That looks like a very elegant solution. Do let us know how easy/difficult it is to install.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
I'm not concerned about looks, but I am concerned about durability.
If the front license plate bracket involves drilling holes *through aluminum* and then putting *steel bolts* into the holes, this will create galvanic corrosion and wreck the car. That's totally unacceptable.
If the front license plate bracket involves drilling holes through plastic, with no steel-to-aluminum contact, then I should be perfectly content with it.
I emailed Tesla. But if someone with a car and with a front license plate bracket can check the exact nature of the attachment, I would appreciate it.
If the front license plate bracket involves drilling holes *through aluminum* and then putting *steel bolts* into the holes, this will create galvanic corrosion and wreck the car. That's totally unacceptable.
If the front license plate bracket involves drilling holes through plastic, with no steel-to-aluminum contact, then I should be perfectly content with it.
I emailed Tesla. But if someone with a car and with a front license plate bracket can check the exact nature of the attachment, I would appreciate it.
Dborn
Confirmed
Having seen the front bumper bar of delivered vehicles with number plates, and how ugly and out of place they look, i call upon Tesla to redesign the front bumper bar to have an appropriate depression with predrilled holes to accommodate this legal requirement virtually everywhere in the world including many of the United States. The depression I am after is much like what is already provided at the rear of the vehicle. If the holes do not match those plates in some countries, then a drilling template (cardboard) could be provided so that the PLATE can be appropriately drilled.
In the state of New South Wales, Australia, the front plate is smaller than the rear plate (although some custom sizes are allowed). This would not be a problem if the base of the depression was kept smooth other than for the drill holes. The larger size could be provided, which will likely cover 99.5% of the world.
This allows for accessory makers to provide a decorative frame which can fill out an oversized depression. At least this way, it will not look like an "add on" but part of the car which was designed in. Given that the part is plastic and made in-house, I am sure the existing mold can be modified reasonably easily and inexpensively for the purpose.
In the state of New South Wales, Australia, the front plate is smaller than the rear plate (although some custom sizes are allowed). This would not be a problem if the base of the depression was kept smooth other than for the drill holes. The larger size could be provided, which will likely cover 99.5% of the world.
This allows for accessory makers to provide a decorative frame which can fill out an oversized depression. At least this way, it will not look like an "add on" but part of the car which was designed in. Given that the part is plastic and made in-house, I am sure the existing mold can be modified reasonably easily and inexpensively for the purpose.
gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
There are a few good pics of the current version of the front bracket from Autoblog's review of Jason Calacanis's Sig 1 car:
2012 Tesla Model S: First Drive Photo Gallery - Autoblog
2012 Tesla Model S: First Drive Photo Gallery - Autoblog
Dborn
Confirmed
Yup, a redesign of the bumper IS required
Just as I thought- pretty ugly and looks like an afterthought. Does not help that California front plate is so large.
I have the Skene Design plate mount on my LEAF. Not difficult to install, hardest part is getting it in the perfect spot. Attaches with 2 small screws that go into the urethane bumper along with double-sided tape. After 15 months it appears to be just as secure today as it was when first installed.
If you remove the mount, all that's left are 2 small holes in a non-visible location.
It is confirmed by Tesla that the front license plate bracket involves drilling holes only through plastic and there is no steel-to-aluminum contact.
Worst-case replacement is the plastic bit.I think the version on Jason Calacanis's car looks fine, so I'm happy with the bracket. It doesn't look anywhere near as bad as the Roadster front plate, and drilling holes in plastic is much less worrisome than drilling holes in carbon fiber. I understand that others are more looks-obsessed than I.
Many cars just don't look good with front plates, in my (humble!) opinion. Especially Alfas. I have a '92 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce that has never had a front plate. I got one ticket in 20 years. I put on the plate, paid my fine, took the plate back off. I'll take my chances.
My Tesla Roadster has no front plate either--and won't get one.
One day recently I was waiting for some one on a busy steet corner. I watched the cars go by. 10 out of each 100 do not have front plates.
I went on the Tesla Malibu rally last year with 50 Tesla Roadsters. Only half had front plates.
There you have it....
My Tesla Roadster has no front plate either--and won't get one.
One day recently I was waiting for some one on a busy steet corner. I watched the cars go by. 10 out of each 100 do not have front plates.
I went on the Tesla Malibu rally last year with 50 Tesla Roadsters. Only half had front plates.
There you have it....
Nathanael
Well, in California apparently they don't enforce the front plate law very aggressively. In NY they do. I have never seen a NY car with one plate, except for the occasional truck (I'm not sure the rules are the same for trucks).
Well, in California apparently they don't enforce the front plate law very aggressively. In NY they do. I have never seen a NY car with one plate, except for the occasional truck (I'm not sure the rules are the same for trucks).
skwasha
Member
I'm in full agreement WRT just dealing with the ticket.... at least here in CA, where I've gotten maybe two or three in ~15 yrs of no front plate. Even those were in addition to some other ticket (expired meter, etc.) I've never gotten one just for the lack of a front plate.
Just completed my final paperwork! I said no on the front plate so I hope I can find something in the next week to mount the plate.
I'm starting to think I may just get the factory bracket installed instead of going through the hassle of finding an aftermarket solution again which took a long time with the Roadster. Can anyone confirm that the holes are tiny and just drilled into the plastic? I'm wondering how it looks when you take the bracket off. Thanks.
