Texas - no front license plate experiences

[holt]

Recently had a run in with some shredded tire driving down I-20. The car in front of me ran over the strip causing it to go air borne, and then naturally pounded the front drivers side of my bumber.

Caused some minor scatches and scuffs, especially just inside the lower air intake, and ripped off my smoked front reflector

SO, on to the point of the thread. Im going to have a body shop touch up all the scuffs, and in the process im thinking about having them fill in the holes from the front license plate bracket.

Has anyone in Texas that has no front plates mounted had any serious issues with city and/or state officials? I know it's just a minor citation but I'm not sure how much officers just look the other way on such a small thing.

Any and all input is appreciated !

[rob612]

not in texas.. but if you do get a ticket

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=374893

[calintexas]

I think the enforcement varies substantially. Most people seem to get a warning if they get stopped. I've been running without a front plate for about 10 years without issue.

There are alternatives to the BMW bracket that don't require drilling the bumper. Here are a couple:
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...ht=front+plate
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...=plate+bracket

There are some other solutions (search around the forum). The GoMiniGo brkt is very easy to take on and off.

[Suprane]

Have had the car for 13 months..no front plates. No stops. (Although, I'm expecting a stop sooner or later...a matter of when not if.)

[artifice]

I haven't been stopped with no front lp on this car. Even when I did get stopped on a previous car, I just zip tied it to the grill and got it dismissed for 10 bucks and then took it off.

[Buschy]

wife got stopped once and got warning. and she was stopped for the plate. I think the law is changing though.

[r31n3r]

Of all the cars I have owned in the past 17 years none of which had a front license plate. Within that time frame I have only been cited once, but I am sure it did not help that I was teenager at the time.

[aitsu]

they've been trying to get the law changed for over 10 years now..
i've never been stopped for the plate alone, but i've had it tacked on to a ticket before. i've gotten a ticket w/o getting nailed for the plate as well. most cops will ask where my plate is, and it's always on the floor of the passenger side of both my cars. i actually had my plate ripped off of one of my cars by some vandals and that was when i stopped putting them on all together.

if you do get a ticket, usually you can go to court and get it dismissed by doing what i did.

1. Mount the plate (doesn't matter how it's mounted as long as it's on the car. don't drill holes if you don't have to.)
2. Turn on the date stamp on your camera and take a picture of your car with both the front and rear plate on.
3. Print out those pictures and bring them to court with you as proof.

My car was literally in the parking lot of the court with no front plate on it, but the picture I had showed it had plates.. and they dismissed it... and i went home..

[holt]

thanks for the replys everyone. Went by the body shop today to get an estimate. $660 to fix scuffs and fill in the plate bracket holes.

doesn't seem like it's a very big deal at all. imo worth the risk to have the car look better (if only a little)

[ethirtyfortysix]

Originally Posted by rob612

not in texas.. but if you do get a ticket

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=374893

+1 bookmarked

[atomicdoc]

I don't have a front plate displayed but always carry the plate in my car. When I get stopped I produce the plate and explain that I am getting it RE- ATTACHED.....works every time !!!!

[m3_love]

have not had front plate in any of my cars, for the last 5 years, no issues, guess I lucked out.

[xsilvor]

Originally Posted by atomicdoc

I don't have a front plate displayed but always carry the plate in my car. When I get stopped I produce the plate and explain that I am getting it RE- ATTACHED.....works every time !!!!

Got a warning with this approach. Better than a ticket

[quiksi]

I haven't had any issues in the last 4 years, in both my previous S2000 and current Tundra, although my truck seems to be fairly invisible to the police.

I was pulled over once in my old S2000 and the state trooper did not once mention my front plate, and he even walked up to the front of my car.

I don't plan to put a front plate on my E90 when it arrives!

[rzm3]

Just show the judge a picture of your car with front plates and case will be dismissed.

Though you still have to pay $10 dismissal fee.

Remember, never ever plead guilty.

[starkraven]

If you don't like front plates, don't use them. I haven't had a front plate in over ten years. I've been pulled over ten or more times in those ten years for other reasons, and ticketed for no front plates half of the time. Every time that has happened in Houston, I have bargained with the prosecutor to drop the moving violation (speeding or whatever) if I pay the no front plate ticket. My insurance never goes up.

[M3prsiv]

This is how I solved that problem.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330512

[artifice]

Crap breaks... First thing to go when you hit a bump.

[Res Ipsa]

I didn't run a front plate on my 335i and never received a ticket in the two years I had the car. I don't run a front plate on my M3, and my wife does not have a front plate on her X5.

It's never been an issue.

[Buschy]

My eife got pulled over again, last night for her front plate, or lack of. got a warning, again.
He told her I guess front plates don't look nice on beemers. and she said yeah I really do'nt want to drill holes in my car. He said then put it in your front windshield, as long as its visible from the front.
I not sure but I dont think that putting in the windsheild is very legal, but oh well.

[starkraven]

Originally Posted by buschy

My eife got pulled over again, last night for her front plate, or lack of. got a warning, again.
He told her I guess front plates don't look nice on beemers. and she said yeah I really do'nt want to drill holes in my car. He said then put it in your front windshield, as long as its visible from the front.
I not sure but I dont think that putting in the windsheild is very legal, but oh well.

Some 911 owners have color vinyl stickers made of their plates, which they affix to the front bumper.

[Buschy]

Originally Posted by starkraven

Some 911 owners have color vinyl stickers made of their plates, which they affix to the front bumper.

thats interesting, wonder how well that flys, is it reflective material. I would probably do that.