Front number holder: flat not curved

[Dhilz]

I am fitting 4d plates to my C117 and was wondering if its possible to swap the front number plate holder from a curved one to one that holds the plate flat? It would make fitting the front plate a lot easier as it would not have to be heated and curved to fit, which is not easy with a 4d plate.

Does anyone sell a front number plate holder that gives a straight flat fitting surface for the plate?

 

[BigJase88]

Best ones to bend are metal plates. You can get these from Halfords plus they look better than 4D.

4D plates belong on an 18 y/o's Corsa

 

[Dhilz]

Ok thanks for your input. 4D plates are legal on any car, not just Corsa's.

 

[BigJase88]

Ok thanks for your input. 4D plates are legal on any car, not just Corsa's.

Yeah but they do look tack

 

[Dhilz]

Yeah but they do look tack

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, its really got me thinking

 

[SmartAmg]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, its really got me thinking

Don't think, if you like them, get them, personally I think they look ok, you could say pressed metal plates only look good on Vdubs, not Mercs, as for the plate holder, what about just putting the plate on the car, no holder at all, that's what I did, looks good.

 

[Dhilz]

Don't think, if you like them, get them, personally I think they look ok, you could say pressed metal plates only look good on Vdubs, not Mercs, as for the plate holder, what about just putting the plate on the car, no holder at all, that's what I did, looks good.

Was my attempt as sarcasm, was only thinking the above was not helping
But without a holder don't you still have to deal with curving the plate to fit the curve in the front bumper?

 

[whitenemesis]

Do you have front parking sensors? If so be careful a flat reg plate doesn't stick out too far and set it off. Pretty sure it used to be an issue with the W211

 

[Germgh0st]

Best ones to bend are metal plates. You can get these from Halfords plus they look better than 4D.

4D plates belong on an 18 y/o's Corsa

Whilst I don't care much for 4D plates, that's just personal choice, they're a better option to pressed metal plates which aren't legal in the UK as they don't confirm to BS AU145. This states they have to be made of a reflective material, not a material made reflective, and they must spring back to shape when bent.

 

[OldskoolRS]

Was my attempt as sarcasm, was only thinking the above was not helping
But without a holder don't you still have to deal with curving the plate to fit the curve in the front bumper?

Not sure what C Class yours is, but I'd also think that removing the mount would leave some kind of marks not necessarily covered by the new plate. It's generally pretty friendly on here, but I found number plates (and how many screws used(!) or chrome surrounds (as a temp fix as my rear one was really crooked) seems to set some people off. Even better though; show a picture of your car with an AMG badge on it and stand back for all the 'advice' as to how to remove it. I didn't put it on my car, but wasn't bothered enough to remove it (probably show some fading or maybe marks behind it), but boy did it set off some posters on here...

If you buy 4D plates from Halfords, do they still have an obvious 'Halfords' logo on them? I have a voucher to get a new plate for mine as the dealer made such a mess of it, but I didn't want to replace one plate with a dealer logo on with another showing (sorry) slightly naff Halfords logo. I'm probably just getting the standard plate otherwise I'd have to replace front one as well to match (OCD I know ), but 4D might be worth it, just to post on here.

 

[Dhilz]

Not sure what C Class yours is, but I'd also think that removing the mount would leave some kind of marks not necessarily covered by the new plate. It's generally pretty friendly on here, but I found number plates (and how many screws used(!) or chrome surrounds (as a temp fix as my rear one was really crooked) seems to set some people off. Even better though; show a picture of your car with an AMG badge on it and stand back for all the 'advice' as to how to remove it. I didn't put it on my car, but wasn't bothered enough to remove it (probably show some fading or maybe marks behind it), but boy did it set off some posters on here...

If you buy 4D plates from Halfords, do they still have an obvious 'Halfords' logo on them? I have a voucher to get a new plate for mine as the dealer made such a mess of it, but I didn't want to replace one plate with a dealer logo on with another showing (sorry) slightly naff Halfords logo. I'm probably just getting the standard plate otherwise I'd have to replace front one as well to match (OCD I know ), but 4D might be worth it, just to post on here.

Its a CLA 220d and is the wife's car. I will take a better look at the front plate and holder this evening, take a few pics. Will mull over the options available and if it would be possible to somehow fabricate/cobble together a flat plate holder.
I advice you to get the Halfords plates and stick an AMG badge over the Halfords logo, then wait for all the love on here

 

[SpikyMikey]

Not sure what C Class yours is, but I'd also think that removing the mount would leave some kind of marks not necessarily covered by the new plate. It's generally pretty friendly on here, but I found number plates (and how many screws used(!) or chrome surrounds (as a temp fix as my rear one was really crooked) seems to set some people off. Even better though; show a picture of your car with an AMG badge on it and stand back for all the 'advice' as to how to remove it. I didn't put it on my car, but wasn't bothered enough to remove it (probably show some fading or maybe marks behind it), but boy did it set off some posters on here...

