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Front License Plate Frame

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by PRIUSINCTMI, Jan 13, 2005.

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  1. PRIUSINCTMI

    PRIUSINCTMI New Member

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    Well I got some exciting news last week that the Prius I have been waiting for has come in at a friends dealership in Maine. It has everything I want except one thing.....

    A FRONT LICENSE PLATE FRAME INSTALLED


    Can anyone tell me how they are installed and how difficult it will be to remove. Also, will it leave holes in the front bumper if I remove it?

    I don't want to be anal but I am thinking about not taking the car and waiting for the next available one, but I know that could be 6 months. I was #12 on his list and no one on the list wanted package #6.
     
    #1 PRIUSINCTMI, Jan 13, 2005
  2. rocco

    rocco Member

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    I have no idea but ARE YOU CRAZY? don't wait
     
    #2 rocco, Jan 13, 2005
  3. PRIUSINCTMI

    PRIUSINCTMI New Member

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    I problably will not wait. All I have done since he called me is read everything on this forum. I am so excited with getting one of these. I have only been on the list since early November. I guess I am really interested in how hard it is to remove and will it look bad. I just hate front license plates.
     
    #3 PRIUSINCTMI, Jan 13, 2005
  4. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    They screw into the bumper. Yes it will leave holes. If a front plate is not mandatory in your state, and the holder really bugs you, I suspect a body shop could patch the holes.

    Or you could pay several hundred $$ to have a new cover painted and installed.

    Or you could get a decorative plate indicating something of interest to you.
     
    #4 bruceha_2000, Jan 13, 2005
  5. tag

    tag Senior Member

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    Best solution, IMHO. Regardless, I'd take the car.
     
    #5 tag, Jan 13, 2005
  6. PRIUSINCTMI

    PRIUSINCTMI New Member

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    IMHO????
     
    #6 PRIUSINCTMI, Jan 13, 2005
  7. tag

    tag Senior Member

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    #7 tag, Jan 13, 2005
  8. mss

    mss New Member

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    IMHO = In my humble opinion...

    Take the car! That is too minor a detail, IMHO, to be a deal breaker. But then again I probably worry about things that wouldn't bother you.

    Why would they mount a plate holder when front plates are not mandatory?? I do agree that I would be disappointed.

    I made sure they didn't put one of their dealer stickers on the car. That is my pet peeve.
     
    #8 mss, Jan 13, 2005
  9. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    PRIUSINCTMI doesn't list a location, but if I disect the ID:
    Prius In CT MI (initials??) I'm guessing Connecticut. Front plates not mandatory in CT?

    He indicated he is getting the car in Maine. If front plates are mandatory there, the dealers probably always put on the holders when the cars come off the truck.
     
    #9 bruceha_2000, Jan 13, 2005
  10. PRIUSINCTMI

    PRIUSINCTMI New Member

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    The problem is I am getting the car in another state were it is a requirement. So it is part of the PDI of the car to put on a front license plate frame. I guess I could put on the local dealerships plate if I am happy with there service department or maybe a 50 MPG plate!!!
     
    #10 PRIUSINCTMI, Jan 13, 2005
  11. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    So much for THAT guess! :)
     
    #11 bruceha_2000, Jan 13, 2005
  12. PRIUSINCTMI

    PRIUSINCTMI New Member

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    Your are off by a 1000 miles or so.

    Commerce Township, MI (30 miles north of Detroit)

    Good guess though.....
     
    #12 PRIUSINCTMI, Jan 13, 2005
  13. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Here's my experience with the front license plate holder (and I'm sure some people here are tired of reading about it)

    When I got my car, there was a semi-training monkey (monkey, I tell ya!) screwing the front license plate directly into the bumper of my car. And I could hear him laughing as he did so because in his prehensile tail he was holding the black license plate holder, waving it around over his head as he bolted the plate directly onto my bumper.

    Now, I'm not sure but I have reason to believe he was also drunk. Monkeys do like to eat fermented fruits you know. I could not help but to notice that the plate was off-center and crooked.

    Once home, I removed the plate to find the holes were nowhere near the dimples conveniently showing any properly trained monkey where to bolt the plate holder.

    In the end, I mounted the holder and attached the plate to it. But I have four holes in my front bumper rather than two.

    True Story :)
     
    #13 TonyPSchaefer, Jan 13, 2005
  14. bookrats

    bookrats New Member

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    :lolup:

    I hope that that monkey is no longer employed. Monkeys in the workplace are the bane of our modern existence.

    (Or has become a trunk monkey, where his drunken tendencies towards destruction can be used constructively.)
     
    #14 bookrats, Jan 13, 2005
  15. rocco

    rocco Member

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    Tony - some of us are new and I suspect this forum will be gettin a bunch of newbies with production up!
     
    #15 rocco, Jan 13, 2005
  16. IsrAmeriPrius

    IsrAmeriPrius Progressive Member

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    His profile shows the location as MI (Michigan).
     
    #16 IsrAmeriPrius, Jan 13, 2005
  17. newk

    newk New Member

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    Somebody backed into me not two weeks after I received my Prius, and insurance paid for a new one. The vehicle looks so much better without all the front licence plate stuff. I'm in California where it is illegal, but I do notice more and more cars without the front plates, and the majority of them being expensive motorcars. I'm sure it bumps up the mileage a bit too.
     
    #17 newk, Jan 13, 2005
  18. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    I'd get ahold of the dealer and tell them not to put the front plate holder on as the car is going out of state. This if your going to take the car. If it's already on, back in January or February of 2004 there was a discussion on this very topic here on PC and I at the time suggested a couple of LEDs' in the screw holes. It's something to consider.
     
    #18 Frank Hudon, Jan 13, 2005
  19. prius04

    prius04 New Member

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    This is a trunk Monkey
    http://www.sillyhumor.com/trunkmonkey/

    (Requires quicktime)
     
    #19 prius04, Jan 13, 2005
  20. mmccking

    mmccking Junior Member

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    My dealer drilled too much when they put on my front plate holder and caused the holes to protrude out almost 1/4". I found this out when I purchased the car because I asked them to take the front plate off before I bought it. I also considered waiting for another car, but I've already waited 6 months and passed on 3 other car/color/package combinations so I decided to "live with it".

    Well it's been 3 months and it still bothers me to no end, so I called Toyota customer care and they had my dealer call me and arrange to have my bumper replaced. Just got it back tonight and I'm as happy as a clam with no holes.

    Now if they can only find out where that blasted dash noise is coming from I'll be able to sleep tonight :)
     
    #20 mmccking, Jan 14, 2005
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