years ago, somebody who worked for a numberplate trader said the one on my vintage Morgan was worth £3500. Never could see it to be honest as it's two letters, UH, followed by four numbers. No digit repeats, and the number 1 is not one of the four digits. UH is a Cardiff number.
But it's not for sale anyway. Old numbers suit old cars and paying shedloads of dosh for one is silly.
Last edited by: Slidingpillar on Sun 17 Aug 14 at 14:56
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Would never pay serious money for a number plate, perhaps for something personal £250 tops, I have seen the shortened version of my partners name on a registration within the normal letters and thought that would be cool.
I hate those plates that have the devils number in them - tempting fate imho! :-)
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>> Old numbers suit old cars and paying shedloads of
>> dosh for one is silly.
>>
I agree. An old car looks more complete with an appropriate number, and dispels doubt that it might be a fake, but that's as far as it goes for me.
When I see supposedly personalised numbers I always wonder what the significance of the non-initial bit is supposed to be.
If your name is John Derek Adams I suppose having JDA in the number might be fun if you like wasting money, but what is the point of M6 JDA, unless you live on the M6 perhaps?
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I think prat plates are a wonderful warning that the driver's expendable income vastly exceeds their driving ability.
You watch the antics of some of them!
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>> I think prat plates are a wonderful warning that the driver's expendable income vastly exceeds
>> their driving ability.
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>> You watch the antics of some of them!
But how many inherited the plate?
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>>
>> But how many inherited the plate?
>>
Well I could understand feeling a bit smug if I were Lord Montagu and inherited A1 or something, but otherwise, do people inherit plates? A bit of a faff getting them valued for probate, and paying inheritamce tax of course on the valuable ones.
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>> Well I could understand feeling a bit smug if I were Lord Montagu and inherited
>> A1 or something, but otherwise, do people inherit plates? A bit of a faff getting
>> them valued for probate, and paying inheritamce tax of course on the valuable ones.
Some stick in families. We have one comprising three letters and the number 21. Mrs B's maternal grandfather procured it on the occasion of his eldest daughter's 21st birthday and placed it on the James motorcycle which was her present.
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>> I think prat plates are a wonderful warning that the driver's expendable income vastly exceeds
>> their driving ability.
>>
>> You watch the antics of some of them!
>>
Max Clifford had a personalised number plate.
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Here's one I'd love to own - car and plate:
www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C469499
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Staying with friends near Oban recently, I saw the reg E3 USK on a BMW X5 outside the Ee-Usk restaurant (Gaelic for Fish, I understand). I remarked to my friend that times must be good in the fish restaurant business, his reply was "Not really, that number was on a Ferrari last year".
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Yesterday morning in Reading, a white Range Rover Evoque with the plate 10 VEU.
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Back before they became unfashionable, in fact before they became fashionable even, I remember seeing a red 911 with TUR 80 on it and a publican's XJS with 50 BER.
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> a red 911 with TUR 80 on it..
I used to see that quite regularly around the A322 and M3 J3 in the early 90's.
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The missus and I had a weekend in Oban a couple of years ago. When we went out on the Sat night the rule was that we were not allowed to eat or drink anything that we would normally have.
So for dinner we went to Ee-usk which is an absolutely fabulous fish restaurant overlooking the bay and we had various fish dishes that we would never normally have.
Was very surprised how much I enjoyed it and the waiters were very good at bringing us different dishes and samples to taste. Also has an interesting menu which focusses on how local the fish is caught.
www.eeusk.com/menus/evening-menu/
salivating just reading that..........
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I was given money for my 40th birthday and used it to buy a new racing bike.
Six months later I sold it because I just preferred my existing hybrid bike.
I wanted to use the money to get something which wouldn't disappear and could stay with me for life. Since I have no interest in jewellery I looked into getting a private plate and ended up with one that has my initials and birth day.
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One of our Jowett Club members had a field full of cars rotting away next to his house.
One was a Javelin reg no O 11.........I tried to get it out of him but he wasn't for selling it Now Askmid shows it on something else. That was 40 yrs ago when plates didn't have the mad values they have now.
I did resurrect SPC 5 from a tax disc found behind the trim of a Javelin I owned. Ran a Nissan Prairie then a BX on it 'til I sold it.
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It always surprises me when companies get the same letter sequences for their lorry fleet, e.g. AB10 BMB for Bristol Metal Bashers. All their lorries would have registrations ending in BMB.
The companies that did this were invaribly I having cash flow issues!
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Would you pay 90k to get your hands on a PEN15? - Dog
