GERMAN PLATES? YES/NO

Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:37 pm

i've just got some german pressed plates for my 318is, i know they are illegal but as my car's totally standard, and i won't be driving like an idiot nor will i have fog lights on when not needed - what are the chances of getting pulled and what will they do. i've read on another thread someone changed back to uk legal pressed plates as they were fed up with being pulled. any of you had history of this happening and is it worth the hassle?

Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:48 pm

Just depends on the copper... I had a spaced out plate on my car , all standard font and text, Got pulled for speeding on the motorway, and never even mentioned it, however about a year later I was pulled by a copper sat by the side of the road at approx 830pm doing 22mph ..... Fixed penalty of £30.
I asked him outright if he was just sat ther waiting for somelike me and he said yes. Arse !!!
That was on a brand new Saab 9-3 and not a boy racer car..

Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:51 pm

i have a mate with the german pressed plates who hasn't been pulled yet. He's had his for a few months now.

Mon Dec 15, 2008 5:58 pm

Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:03 pm

Is the car German registered?

Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:20 pm

BigBavarian wrote:i have a mate with the german pressed plates who hasn't been pulled yet. He's had his for a few months now.

andrew i have been pulled twice in the last month by the same copper he keep telling me to take them off
but they are staying where they are until i start getting loads of fines for them

Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:28 pm

tommy22 wrote:
BigBavarian wrote:i have a mate with the german pressed plates who hasn't been pulled yet. He's had his for a few months now.
andrew i have been pulled twice in the last month by the same copper he keep telling me to take them off
but they are staying where they are until i start getting loads of fines for them

Not long then

Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:35 pm

Wasn't talking about you tom. completely forgot you had them. Got amte in colchester with some altho not spoken to him in a month.

Mon Dec 15, 2008 6:37 pm

cheers, i think i'll put them on and see how long it takes - scootlife it sounds like you had a run in with a real jobsworth! i'll keep the legal plates in the boot and just plead ignorance to avoid any fines.

Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:50 pm

I was pulled 4 times in a space of a month in my cab and they never bothered with the fact I had German plates..... But I would not even bother at this time of years as the plod are out in much bigger force and it's will be typical to get fined at this time of year so they can ruin your xmas!

Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:01 pm

german plates look awsome i had some for my chromie, they look even better with the stadt stickers

i dont see why the government are so picky with plates ok the D should be GB with us being in europe but as long as the font is easily readable i dont see why the law wants up to all have 1.7647743565mm or whatever it is between each letter

Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:13 pm

ran german plates on all my previous Golfs and never got pulled once - took them off the E30 as got a bit bored of them to be honest, ran a set for about four and a half years on my GTI, G60 and Caddy - never pulled, even got the thumbs up from a copper along side me at one stage - depends on the copper and the mood they are in I suppose

Mon Dec 15, 2008 8:22 pm

i think they look cool

Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:11 pm

i like the look of them just watch out for coppers in bad moods

Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:12 pm

rebelcruiser wrote:i like the look of them just watch out for coppers in bad moods

how do you tell if a coppa is in a bad mood

Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:14 pm

I don't know how to tell but I know how to put one in a bad mood.

Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:16 pm

Alex wrote:german plates look awsome i had some for my chromie, they look even better with the stadt stickers

i dont see why the government are so picky with plates ok the D should be GB with us being in europe but as long as the font is easily readable i dont see why the law wants up to all have 1.7647743565mm or whatever it is between each letter

It's for ANPR cameras.

The font has to be the right size and spacing etc for the camera to read it.

If you drive past an ANPR and it can't read your plate, you're getting pulled anyway.

Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:29 pm

Alex wrote:
rebelcruiser wrote:i like the look of them just watch out for coppers in bad moods
how do you tell if a coppa is in a bad mood

when you go racing by them and dont pull over straight away
then you can bet your life they will be p****d off

Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:41 pm

mr_dink wrote:
The font has to be the right size and spacing etc for the camera to read it.

If you drive past an ANPR and it can't read your plate, you're getting pulled anyway.

I suppose it depends what your numbers and letters are. Sometimes certain letters come out a bit funny in German font.

