Number Plate Covers

[CJ Underhill 34]

Just a quick one

Do any of you use number plate covers for taking pictures? Ya'no the show plate type number plates with your company name or logo to cover the vehicles number plate?

Do you find them effective? I used to spend time editing out the number plates on my pictures, only to be told by an autotrader rep not to, as customers may think i am trying to hide something.

Also, where do you get them from? and how do you attach them? are they just stuck on? clips? velcro?

[BHM 994]

No. It looks dodgy. Why do you feel the need to hide a vehicle's identity?

No offence intended, just my opinion based on the fact I hate seeing them on a car.

[umesh 336]

I use them and have done for about 15 years + http://specialistcars-stoke.co.uk/showroom/ford-focus-rs/ 

looks more professional IF All cars are done, 

i get them from Jepson & co my contact is Wayne Lee  email  Wayne.Lee@jepsonandco.com 

costs circa £8/10 each 

suckers so easy to take off/on 

hope that helps - feel free to bell me 01782822700 if more info  

umesh 

[CJ Underhill 34]

Thanks Umesh

I'm still on the fence over them, but seeing more and more companies going that way, and as Umesh says, i feel they look more professional

[BCC 9]

8 hours ago, CJ Underhill said:

Thanks Umesh

I'm still on the fence over them, but seeing more and more companies going that way, and as Umesh says, i feel they look more professional

We cover all plates on EVERY car including when taking photos. It's much more professional and improves the overall look of the showroom and forecourt no end. It's ridiculous to say its dodgy, theres nothing suspicious at all about dealers using plate covers and if a potential customer is genuinely interested they will get in touch for the reg.

We pay £80 for 20 covers so around £4 a piece from a local company. If anyone local to us would like their details just send us a message.

 

[Beautiful South Martin 24]

I started using them about 2 years ago after someone cloned a Honda Jazz I had and was driving around Bradford going through speed cameras, I got 15 speeding tickets in the space of 6 weeks, nightmare to sort out, only after a very strongly worded letter to their local chief of police were they quashed. I have a couple of clips that slot on the end of the plates and the cover up plate just slots in, sometimes if the plate is on so tight you can't get the clips down the ends I use velcro. I think it looks more professional as well, and I agree with the above, if a potential customer is interested they just ring up and ask for the reg number.

[umesh 336]

I only use them for the pictures , all the cars outside don't have them but all the cars in the showroom do  ! Just looks NICE ! ...  

As said genuine /interested parties call for Reg Numbers etc - but no one has ever questioned why I cover them .... And it does 'help' stop cloning.

[Rory RSC 596]

I think they just make it harder for the customer to do their insurance checks, etc etc so see absolutely no point in them.

[BHM 994]

I get enough arseholes emailing & on the phone without adding another question for them to bother me with "what's the reg. no.?"

As I'm swimming at the bottom of the pond most of my punters are suspicious of everything anyway due to the fact that many cheapies sold elsewhere seem to be absolutely fucked (according to the greedy punters) or have a "tale" behind them such as being undeclared write offs.

I think in this cuddly open society we now live in it doesn't compute why a dealer of any quality of car (good, bad or indifferent) wishes to hide the most basic thing from the general public. I'd always thought it was just so the public had to engage in conversation with you but from the responses here it seems to be with cloning & keeping the forecourt tidy 

As for cloning there are millions of cars on the road & as long as yours isn't the dodgy cloned car, so what?

As for keeping the forecourt tidy I pull out the weeds once a week.

[It's me 615]

1 hour ago, BHM said:

 

As for keeping the forecourt tidy I pull out the weeds once a week.

and wee on the wheeltrims to keep the dust down

 

i find customers are unsure enough with 2 plate changes a year so i keep it simple and let them see the plate

if i was doing prestige it would be didfferent

[umesh 336]

2 hours ago, BHM said:

 

 

 

As for keeping the forecourt tidy I pull out the weeds once a week.

you've got some fast growing weeds !

Don't forget those 'cleaver' ones who then type your reg no into buying platforms and get a valuation pretending they are selling that car !! 

We all have various reasons works for me - doesn't work for everyone. 

[RH Trading 80]

7 hours ago, Rory RSC said:

I think they just make it harder for the customer to do their insurance checks, etc etc so see absolutely no point in them.

Completely agree Rory, we used vanity plates a few years ago but took decision to remove them as its a waste of time keep taking them on and off, also don't make it hard for a buyer to buy the car. why make them ring you up for a number so they can get an insurance quote??? - they'll just go somewhere else.

