US owners, front license plate?

[modkrazy]

Originally Posted by gmcconn535

Dang!! I have a front plate on both of my BMWs!! Well now I know what happened

Careful. One more car and your outie will become an innie.

[Enzoyama_]

Originally Posted by Alpinef82

This is the best option www.usmillworks.com I have it on my M4

Exactly what I ordered !! Cost about $150. They have different ones that go with parking sensors and without.

I had a e92 m3 and I got about 3 tickets a year for three years, for no front plate. All in the nyc area. Although some were dropped I started to put the front plate in the windshield when I parked. After that I didn't get any tickets.

Only reason I ordered the tow-hook holder was for just the delivery aspect. Dealer can't deliver a car without a front plate. Ny state law

[BD SM3RF]

Originally Posted by gmcconn535

In Texas, especially in the Austin area, they have really cracked down on this. Law changed in 2013 to allow fine. They have been going through parking lots or along parked cars on the streets and issuing tickets for cars without front plates. It is a $200 fine.

Im in Texas too (Houston and Amarillo) and only once I have I gotten a warning in 10 years of no front plate

Originally Posted by ThomasM4

Illegal in Texas but I've never mounted one on any of my cars. It's like drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa. Got a couple warnings but never a ticket.

If there is a crack down in Texas it comes as no surprise to me that its in Austin

Since government types are always talking "green" they need to get rid of the front tags. Waste of material, detriment to aero dynamics for little to no law enforcement benefit. When I succeed King Obama to the US Throne I will use my pen and phone to ban the front tags

[BD SM3RF]

Additionally why can't we copy the size and shape of the Euro plates. They look so much better that the US style plates. I still don't want one on the front but it would look a lot better in those cases where you have to. Who do I call to make that happen

[rz3]

I think it depends on where you live. My neighbor was pulled over in Austin for not having one on his 5 series, but I have been driving without one on either of my BMW's in DFW for 8 years now and never had any issues, even being pulled over once for something else. I dropped my car off for service once when a police sergeant for one of the bigger forces in the area dropped off his 6 series vert that had no front plate.

[Fifth Echelon]

Can double sided tape similar to what is used on ED tags be used for these?

[Carl L]

Originally Posted by rz3

I dropped my car off for service once when a police sergeant for one of the bigger forces in the area dropped off his 6 series vert that had no front plate.

No surprises there.

In Southern California you're supposed to run one but it makes the M cars look ugly so I go without. Have had two $25 parking tickets for it so it's been worth keeping it off but if these become a weekly thing then I may cave.

[Wah]

Originally Posted by Enzoyama_

Dealer can't deliver a car without a front plate. Ny state law

If that is true, I will never buy an M from a NY dealership.

[jewels]

Originally Posted by Wah

If that is true, I will never buy an M from a NY dealership.

Had my 435 delivered with out a front plate in NY at the suggestion of my salesman since he saw that my trade GTR had not had one on it (5 years no tickets).

I have ordered up a tow plug plate holder for the M4 that's on order. I don't want to give the officer any more ammunition when I get pulled over for speeding

[m3ct]

Originally Posted by BlackCobra08

Hey guys, I've got about 2 days to let my dealer know if I don't want them to drill the holes for the front licence plate mount. I know this law varies from state to state and obviously I'd rather not run a front plate but it is indeed illegal here in MN not to have it on. I'm just curious who all is running w/o a front plate in states that it's illegal to do so, if so did you get tickets at all for it or on past cars? Thanks for your input.

I'm having a remote controlled retractable plate installed on saturday. I'll post some pics and video when it's done!

[jmar32]

Originally Posted by GBPackerfan1963

This was mentioned in a previous post of mine. This is what I'm going with on my M4.

The motorized version of this mount seems ideal. The only time I've been ticketed was by parking enforcement. It will be so nice to just to press a button and have that plate come up when I am parked. You will have to post some pics when you get it installed.

[GrussGott]

In the past I've bought some hardcore disc magnets from Amazon and epoxy'd them to the inside of the bumper. Then i took a plate holder, put a matching set of magnets on it (just hold up the plate and toss the magnet on - you'll see where they go fast!), backed it with some felt, and done. Plate goes on/off in a nano-second and there's no worries about losing it - that fecker is on there.