I'm starting to think I may just get the factory bracket installed instead of going through the hassle of finding an aftermarket solution again which took a long time with the Roadster. Can anyone confirm that the holes are tiny and just drilled into the plastic? I'm wondering how it looks when you take the bracket off. Thanks.
Last edited:
I thought I read (I looked for it for a bit) that there would be no holes drilled to put on the front plate. That it would attach somehow through the grill or something. Maybe some 3M double sided tape. I don't know.
I could have dreamed it. In Georgia we don't have front plates. So I feel for your plight, but honestly don't really care all that much.
I could have dreamed it. In Georgia we don't have front plates. So I feel for your plight, but honestly don't really care all that much.
Agreed. I don't understand why the nose cone doesn't just have a license plate holder built in. You might need a few different types to cover the various dimensions and a plain one for areas where there is no front plate. It would look so much better then having to drill holes. Drilling holes is a good solution for a less expensive car, but this is a Model S.
Here's my prep:
1. Sit around doing nothing
2. Plates come in the mail from good ol' WA DOL
3. Take one plate out of the envelope and screw it on the back
3. Take the envelope with other plate and stick it in some box in my garage
4. Forget where I put that plate a year later
1. Sit around doing nothing
2. Plates come in the mail from good ol' WA DOL
3. Take one plate out of the envelope and screw it on the back
3. Take the envelope with other plate and stick it in some box in my garage
4. Forget where I put that plate a year later
Mike_Schlechter
Model S - P457
That is pretty much my plan as well.
I'm a volunteer EMT in my town and I asked one of the police sargents his thoughts. He said that while it was illegal to not have the front plate, it should be illegal to put one on a Model S. I promised him regular test drives, and we went back to watching the FD disassemble what not fifteen minutes ago was a Audi A5.
I feel that if you buy a car that nice, have the decency to drive it sober. Same rule applies to the Model S.
Today, 05:20 PM#77
dadaleus, when I first removed the front plate from my car, I had the same idea. I would keep it in the car so that I could say "I don't have a bracket, but I'm going to get one this weekend!" or something like that.
So at first, I drove around with my plate up on the dashboard against the windshield. I see a lot of people doing that. Then later, I moved it underneath the passenger seat. And then one day, was cleaning my car and just decided to take it out.
I have not had a single problem with it. I'm in Washington. I have heard that other states are a lot more strict about it, so YMMV.
I have been driving without a front plate for four years and I regularly enter the jurisdictions of multiple different city police forces, county police, and highway state patrol. I have passed and driven next to cops many times who definitely had time to notice both that I had a WA plate in the back and no plate in the front, so they know I'm supposed to have a front plate, and I've never been pulled over for it. This has definitely been ignored by traffic cops. It's not surprising that other kinds of officers might ignore it, but traffic officers are tasked with patrolling for traffic violations and things of that nature and still ignore this.
I have even been pulled over twice during this time period. One time, the officer didn't even mention the lack of a front plate. The other time, the officer mentioned it, but did not cite me for it.
In WA, I think that if you don't get pulled over for some other primary offense, you don't really have to worry about it, and also, if you're not rude or in some other way come off like you really need to be taught a lesson, I don't think you have to worry about it too much.
After I removed my front plate, I started noticing that lots of cars did not have a front plate. I think you can get away with it here. As I said, I've heard that other states are much more strict about it.
dadaleus, when I first removed the front plate from my car, I had the same idea. I would keep it in the car so that I could say "I don't have a bracket, but I'm going to get one this weekend!" or something like that.
So at first, I drove around with my plate up on the dashboard against the windshield. I see a lot of people doing that. Then later, I moved it underneath the passenger seat. And then one day, was cleaning my car and just decided to take it out.
I have not had a single problem with it. I'm in Washington. I have heard that other states are a lot more strict about it, so YMMV.
I have been driving without a front plate for four years and I regularly enter the jurisdictions of multiple different city police forces, county police, and highway state patrol. I have passed and driven next to cops many times who definitely had time to notice both that I had a WA plate in the back and no plate in the front, so they know I'm supposed to have a front plate, and I've never been pulled over for it. This has definitely been ignored by traffic cops. It's not surprising that other kinds of officers might ignore it, but traffic officers are tasked with patrolling for traffic violations and things of that nature and still ignore this.
I have even been pulled over twice during this time period. One time, the officer didn't even mention the lack of a front plate. The other time, the officer mentioned it, but did not cite me for it.
In WA, I think that if you don't get pulled over for some other primary offense, you don't really have to worry about it, and also, if you're not rude or in some other way come off like you really need to be taught a lesson, I don't think you have to worry about it too much.
After I removed my front plate, I started noticing that lots of cars did not have a front plate. I think you can get away with it here. As I said, I've heard that other states are much more strict about it.
Years ago in MA we had no front plates, so all the green-on-white plates are rear-only. Then we added the front plate and changed the color scheme to red-on-white. But, if you have the old green plates, you can keep them and transfer them from car to car.
SO, although I don't have a green plate, I'm hopeful that the lack of a front plate won't attract unwanted notice.
SO, although I don't have a green plate, I'm hopeful that the lack of a front plate won't attract unwanted notice.
Similar threads
- Marketplace listing