I now have legally spaced UK font height/width etc pressed plates without the blue Euro band and never been stopped. I have never been stopped running the German style plates that I wore to Le Mans last year, maybe I was just lucky.

Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:42 pm

rebelcruiser wrote:
Alex wrote:
rebelcruiser wrote:i like the look of them just watch out for coppers in bad moods
how do you tell if a coppa is in a bad mood
when you go racing by them and dont pull over straight away
then you can bet your life they will be p****d off

Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:06 pm

i got stopped for them it was the only thing he could find wrong with the car so thats what he did me for 30 quid fine and a producer the end of the day they are illegal they look cool tho

Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:14 pm

why run german plates if your not german? seems odd to me guys,

just buy some approved pressed plates an keep ya 30quid.dont give them an excuse to f*ck over the car driver anymore

Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:16 pm

burgoil wrote:why run german plates if your not german? seems odd to me guys,

just buy some approved pressed plates an keep ya 30quid.dont give them an excuse to f*ck over the car driver anymore

becuase they look cool ,and add to the euro look

Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:16 pm

I lived In Germany for five excellent years and BMW'S don't look right with yellow number plates on the back! So yes always German plates! Not Dutch, French, or Uk.

Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:20 pm

its your money lads,i think it looks shit

Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:25 pm

i have a mate that lives in germany he has a mk2 golf registered in germany he came over here in it visiting and he got pulled for having german plates on his car the copper was giving him a right bollocking about his number plates and my mate was standing there waiting for the idiot to finish. when the copper finally finished his rant my mate pointed out to the copper that the car was a german registered car and it was left hand drive after this the copper stormed off in a huff and p1ssed off no appology or nothing

Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:30 pm

town325i wrote:i have a mate that lives in germany he has a mk2 golf registered in germany he came over here in it visiting and he got pulled for having german plates on his car the copper was giving him a right bollocking about his number plates and my mate was standing there waiting for the idiot to finish. when the copper finally finished his rant my mate pointed out to the copper that the car was a german registered car and it was left hand drive after this the copper stormed off in a huff and p1ssed off no appology or nothing

like most coppers a complete

Mon Dec 15, 2008 10:36 pm

i agree, all bullied at school an have a point to prove. dont give em an excuse!

Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:27 pm

ANPR can still pick up german plates, as can speed cameras. CCTV in city centres and the cameras in petrol stations dont seem to read them properly. I got pulled once with german ones (without a 'D') and the copper made me get a sheet signed by my friendly local MOT garage to say i'd removed them. MOT guy said they were fine and signed it straight away... seems they are a bit of a grey area

Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:51 pm

I run my 325 on german plates as they came with the car, had it 8 month and have never been stopped although to be fair it's not my daily driver.

Fri Jan 02, 2009 1:07 am

I was sat behind a Fiat Punto today that was running german plates, right down to the D badge.

Instantly decided im no longer going to bother with german plates. Pressed UK plates for me.

Fri Jan 02, 2009 2:15 am

Yes but just cost me 30quid in Wales

Avon+Somerset said they were fine though...

Fri Jan 02, 2009 4:43 am

town325i wrote:i have a mate that lives in germany he has a mk2 golf registered in germany he came over here in it visiting and he got pulled for having german plates on his car the copper was giving him a right bollocking about his number plates and my mate was standing there waiting for the idiot to finish. when the copper finally finished his rant my mate pointed out to the copper that the car was a german registered car and it was left hand drive after this the copper stormed off in a huff and p1ssed off no appology or nothing

now be on YA way MR PLODDNEY

Fri Jan 02, 2009 7:55 am

What’s the point in drawing attention to yourself and making hassle for yourself!
And its not as if everyone goes " oh WOW you’ve got German style plates"
Stick with the legal UK ones!

Fri Jan 02, 2009 3:16 pm

Had german plates on my car for quite a while - been pulled a few times with no mention of them, been pulled once because the reg was spaced wrongly (£30 fine).

The copper said i only got the fine because they were being told to focus on dodgy plates that week.

Obviously no other crimes going on in croydon