Chrome number plate surrounds

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SilverSaloon

MB Enthusiast
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Mar 16, 2004
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7,758
Car
1994 W124 E300D Estate, 1985 R107 280SL
hi

as some of you may have read on another thread, i've recently (last thursday infact) fitted my new number plates on a plastic chrome-effect surround from ebay....

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fitted on thursday night..... chrome has come off showing black plastic behind in just 2 days.

unfortunatly i have left the seller (who had a HUGE rating) a pos. when i recieved it; so not sure what to do now....

they were pretty cheap - about £11 for the pair - i guess u get what you pay for - anyone know if the REAL metal chrome ones are any better???? thehy are £30 + postage for the pair so i need to know that they are going to last before i buy.....

peeved off as i hope the number plates come off ok as i stuck them to the surrounds with sticky pads....

cheers :mad:
 
The plates should come off easy enough. Get them wet with some warm soapy water and the apply gentle pressure on one end with a thin flexible blade between the plate and surround. Keep the surround flat or it will crack on it's mounts (not that you're bothered in this case!)

Maybe this is a blessing..chrome surrounds are a bit erm... chav :eek: ?

They are available in metal with chrome plating however.
 
stats007 said:
Maybe this is a blessing..chrome surrounds are a bit erm... chav :eek: ?

cheers for the advice, the actual plates cost me £50 so the last thhing i want to do is damage them - not bothered about the surrounds

i personally really like the surrounds - but i think only on a silver car. they do look really classy - i'll try to get a photo of them on my car....
 
I have these plastic chrome ones, from waxacar im guessing, and they've been on for about 6 months now with no problem no black showing or anything. Maybe it was just a bad batch? You could try telling the guy and see what he says, he might be generous and send you another one, afterall you've nothing to lose! Btw have both of them blackened?

Also i've see them on sale in just about every little car accessory shop, probable works out just the same if a little more than getting it off ebay.

:D Chav or not , i like em!
 
Argos do some which are chrome plated metal for about twenty quid a pair but the edges are very very sharp being as they are pressed. If you smooth them with a fine file chances are you'll damage the CP.

Halfords have plastic chrome ones at a tenner a piece though. I'm with you on these, I think they look quite good but just on the rear.

Portzy.
 
SilverSaloon said:
cheers for the advice, the actual plates cost me £50 so the last thhing i want to do is damage them - not bothered about the surrounds

i personally really like the surrounds - but i think only on a silver car. they do look really classy - i'll try to get a photo of them on my car....

£50.00,, why so expensive,,??? oop's,, found your other thread,, raised numbers,,

i think they'll look good to,,
 
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Rumble said:
I have these plastic chrome ones, from waxacar im guessing, and they've been on for about 6 months now with no problem no black showing or anything. Maybe it was just a bad batch? You could try telling the guy and see what he says, he might be generous and send you another one, afterall you've nothing to lose! Btw have both of them blackened?

Also i've see them on sale in just about every little car accessory shop, probable works out just the same if a little more than getting it off ebay.

:D Chav or not , i like em!

yeah it was waxacar - they want the "faulty" ones returned before they send replacements. thats not good;

(a) i'll end up with a pair just the same only to wear out after i have forked out another £5 for sticky pads

(b) i wont have any number plates on my car until they send the replacements etc etc

!! any ideas? i am not too concerned about getting replacements (i'd prefer a refund) so i can buy better ones elsewhere.... i am hoping real metal chrome ones would be better but i am worried they may scuff the paintwork when clamped to the car - also will they bend slightly to sit flush on the front bumper (doubt it)

:confused: confused on what to do... :confused:
 
Rumble said:
I have these plastic chrome ones, from waxacar im guessing, and they've been on for about 6 months now with no problem no black showing or anything. Maybe it was just a bad batch? You could try telling the guy and see what he says, he might be generous and send you another one, afterall you've nothing to lose! Btw have both of them blackened?

Also i've see them on sale in just about every little car accessory shop, probable works out just the same if a little more than getting it off ebay.

:D Chav or not , i like em!

Me too..... had mine for about a year ....... seem fine

They look good on a white car ....
 
Howard said:
Me too..... had mine for about a year ....... seem fine

They look good on a white car ....

are you sure they are the plastic ones? he also sells metal ones (which i am hoping i can organise a swap for).

i fitted thursday night - drove friday, saturday, noticed sunday that the chrome "paint(?)" has worn off in several areas, on both the rear and the front (front very badly)......
 
Yes, mine are plastic..... they have a kind of chrome 'covering ' (probably heat shrinked one ....

Seem fine.
 
yeah definately plastic and if you have any small car accessory shops i think they do them for about £6-7 each, no point getting them from halfords.

Also you might want to try pound shops for double sided foam tape or pads, always a bargain.
 
:rolleyes: what a weekend...

recieved the replacement real metal chrome surrounds - not impressed due to these reasons:

1. the number plate doesnt sit inside the space as well as the plastic one....
2. the metal ones sit flat on the bodywork, so there is no space behind the surround for the screw to tighten into to provide a flat space for the number plate to stick into....
3. very sharp edge on the metal surround worries me thinking it will scuff/scratch the paintwork

so i will keep with the plastic ones... will replace the "soiled" ones when summer comes.... hopefully with better results.

will screw the metal ones to my wifes car as her number plates are already screwed in (not stuck on)....


i tried halfords ones too - looked too bulky and thick - didnt like them at all. guy in shop unhelpful when i asked how good they were... told me they wouldnt rust - hmm it doesnt take a genius to work out plastic wont rust
 
Personally, i have never been a fan of any number plate surround weather they be plastic or chrome.

I prefer the chrome finshed screws on rear and black screw on the front.
 

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