Front License Plate bracket?

[futurefortwodriver]

Originally Posted by E-SMART

by coming on the site so quickly, had a similar issue with my Miata, although the factory at least bolted an assembly underneath that didn't need you to drill through the plastic bumper covers. I've been able to avoid getting a ticket on my '99 (owned since new) all of these years in IL as the plate holder will actually put dimples in from the backside of the screws holding the plate --- this happens when another car 'kisses' your bumper in parking lots. By positioning this bracket (the custom one shown on the MINI) even further away from the bumper as well as not being the furthest point forward it will help ... most cars lately do not integrate a front license holder well.

I look forward to seeing what these folks can come up with and hopefully my dealer will not drill mine ahead of time! The design of that one they did for MINI looks quite good and can be removed quickly if needed.

Don't worry. smart center Lincolnwood is only putting on front brackets at the request of the client.

[spdickey]

Tow hook is under the black "beauty mark" on the front bumper.

[GMGDave]

Hi,

My partner Alan already posted and I thought I would jump in today, since I got the email from rerruf.

We will start looking for a Smart locally to use. It works best that way. We are in the Tacoma/Olympia/Seattle area. We do not mind taking a drive to meet to get some measurements. If we can get a tow hook, we can be production within two weeks. As Alan stated; the other parts we have are interchangeable and we even have a euro plate bracket.

Dave
GOMINIGO

[stevenvillatoro]

Get in touch with your dealer BEFORE your vehicle arrives, and discuss the front license bracket with them early. That way, if you don't want the plate, they can let their pre-delivery department know your preference before it's too late. I just signed the paperwork yesterday at my smart dealer to authorize them NOT to drill the holes and mount the license plate bracket. (California requires the bracket.) Although I notified my dealer prior to my last new car purchase that I didn't want the @#$% bracket, they failed to notify the pre-delivery department and I had to live with the bracket, since it was also a hard-to-get model. Stay on top of this issue if it's important to you, and keep reminding your dealer. The smart bracket looks good, however, and would provide some protection to the front bumper. On the flip side, since the car is short, there's less likelihood that someone is going to bump you in a parallel parking situation, and if they do, replacement panels are cheap! Whew.

[Old smart]

Easier still, take the tow hook to your local hardware store that carries a good selection of loose fasteners and find a nut that fits the threads of the hook (most likely metric), and note the size and pitch of the nut.

[stevenvillatoro]

I'll keep my front plate in the car and slap it in the windshield quickly if stopped. In CA, it's an inexpensive fix-it ticket, at worst.

[SmartAzz]

Originally Posted by stevenvillatoro

I'll keep my front plate in the car and slap it in the windshield quickly if stopped. In CA, it's an inexpensive fix-it ticket, at worst.

Not in SF, if the plate is not attached to the car as defined in the CA vehicle code (I can dig that up if you want). The DPT here will slap you with a ticket in excess of $100, ask me how I know - got the same ticket in LA too a couple of years ago and it was less $. It is not the same as when a PO gives you the $10 fix-it when pulled over for the same thing and a pain in the butt to deal with; you can get hit with with it multiple times as long as the car is like that, like a parking ticket.

I did the plate in the window thing for awhile but knowing it did not conform to code I knew I was just flirting with more tickets and have since gone to tow hook plates on our cars. I prefer the look of the tow hook mount and boy it is nice not to have to worry about the ever increasing authority attention to looking for missing front plates.

Originally Posted by stevenvillatoro

On the flip side, since the car is short, there's less likelihood that someone is going to bump you in a parallel parking situation...

Ironically I was wondering if the Smart would get hit more then other cars when in normal sized spaces since I can see those jerky types trying to wedge their car in between since the Smart will not fill the spot

[bmx43]

[QUOTE=SmartAzz;23053]Not in SF, if the plate is not attached to the car as defined in the CA vehicle code (I can dig that up if you want). The DPT here will slap you with a ticket in excess of $100, ask me how I know - got the same ticket in LA too a couple of years ago and it was less $. It is not the same as when a PO gives you the $10 fix-it when pulled over for the same thing and a pain in the butt to deal with; you can get hit with with it multiple times as long as the car is like that, like a parking ticket.

I did the plate in the window thing for awhile but knowing it did not conform to code I knew I was just flirting with more tickets and have since gone to tow hook plates on our cars. I prefer the look of the tow hook mount and boy it is nice not to have to worry about the ever increasing authority attention to looking for missing front plates.



Ironically I was wondering if the Smart would get hit more then other cars when in normal sized spaces since I can see those jerky types trying to

weird. i've been hit with it too but it's always only been a fix-it ticket. now, if you get a ticket and don't fix it in a certain amount of time and get pulled over again, you will get a fine. but if you show the cop that you already got a ticket and tell him you are "waiting for the bracket", you should be fine. i was.

[SmartAzz]

Originally Posted by bmx43

weird. i've been hit with it too but it's always only been a fix-it ticket. now, if you get a ticket and don't fix it in a certain amount of time and get pulled over again, you will get a fine. but if you show the cop that you already got a ticket and tell him you are "waiting for the bracket", you should be fine. i was.

Yeah, I found dealing with the Dept of Parking & Traffic/meter maids is not the same as an officer, there is no rationalizing. It has been awhile and hard to remember the details, I think we did get one dealt with as a fix-it but it was not fun dealing with the DPT and time consuming.

[spdickey]

Can someone explain why you folks don't want the license plate drilled on the front middle of the bumper and instead want it mounted off to the side using the tow hook slot?