Scottish Elises

I've been thinking of getting a private plate for my Exige since i bought it over a year ago. I've seen a couple of plates i like, but wondered if anyone knows if you can get a plate made up that is physically shorter than the standard length as what I am looking at is 1 letter 1 number and 3 letters style e.g X1 XXX but think it looks better on a shorter plate. I know that they are quite strict about things like this these days. Anyone??

fancyplates.com or co.uk

No problem with "shortening" a X1XXX style plate, as long as you adhere to the rules - standard font, and the right gap between the 1 and the X, and the correct gap/border round the outside. I think its 11 or 14mm or something.

Theres a numberplate shop through here that will make anything you want, from megabam plates to plates like the one above. Without opening the can of worms that was 3/4 plates last time, I have had them for years and had no problems MOT wise or Police-wise.

Dave Jones has X1 XXX - difficult to get it

On the shortening of plates, i hear a hacksaw and a heated spoon to seal the sawed edges will sort you out.

If you're thinking of buying one, go to the DVLA as they'll be cheaper than regtransfers or newreg.co.uk

What jj says is correct, however consider what a shortened plate will look like - not so much on the front where plates pretty much just hang off the nose anyway, but on the back where the car is designed for a full width one. Might look kinda odd

Imagine how thin something like 'A1' could be...!

Chris

DVLA have a fact sheet - if you are buying a number then get it from DVLA direct, that's where all the other companies get them and then put a huge mark up on the price.

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/media/pdf/leaflets/v796.pdf

I have shortened standard plates - as said above as long as the plate is otherwise legal ( spacing and font) there is no issue.
IMHO it looks better when the plate is cut down if the reg number is short.

me plates are smaller lettering and probably smaller spacing between .

I actually measrued out the LxWxH of the plate and they made it that way.

It follow any guidlines but i havent been pulled yet.....

GregR wrote:
On the shortening of plates, i hear a hacksaw and a heated spoon to seal the sawed edges will sort you out.

Yep, done it DIY lots of times.

I quite often score where I want it to be cut with a sharp stanley and then just snap it. A coarse file to round off the corners and jobs a good'un. Hacksaw does sound a bit safer though!

j2 lot wrote:I have shortened standard plates - as said above as long as the plate is otherwise legal ( spacing and font) there is no issue.
IMHO it looks better when the plate is cut down if the reg number is short.

Yeah, I always think it makes a car look a bit 'squatter' (more squat? That doesn't sound right either. Robin!?) with a shorter plate.
Some can look a bit daft if they've got a very obviously defined plate recess but I don't think that'll apply to the Exige.

Technically if you cut off the end of a plate you will be cutting off the BS number and so the plate will be illegal. I've had shortned plates for about 8 years and never had a problem with rozzers or MOTs though.

Just using X1 XXX as an example. Is that on the Ferrari i saw at Knockhill a few weeks back? I have been looking at the DVLA website only. Now need to find some spare cash. I think one of the main factors for purchase is to loose the 'VX' that my number plate starts with!

Private plates are easier for joe public to remember and hence, for me atleast, the longer the better!

My 430 has a short plate on the front of it - done by the dealer and quite legit.

Looks sweet

ed wrote:Private plates are easier for joe public to remember and hence, for me atleast, the longer the better!

I'm in Mr P's camp on this one. I had a private plate on the Elise but staying in '54' land on the '6

There is only 2 plates I would go for

N15 BET
N122Y

Both miles out my budget so I guess I will stick to the free one I got with the car

I bought my S3 with W396COT on it never even realised it was my name till someone pointed it out.

Was gonna change the plate so it was W39 6COT but bound to get humped from the plod for that.