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Cherished (private) Number Plate


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Hi there,

Just got my private plates through for my 250 sport, had a look tonight and its not as easy as unscrewing and replacing them. They are stuck on!! No idea what with, front looks OK to tak off but I am conerned at the back ones as may scratch the car.....that would be bad.

do you think if I ask my dealer nicely I will be able to drop the car in and they can change the plates?? This was I wont scracth it and they can use the correct stick stuff to fix them to the car!

Opinions please.

Thanks

Ivan

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Hi

I Had the same problem, but in the end I heated the plates up by blowing hot air on them from my wifes Hairdryer, & when reasonably warm, they just pull off quite easily, the replacement double sided sticky pads are cheap enough when purchased from Halfords in a pack of 6.

I actually prefer them stuck on rather than unsightly holes in obsure places

Good Luck.

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funnily enough i put mine on yesterday on my IS200, they were stuck on with the pads, after much fannying about trying to be careful and having no luck, i heated the area with a hairdryer and just yanked it in one swift movement, came off no probs. simply wiped down and put on the new plates.

however i dont recommend doing it my way on your brand new car :hehe:

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I had zz plates stuck on with the black goo stuff and just gently pulled them off.

The Lexus IS 250 is fitted with anchor nuts front and rear to accomodate proper plate holders which is a much more elegant solution.

2 x 10 mm hex bolts plus the holders is all that is required ...but is a professional job

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Just :offtopic: but i have had my personal plates on for over a year now

and Today on the way to work PC OCIFFER stopped me and said i have to get them changed

as they are misspaced.

I know they are misspaced but you can still read them unlike some i see on the road

and the amount i see that are doctored to make a letter or number be different.

No offence Polish/lituanian people in the UK but i wonder how many of them get stopped over here

with there Home plates on the car driving round for over three months not paying in to our system

oh sorry that is there human rights.

oh well that is my gripe over

but does anyone have some james Bond Style number plates that revolve :winky: :winky: :lol:

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funnily enough i put mine on yesterday on my IS200, they were stuck on with the pads, after much fannying about trying to be careful and having no luck, i heated the area with a hairdryer and just yanked it in one swift movement, came off no probs. simply wiped down and put on the new plates.

however i dont recommend doing it my way on your brand new car :hehe:

I have just transferred my wifes number and removed the old stuck on plates by using fishing line.

Just slide the line behind the plate and using a sawing motion slice through the sticky pads which hold the plates on.

They come off a treat with no damage to either plate or car and then all you need to do is clean up the residue left on the car and old plates.

:D :D :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

The 250 has screw holes so why not use them? The dealer put my original plates on with plastic screws so when I got my transfer though, it was a simple swap job with a screw driver. Also means when I want to risk the mis-spaced ones occasionally, it is a simple job.

Some system where you could swap them with a flick of a switch would be useful - any smart inventors out there?

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My plates are screwed on with plastic number plate screws. When my retention documents come through, the dealer has offered (without me asking) to "drop in, we'll make up some plates for you and fit them while you have a coffee"...that I like.

Excellent service from Lexus Edinburgh and Sebastien Zamora (sales).

Brian :)

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The 250 has screw holes so why not use them?

You are right, my IS has plastic screws. Hadn't looked previously :blush:

Just deciding whether to screw holes in the new plates (depends where the screw caps align too), or use the sticky pads.

Anybody got a good tip for drilling plastic plates without damaging them, creating an air bubble around the hole?

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Did mine on my old Pug, you have to be careful. It is so easy to crack the plates, so I'd get someone to do it...however some tips:

1) New sharp drill bit

2) Put plate face down on a card board (thick corrugated type)

3) Drill from behind, through backing, don't put any weight on the drill

Let the weight of the drill do the work. Always use a new sharp bit. If you push the drill down, the plate can snap or crack. Same if you use a blunt bit.

Some people like to drill through the front of the plate. The risk is that your backing could get undone like you say around the screw holes. If you want to do that make sure you use sellotape over where you want to drill from. That way the drill won't move around and create a big scratched area...

Always use the cardboard though. I would recommend you get someone to do it for you, or use the sticky pads.

If you use pads, make sure you align up first and just stick them down first time. Once they stick, even slightly, you really shouldn't try and ease them away. The sticky pads stick to the lettering backing, which will come away over time if you prise them off to reallign.

Quite often you see cars with plates where the backing has come away where the pads will be, water and muck gets in, and they look aweful.

PS - use small bits of sellotape even if drilling from the back - always helps to steady the first turn of the drill...and takes away risk of the backing getting caught and damaged...don't try and remove the tape...leave it there on the backing.

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Cheers, excellent advice. I will give that a whirl. Just need my reg docs to come from DVLA and then I can wear the new plates. Definately think I'll use the screws.

I presume if I buy another car the holes are going to be in the right places, or is that just too much to ask?

Either way, it sounds like the sticky pad option doesn't really allow you to move the plates between several cars without causing some damage, and new plates each time, although costly, isn't too much to expect.

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