I live in VA and have to have a front license plate. What did people who needed one do and what did they do it with? I don't want to block too much air flow but I can't afford the 99 spec.

 

stock plate holder perhaps?

 

Didn't mount one.... I've received one ticket for not having a front plate in the 7+ years I've owned the car car. I only got the ticket because the meter expired where the car was parked (so I got 2 tickets instead of just one).

If you haven't gotten a ticket for it yet, I would keep going without the front plate until you do.

 

I....I got pulled over lol. That's what I did haha.

Cop gave me a ticket for $80 for no front tags (failure to display correct vehicle identification - 2 license plate tags). So what can I say...

EDIT: I second what Mahjik said, but not the "until you do" part. My ticket is NOT a fix-it ticket...meaning you just pay it and move on. Since it's not a motion violation, it doesn't carry any points, doesn't involve insurance, etc. So you really can't complain...(at least not too much!). So yea, just keep on goin as is haha

 

Well I would leave it off, but the cops are getting real strict about it now, as 2 of my friends got a ticket for it in the last week. Now I will be driving my FD daily, so I really need to do something.

 

all you need to do is prove to them that the car was produced without a lisence plate holder from the factory. If you can prove this(if you cant your a moron) then you can get a paper for it showing it to cops who pull you over for it. Also used to fight tickets given to you later on.

 

That really true?

 

No that's not true. They know that EVERY car made for the USA has a front plate holder that can be used. All that is going to do is **** off the officer which not what you want to do.

You can order the stock holder from Mazda. It will sit above the front opening for the radiator/IC not blocking air. Just call Ray at Malloy Mazda. He'll hook you up.

 

I doubt that. Sounds like a load of BS. Maybe if you drive a 1927 Ford Model T you can pull it off, but any car made in the past 40 years? Try blowing smoke up the cop's *** with that excuse.

 

I will say this again... if you worried about the stock plate holder from blocking air to your radiator and having problems because of it, your FD cooling system is fucked up. It will have NO effects on your cooling system.

 

Thanks to maxpesce for the picture. See, the license plate isn't blocking anything.

 

Thanks Mahjik, I will call Ray tom.

 

I got a tow hook plate holder combo from JT imports. Made by R-magic.

PM me your e mail and i'll send you some pics. Real easy to install. Bolts in place of stock tow hook and comes thru the bumper.( A small 1 1/2 - 2 inch hole will need to be drilled into the bumper, but it is covered by the plate when installed.)

It doesn't block the air from the front mouth to IC/Rad. Or block the oil coolers.

 

Last time I asked Ray @ Malloy for the price of it, he quoted me for $48. Even he said that was outrageous for a license plate holder but there wasn't much he could do since the list price is usually $80+.

 

Umm, thats rediculous. Front License Plate is a moving Violation. So you could have gotten off on that one.

 

In my area it's not. If it's on a public street, then it's in violation (probably the same in your area). Had it been in my driveway (or at that time my loft parking lot), then they could not have ticketed me.

 

The front plate may not block air flow to the rad or IC, but I still think they're ugly. So yes, I'm running without in MO, too.

 

That's actually partially true. That law applies only in certain states. Why? Because there ARE cars sold in the US that do NOT come w/ a factory license plate holder. Why? Because not all states require front plates. In fact, I'd guess that the majority (or a very large percentage) do NOT require 2 tags.

Many cars that don't come w/ front tags, but must have them, such as here in VA, the dealer just drills a hole into the bumper, and installs it. That's the case w/ the Evos (and I believe the WRXs as well). There's a strong correlation between if your car has an IC and if it has front tags. Even my friend's Volvo C70 which has a FMIC (stock) b/c it's turbocharged, it doesn't come w/ a factory front license plate holder. Volvo told him they just drill some holes...lol

The problem comes when the car DID come w/ a license plate holder, and the FD DID come w/ it...it just wasn't given to ya if you lived in a state where you didn't need the front tags. Cutting on costs, ya know?

I actually told the cop today that the car didn't come w/ front tag holders (which is sorta true, since I bought the car from Florida w/o front tags, AND I have a C-west front bumper, which never came w/ any way to attach the front tags to it). He was like ok, but in VA, every car MUST have 2 tags displayed, and you can't just stick the front tag in your dash, since it can fly off and behead you in an accident...lol. So I guess that's why sticking it there isn't enough...

Are you saying it IS or IS NOT a moving violation? Because I believe it may vary from state to state, but it should NOT be classified as a motion violation. Motion violations constitute failure to obey rules of the road. Improper tags, expired registration, etc, are NOT moving violations, because they are failure to obey PROPERTY rules and regulations. It just so happens that the car may be moving when he pulls you over, but you have not committed any violation of rules of the road, per say. Why? Beacuse even if the car is sitting on the curb, not moving, but it doesn't have front tags, it can still be ticketed, just like what happened to Mahjik. That happened to me in DC a little while back...I got cited for no front tags while the car was parked on the street... No points awared. Just pay and go.

BigIslandSevens, can you send me some pics of the tow hook? I was thinkin of puttin that on my car as well... The944@aol.com

 

There is also JDM mounts you can get. They mount/hang down from the underside of the top of the intake. They block it, except when you hit 30 or so, then the air pushes the plate back into a horizontal position.

 

yeah i always wanted those spring loaded plate holders.. neat stuff

 

Keep in mind that just because a state doesn't require one, doesn't mean that car manufacturers don't make them.

All US made cars (as of late) have factory front license plate holders. Yes, not all states use/require them but that doesn't make you exempt from your local law because you purchase might a car from another state (which doesn't require a front plate). It makes you liable to conform to your local laws and order the plate holder and in violation if you don't.

 

This is so ignorant it defies belief.

 

In MO I was pulled over 3 times(got warnings) for no front plate. The excuse that it didnt come with one in the first place, doesn't work. If you live in a state that has the laws, you must display the plate.

 

In Ca (the DMV **** State) you get pulled over, they give you a Fix-It ticket, you need to zip tie or hot glue or velcro one on, and go to the CHP or Local Police office, show them that you put one on, they collect $20 and you're off... I asked what would happen if it "Fell off" right after she examined it ... the officer laughed, and said well, I don't care, but I guess we'll see you real soon again !

So .... as long as you're fine with going to the police, and paying $20.00 each time... you could play that game as long as you want....

 

Mahjik, I totally understand what you're saying. I'm just saying that it seems that in states that don't have front plate requirements, the dealership itself doesn't even have mounting brackets for the plates, and so it seems the manufacturer doesn't make them....or so I thought.

I know you're not exempt if you move to a different state, because you still have to conform to their laws. But what I was saying is that in some states, you just might not be able to find a tag holder, and thus they just drill into your front bumper, which is horrible.

Also, I remember reading in a thread about front tags a little while ago that someone stated that in THEIR specific state (don't remember which one), the law specifically stated that you must display 2 tags at all times unless the car did not come from the factory front tag holder... That was the clause written in that specific state's laws, and I think that's what RX7SpiritR is referring to.

Hey, each state has it's own take on things...it seems that one state's is a little different...