If you buy 4D plates from Halfords, do they still have an obvious 'Halfords' logo on them? I have a voucher to get a new plate for mine as the dealer made such a mess of it, but I didn't want to replace one plate with a dealer logo on with another showing (sorry) slightly naff Halfords logo. I'm probably just getting the standard plate otherwise I'd have to replace front one as well to match (OCD I know ), but 4D might be worth it, just to post on here.

I had some Halfrauds plates made up for my 3 series about 5 years ago and was pleasantly surprised that the logo was very discrete. Maybe its different now.

 

[BigJase88]

Whilst I don't care much for 4D plates, that's just personal choice, they're a better option to pressed metal plates which aren't legal in the UK as they don't confirm to BS AU145. This states they have to be made of a reflective material, not a material made reflective, and they must spring back to shape when bent.

I didn't mean pressed metal.

You can get standard plates with metal backing that you can bend easy and they do not bounce back as plastic ones do. Handy for mercs with their pointy nose.

While not cheap i do think they are better quality than perspex ones. You can drill them without them cracking which perspex ones can do.

The halfords logo is quite small if anyone was wondering

 

[Germgh0st]

I didn't mean pressed metal.

You can get standard plates with metal backing that you can bend easy and they do not bounce back as plastic ones do. Handy for mercs with their pointy nose.

Didn't know that type actually existed, but if they don't bounce back then it would seem they don't meet the regs either.

Not that 'I am the law' or anything, just pointing it out so that all the facts are known should someone choose this kind of plate.

 

[BigJase88]

Didn't know that type actually existed, but if they don't bounce back then it would seem they don't meet the regs either.

Not that 'I am the law' or anything, just pointing it out so that all the facts are known should someone choose this kind of plate.

I have never heard of the bounce back thing before. Are you sure that is even a thing?

I got them in Jan 2022 and they are stamped bsau145e which is the latest incarnation of the regs.

If halfords sell them i would be willing to bet they are 100% legal.

Cannot see them not being on top of the law

 

[Blobsta]

My irrational hatred of 4D plates is the name. They are not four dimensional. I know it was to differentiate from the 3D printed lettering but even so, they could have come up with something more accurate however I doubt it would be as appealing.

I've always felt that the numberplate itself ruins the look of the car so I'd be more keen not to draw attention to it. Personal opinion of how sh**e they look aside, what are they like to clean? I'm thinking that in winter especially a lot of crud is going to stick all around the letters and be a bit of a PITA to wash off. Do they trash your wash mitt/expensive sponges etc.?

 

[Germgh0st]

I have never heard of the bounce back thing before. Are you sure that is even a thing?

I got them in Jan 2022 and they are stamped bsau145e which is the latest incarnation of the regs.

If halfords sell them i would be willing to bet they are 100% legal.

Cannot see them not being on top of the law

I was just going by the fact that you said they don't bounce back, I've never encountered laminate plates with a metal backing before. The regs say that the plate has to be resistant to bending and the amount of bending allowed is defined in the BS - I've attached version d, I can't find a copy of version e that I don't have to pay for but I have attached a document that details the changes. To me that implies a certain amount of bounce back, but maybe I'm interpreting it wrong. I do know companies that will put the BS mark on their plates when they don't actually meet the specification, but like you say if Halfords sell them it's a pretty fair bet that they are legal.

 

[BigJase88]

I was just going by the fact that you said they don't bounce back, I've never encountered laminate plates with a metal backing before. The regs say that the plate has to be resistant to bending and the amount of bending allowed is defined in the BS - I've attached version d, I can't find a copy of version e that I don't have to pay for but I have attached a document that details the changes. To me that implies a certain amount of bounce back, but maybe I'm interpreting it wrong. I do know companies that will put the BS mark on their plates when they don't actually meet the specification, but like you say if Halfords sell them it's a pretty fair bet that they are legal.

Yeah the metal backed will bounce back to an extent [flex] The metal however will bend / crease if you are trying to put a proper bend in it. This is probably at the point the perspex plate would break / shatter so they probably both pass the bend / flex test

 

[BTB 500]

I had some Halfrauds plates made up for my 3 series about 5 years ago and was pleasantly surprised that the logo was very discrete. Maybe its different now.

I had a rear plate made up for a trailer earlier this year, and was *very* impressed with the quality (metal backed plate). I would certainly use them on a car if necessary.

Pretty sure when I used Halfords before they were the normal cheapo acrylic plates where they lay the lettering out by hand on a blank plate and run it through a roller thing to laminate. This one was computer printed.

 

[rayaans]

I had 3d gel and 4d plates on my W204 and W205 - easily bendable to be honest.