I had that for 6 years on 2 different cars without a problem (S4 and an allroad).

[NavyBeeker]

I googled the motorized plate concept -- found this website:

www.hidetheplate.com

Looks very cool, although I wonder how it is operated from the cockpit... and there is a slight decrease in clearance below the front bumper where the hardware is installed (maybe an inch).... beware potential for parking damage with curbs!

That said.... I'll consider getting one myself!

[SakhirM4]

Originally Posted by NavyBeeker

I googled the motorized plate concept -- found this website:

www.hidetheplate.com

Looks very cool, although I wonder how it is operated from the cockpit... and there is a slight decrease in clearance below the front bumper where the hardware is installed (maybe an inch).... beware potential for parking damage with curbs!

That said.... I'll consider getting one myself!

You didn't need to Google it. @GBPackerfan1963 had already posted it earlier in this thread.

[OrionHak]

Does anyone have pictures of the factory BMW front plate mount in place on the M3/M4? Surely someone has opted to have it installed.

I bought the Skene mount and sprayed all the components flat black, but I'm still not sure it's going to mount right, as there seems to be a protruding lip surround the lower front opening. Does anyone alternatively have any picture of the Skene unit installed?

I'm of the opinion that the off center tow-hook mounts look silly.

I live in VA where it's required and do not want any extra excuses to be pulled over. I have had officers turn around and pull me over for noticing tiny out of date county tax stickers before...they're definitely going to notice a missing front plate. I am installing SOME version of a front plate and will unfortunately even go with the factory option if it doesn't look too terrible.

[Carl L]

Originally Posted by Enzoyama_

Only reason I ordered the tow-hook holder was for just the delivery aspect. Dealer can't deliver a car without a front plate. Ny state law

Are you sure? In Cali the law is the same but is bypassed by a waiver the dealer makes you sign.

[modkrazy]

Originally Posted by jmar32

The motorized version of this mount seems ideal. The only time I've been ticketed was by parking enforcement. It will be so nice to just to press a button and have that plate come up when I am parked. You will have to post some pics when you get it installed.

You could also just keep the second plate under your seat and put it in the windshield when you park. They'll leave you alone.

[rjc32000]

Not really. I'm a criminal defense lawyer and have handled far too many cases that began with a simple equipment violation stop. I also value my right to travel without being pulled over by government agents who will use an equipment violation as a pretext to stop and question me. What you call paranoia I would call a firm belief in the rights and protections afforded by the constitution!

Originally Posted by JS919

Whoa! A little paranoid?

[modkrazy]

Originally Posted by rjc32000

Not really. I'm a criminal defense lawyer and have handled far too many cases that began with a simple equipment violation stop. I also value my right to travel without being pulled over by government agents who will use an equipment violation as a pretext to stop and question me. What you call paranoia I would call a firm belief in the rights and protections afforded by the constitution!

Yeah, if I was still ridin' dirty, I'd keep the front plate on there too.

[GBPackerfan1963]

Originally Posted by NavyBeeker

I googled the motorized plate concept -- found this website:

www.hidetheplate.com

Looks very cool, although I wonder how it is operated from the cockpit... and there is a slight decrease in clearance below the front bumper where the hardware is installed (maybe an inch).... beware potential for parking damage with curbs!

That said.... I'll consider getting one myself!

You can either hard-wire it to a switch or it comes with a remote. I'm mounting mine at the top of the mesh grill, so no worries about curbs.

[lugnutm4]

Originally Posted by OrionHak

... there seems to be a protruding lip surround the lower front opening.

The lower protruding lip is the air outlet for the oil cooled which is mounted just above the lip. So be very careful about screwing in something to the underside of the front bumper in that area as you may puncture the oil cooler.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by lugnutm3

The lower protruding lip is the air outlet for the oil cooled which is mounted just above the lip. So be very careful about screwing in something to the underside of the front bumper in that area as you may puncture the oil cooler.

Look behind/under before you drill is a good rule. I drilled through a wiring harness at the front of my E92 near the radiator putting in HID angel eyes!