Personal registrations

[AsleepInYorkshire]

Then there is the ever-popular PEN 1S that eventually crops up in most discussions about personal plates.

I have in mind I actually saw this plate on a car many years ago. Or maybe that was a dream - was it actually issued as a car registration plate? What would its value be now? About a fiver I guess....

Yes, saw it with my mum when I was a teenager. Not sure who was more embarrassed. Must have been around 35 years ago.

Yes. One of the local estate agents has a personalised registration PNS followed by a number. I've never quite had the heart to tell him.

AiY

[PinkDalek]

When delivering fish (a family business) in the summer holidays, I went up a drive where - unbelievably - was parked a Jag or similar with plate A1. While handing the fish parcel over I asked who owned it and was told it was owned by a charity.

Would now appear to be registered to a Black Mini.

https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/

[Watis]

The best personal plates I have seen over the years are:

- A 2 on a drophead Bentley. I believe it was owned by the Rolls Royce/Bentley dealer H R Owen at the time.

- T 4 2

- TUR 80 on a Porsche Turbo

-W 100 OWW on an Italian supercar - a Lambo I think.

- THE 51 S

Watis

[dragnips]

Ultimate his and hers:
https://youtu.be/qmC230X0Mqs

[AF62]

I prefer the term American term for them - Vanity Plates.

[88V8]

A chap in the TR Register has

A TR 4 A

on his car, which is what it is.

There doesn't seem to be an 88VB, so I don't have to envy the owner.

V8

[Lootman]

When delivering fish (a family business) in the summer holidays, I went up a drive where - unbelievably - was parked a Jag or similar with plate A1. While handing the fish parcel over I asked who owned it and was told it was owned by a charity.

Would now appear to be registered to a Black Mini.

https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/

As a child I would quite often see a vehicle with the A1 plate when I would stay with my mother. Presumably the owner lived thereabouts. It was some kind of grand Bentley or Daimler car:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A1_regist ... ack%20Mini.

[XFool]

The best personal plates I have seen over the years are:


- TUR 80 on a Porsche Turbo

Ah! Could that be the one I saw - rather than my 100 MPH one? I can't be sure now. Also, I have seen one or the other in a magazine (CSMA) a long time ago.

[bungeejumper]

A long, long time ago in Birmingham, I was overtaken at some considerable speed by a motorbike bearing the plate POW 110.

Not as memorable, though, as the young lady who I saw driving an MGB that had been helpfully labelled BRA 36C. Open topped, too. No, the car, stupid.

BJ

[didds]

i know of people that have bought a vehicle with an "ordinary" plate and swapped the plate ith their "real" vehicle, then sold the 2nd vehicle, all because the 2nd vehicle's origianl plate had a very persojal attachment ... but is otherwise menaingless.

eg Bert Bloggs born 1960 gets hold of

BB60 <whatever>

Im not sure where that fits!

[nimnarb]

With only a few exceptions, I immediately assume that the car owner has more money than sense, is very materialistic, and has an over inflated sense of their own importance. I've never conducted a survey, so I could be wrong about all this.

Quite true possibly....but, here's my survey............

1. More money than sense. I wish.
2. Materialistic. On certain aspects. Yes. When it comes to cars especially as have owned about 40 in my time, many Vettes.
3. Inflated sense of Importance, As far from the truth as one could imagine but not when it comes to cars for a reason.

In the States, they call it Vanity Plates and worked out a long time ago that by having them appeals greatly to car fanatics and I have never sold any car to a dealer or in part exchange, always privately and only twice did the buyer not want the plate. Sometimes the vanity plate does exactly that, appeals more to the vanity of the owner and they forget that its the car that is actually important. Weird but true and have owned about 25 quite unusual number plates in my time and most were sold with the car. 10 years ago I managed to get IMPLANT and USMILE and placed on a C6 Corvette and an SL550. Both cars sold to Partners in an upmarket Dental practice. Those two cars have normally hideous depreciation in the first two years, but "materialistically" did very well. Not to mention getting 4 implants done for a fraction of what they charge here.

Just brought the C8 and with So-Slick on it and as its in short supply here, they are actually going for 10-20K above MSRP but have been offered 30K above with the plate. Love the car though, deciding.

[MaraMan]

A local GP has the plate DOC 1, I always imagine that it's worth more than the newish Porsche that it's stuck on.

MM

PS - I have often considered getting a cheap non-age related plate to rebel against new plate snobbery

[swill453]

PS - I have often considered getting a cheap non-age related plate to rebel against new plate snobbery

If you really want to rebel against the snobbery then get an even cheaper age-related but old plate i.e. just make your car look a few years older than it is.

Scott.

[Lanark]

I think personal registration plates are an indicator of social class, specifically lower-middle class to middle-middle class.
The working class will see them as a bit too showy & flash.
The upper-middle class see them as a bit 'try hard'.
The upper class couldn't care less what your number plate says.

[PinkDalek]

... The upper class couldn't care less what your number plate says.

https://www.beaulieu.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/desktop-attraction_National-Motor-Museum_w870px_h475px-12.jpg

Yes, I know, you'll probably say it's there for the hoi polloi.

[XFool]

I think personal registration plates are an indicator of social class, specifically lower-middle class to middle-middle class.

The working class will see them as a bit too showy & flash.

Put me in my place!

The upper-middle class see them as a bit 'try hard'.
The upper class couldn't care less what your number plate says.

[nimnarb]

Used to stay with my grandparents in Bournemouth when very young and down the road lived “I wanna tell you a story” Max Bygraves who owned MB1. I don’t know if this was true at the time but Mercedes offered him a million quid and he turned it down. Who owns this now?

[Lanark]

... The upper class couldn't care less what your number plate says.

https://www.beaulieu.co.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/desktop-attraction_National-Motor-Museum_w870px_h475px-12.jpg

Yes, I know, you'll probably say it's there for the hoi polloi.

An old number plate on an old car from the same time period doesn't count.

I'm now wondering about the perception of a 21 plate vs a 71 plate, the 21 is more obviously a 2021 car and thus a bit gauche.

[Mike88]

I bought a campervan in 2003 with a personal registration on it. Since then I have transferred the plate to several vehicles. I wouldn't buy one but as I have it, I use it. It is valued at £3500. As I don't need the cash I will hold on to it.

[Mike4]

I think personal registration plates are an indicator of social class, specifically lower-middle class to middle-middle class.
The working class will see them as a bit too showy & flash.
The upper-middle class see them as a bit 'try hard'.
The upper class couldn't care less what your number plate says.

Not entirely true! I have a friend/acquaintance who drives a 1955 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud with a three-letter number plate spelling a girl's name plus the digit 1. His parents owned a stately home and bought the car new, with I suspect, that number as the original plate on it.

He definitely 'cherishes' the plate and the car, and he is the only male I know who gives his car a name. The name matches the plate, obviously.