[williamblackshaw 43]

Not a fan of them

[Tom 164]

Yes did try this and it did look smart but so many customers moaned and asked questions I stopped fitting them. Still got them to go on my indoor show room cars only now. 

[Trident 24]

We had a few vehicle adverts cloned, customers were contacting us about the delivery of their car cause they had paid the deposit!! so we decided to use the plate covers to make it more difficult for the images to be copied, AT seem to have cleaned up their act on dodgy ads, so we don't bother using them now.

 

[Scooby who 41]

I always use them when photographing, but remove afterwards. Reason being, the car looks better with them on, also local people might spot my name and are more likely to click on the advert. Also it prevents cloning.

I then put the registration number in the text in the advert. So if somebody wants to do a HPI it's there, and I'm hiding absolutely nothing.

 

 

[have a word with the wife 299]

taken on board what your all saying and yes thats a good idea put them on in adverts, and reg number in the description, you could say that if you run a mixed selection pitch and had them on, then punters walking round or even driving past will look at the price rather than the reg number [ because its not showing] , if the customer bases his buying on = make,year, colour, price. then by having no plate showing he/she is seeing = make colour price. does that draw the customer further in ? is there opportunity for inflated prices for people who cant value cars ? certainly round here a few do that, or maybe because quite a few dealers are close together its to actually bring them in and ask/look in window at description card ?

[M.J 35]

Just had contact from Yorkshire police asking about one of our vehicle that's been involved in a crime in Leeds.

Obviously wasn't ours as it's been sat at our site for the last few months which is 200 miles away.

Plates have been cloned from an advert me thinks.

I maybe investing in number plate covers after all.

[Arfur Dealy 823]

I'm of the opinion it looks great in the photos, it shows you are professional and proud to advertise your business. The benefits are you are selling the car on the basis of how it is presented on the net by video or photos not just by its plate age.... Deleting out the plate looks dodgy and unprofessional in my book...JMHO guys.

[M.J 35]

2 hours ago, Sami said:

It doesn't really stop cloning. If someone really wanted a reg number especially for a high end car they would just ring you up and clone it.... 

More than likely they'd just scroll down to the next advert with the plate uncovered 

[CJ Underhill 34]

Tbh we had 2 sets of plates stolen off our pitch cars. Couldn't figure out why they had chosen just those 2 cars. But the plates were used to steal petrol from the local filling station, and to attempt to steal a trailer from a farmer. 1 Car wasn't mine, the other was our old run about. After much thinking, we worked out, those were the only 2 cars that were taxed

Hence my thinking of plate covers. 2 Minutes on the DVLA site had informed them which cars were taxed and which plates to steal

Edited August 17, 2017 by CJ Underhill

[normandinsdale 0]

On 7/27/2017 at 12:30 PM, BHM said:

I get enough arseholes emailing & on the phone without adding another question for them to bother me with "what's the reg. no.?"

As I'm swimming at the bottom of the pond most of my punters are suspicious of everything anyway due to the fact that many cheapies sold elsewhere seem to be absolutely fucked (according to the greedy punters) or have a "tale" behind them such as being undeclared write offs.

I think in this cuddly open society we now live in it doesn't compute why a dealer of any quality of car (good, bad or indifferent) wishes to hide the most basic thing from the general public. I'd always thought it was just so the public had to engage in conversation with you but from the responses here it seems to be with cloning & keeping the forecourt tidy 

As for cloning there are millions of cars on the road & as long as yours isn't the dodgy cloned car, so what?

As for keeping the forecourt tidy I pull out the weeds once a week.

a brilliant honest comment, thank you! I'm trying to buy an Aston Martin Vantage and NO ONE will give me the reg number before giving me all their sales bull. They can't give a straight honest answer about MOT, vehicle storage conditions, or even how long they've had it. 

I don't suppose you've got one for sale?

[Gez1983 0]

Hi, 

I've been looking at a bmw 3 series Estate as its spec is better, it's in very good around condition and has the extras I'm looking for....however, when I rang the garage to book an appointment to view and asked for the reg again (as I'm travelling 4 hours I thought I'd check on the Gov website thing for past mot etc) as the one in the pics came up as a Honda!   They gave me a new reg and that checks out fine...now, I'm just concerned as to why they would put a plate from another car on this one? I'm really wanting the car but a little worried...help