NY M5'ers - Front License Plate - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

JAM M5 · 3rd April 2007, 00:17

To all my fellow NY M5 drivers - anybody not using front license plate?? Anyone know of the fine here in NY if we just display back plate ?

canysmc · 3rd April 2007, 02:14

Alot of M5 owners are running no front plate in NY/NYC.

If your M5 is parked and unattended, then its a possible parking ticket for $110.

If you're driving and the police pull you over, then its a moving violation which you must then appear in court.

bonehead · 3rd April 2007, 03:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by canysmc

If you're driving and the police pull you over, then its a moving violation which you must then appear in court.

Really, Simon?? I thought it was just a pay the fine kinda ticket and you're done. Oh, well. Just cross my fingers. 3 days without a plate and so far so good

JAM M5: I just took off my plate bracket and used bumper plugs. Car looks like hell with that thing on.

Bumper plugs in Silverstone II?

JAM M5 · 3rd April 2007, 03:49

Thanks Simon - moving violation that blows!!!!

I have the plate in the trunk, it was never attached from previous owner. Its brutal alright bmwbonehead. Thanks for the thread link - had looked for something on this but that thread did not come up. I think its the "Jaysus I just had work done on the front bumper officer......."

Enzom · 3rd April 2007, 04:40

As nice as the front of the car looks without a plate, you are just asking for trouble. It gives the police a reason to pull you over, even if they decide not to ticket you. (God I sound like an old man.

)

And as much as I respect the police and appreciate what they do for us everyday, we all know that there are cops out there who just love to break ####s.

HaroldC · 3rd April 2007, 05:20

The front plate location and mount on most BMW's, and especially ///M cars, is really a design oversight. It really breaks up the clean lines of the front of the car. It is too bad that BMW doesn't find a way to incorporate the plate into their design. Audi has done a great job with their new "shield" front to incorporate the plate. Take a look at the new B7 RS4, the front plate looks natural on the front of that car.

I have been running for the past 4 years or so without a front plate and haven't had a problem, yet. I do know that it's just inevitable to get a ticket, but I live with that understanding and enjoy the fact that my car looks very clean up front.

But, I've decided to make a temporary plate mount that I can zip tie to the grille on the bumper when I need to make runs into Manhattan. The most likely place to get a ticket is at the tollbooth, where there now seem to be 50 cops waiting to write tickets. I made one last night out of thin aluminum sheet and formed it into a bracket that puts the plate at an angle so it fits in that space. I am going to modify it a little to allow more airflow above and below it. Right now, it does block some of the oil cooler, and I've noticed that the oil is running a hair above the normal spec. During normal driving, the needle is exactly at 210 degrees. Before it was just a tick below. Hopefully the new mods tomorrow will allow more air past, we'll see. I'll post pics when I've finished version 2.

erikmoeser · 3rd April 2007, 05:45

I have been running with no front plate, which is required, for the past 30 years and have been stopped once. I had to put the plate on, report to the PD to show them, and that was it. No fine, no jail term. I took the plate off the next day and no trouble since, and that was probably 20 years ago. It is nice to know that they have more important things to do than worry about missing front plates.

I think different states, different communities, different law enforcement entities, all mean different reactions to the missing plate.

007 had the rotating plate on the DB-5 "valid all countries" and it looked fine. Maybe BMW could design a front facia that would actually accomodate the front plate artfully. Our S4 looks OK with the front plate. Our late and lamented TL would have looked like hell with a front plate as would my S2000.

LI-M5 · 4th April 2007, 01:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAM M5

I have the plate in the trunk, it was never attached from previous owner. I think its the "Jaysus I just had work done on the front bumper officer......."

thats what i do !! but i keep it in the front seat pass floor and if im gettin stopped then i throw it in the windshield..and use the good ole i've just had work done onthe front of the car and havent had time to get to the dealer to get a new one or im waiting for the dealer to get me a new one..

bonehead · 26th July 2007, 01:32

gr rrrrrr

grrr rrrr

Well, with my shi*ty luck recently (pulled over TWICE on the way to UFH's Mass meet), got pulled over coming home from work. Cop was at the other side of the intersection as I was making a left turn at the light, made the turn....lights a-blazin'.

F**k it. Still not putting it back on. But anyone know what violation this falls under? Doesn't specify on the ticket. Equipment? "Seat belt, cell phone or any violation not listed"? Other choices are red light, speeding, uninspected, uninsured, oversize/overweight: obviously not any of these.

canysmc · 26th July 2007, 02:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonehead

gr rrrrrr

grrr rrrr

Well, with my shi*ty luck recently (pulled over TWICE on the way to UFH's Mass meet), got pulled over coming home from work. Cop was at the other side of the intersection as I was making a left turn at the light, made the turn....lights a-blazin'.

F**k it. Still not putting it back on. But anyone know what violation this falls under? Doesn't specify on the ticket. Equipment? "Seat belt, cell phone or any violation not listed"? Other choices are red light, speeding, uninspected, uninsured, oversize/overweight: obviously not any of these.

That sucks, Bone.

Should be an equipment ticket.

However, plea not guilty.

And then show up on the court date with a "receipt for repair of the front license plate bracket".

Did you get pulled over by the local authorities?

If so, any buddies or buddy's buddies "on the job"?