Front plates in Illinois (or anywhere)

[stephenjc]

Sorry if this is a common question but I have to ask. I have had my MCS for 3 weeks now and my plates are in. So now I have to decide on whether i should mount the front plate. Being in Illinois where the law dictates that we have front plates I have come to understand that at least some MINI owners don't mount the front plate. So I have three questions:

1. Your opinion please - does having a front plate really affect the MINI look that much or are there other reasons to not install the front plate?

2. Especially for Illinois MINI owners and perhaps also for other states where the front plate is required I would like to know how many of you have or have not installed the front plate and for those who have not have you been ticketed or had any other problems with the law?

3. If the front plate is mounted has anyone tried anything to minimize the appearance aspect like a cover or alternative mounting bracket or whatever?

Thanks for any answers or any other input.

[miniyup]

I live in the 'burbs like you. No front plate since Spring of '03 when delivered. Car is mostly parked right now due to salt, but it will be on the road from March steady to at least November.

So far, no issues. No police have noticed, though I do sometimes take another route if I see I am about to catch up to a cruiser running ahead of me. (or they are coming up behind and about to pass). I figure most who see the car from the front assume I am from out of state, and those who see me from the rear assume there is a front plate.

I have seen at least one other MINI at Jacobs service dept. with a front plate that was completely trimmed away except for the numerals themselves. Looked odd, not bad, but I guess in the owner's mind it is somewhat like a European plate. Appeared to be just stuck on with heavy duty velcro perhaps.

Some have told stories of going years with no front plate, others get picked on right away. Luck of the draw I guess.

[A.Naimoli]

I think you might be safe *not* having a front plate in the burbs, but Chicago is a different situation if you park on the street. I put the front plate on b/c we got busted with a hefty ticket from Chicago's finest. At first I didn't want to put the plate on, but now I've become used to it.

[stephenjc]

Thanks for the replies.

Since my original post here I have put my rear plate on and left the front off. So after about 6 or 7 weeks so far no problems. I guess i figure I will keep it like this until forced into putting the front plate on. But you know i sometimes get a little paranoia and i wonder if it is worth it.

[Tazminia]

Quote: Originally Posted by stephenjc

Thanks for the replies.

Since my original post here I have put my rear plate on and left the front off. So after about 6 or 7 weeks so far no problems. I guess i figure I will keep it like this until forced into putting the front plate on. But you know i sometimes get a little paranoia and i wonder if it is worth it.

stephenjc, were you ever able to determine for sure if we needed the front plates in Illinois? I never got around to checking but would love to not have to. While I was working I suppose I would have had a little bit of 'professional courtesy' but now that I'm a retired 'Joe Taxpayer' they may not be as forgiving.
( I wonder if they would let me off with just a warning the first time?) hehehe

[stephenjc]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tazminia

stephenjc, were you ever able to determine for sure if we needed the front plates in Illinois? I never got around to checking but would love to not have to. While I was working I suppose I would have had a little bit of 'professional courtesy' but now that I'm a retired 'Joe Taxpayer' they may not be as forgiving.
( I wonder if they would let me off with just a warning the first time?) hehehe

That's funny. I actually thought about asking you - figuring you as a firefighter may have some police officer freinds who may tell you what their attitude is about this kind of thing. As far as need - I am not sure what you are asking. It is the law here in the Land of Lincoln that we have front plates. In the 7 weeks or so I have had mine with no front plate I know there have been at least a couple times where I have been in a position where an officer could easily see that I had no front plate and none have chased me down and pulled me over yet. As best as i can tell from some comments I have read and now from the experience of not being pulled over is that most officers seem to not care but if you are pulled over for speeding or some other offense they will give to a citation for the no front plate thing too.

When i picked up my MINI in January I went to the area of my dealer where the cars that are in for service are kept - just so I could see how many have plates in front and how many don't. I observed that like 2 out of three do not have front plates. So that says something and was probably the biggest factor in me deciding not to install the plate.

My girlfreind thinks I am silly for not putting the plate on as she thinks the presence of a front plate has no negative impact on the car's appearance whatsoever. I find myself thinking she is probably right and i can't seem to get any input from anyone on why they think it is so important to the appearance of the car. For now i am leaving it off and like you, if I am pulled over for this by an officer in my imediate area I will probably get the professional courtesy of no ticket or if I do get a ticket by a local officer i can probably weasel my way out of it in court.

[Tazminia]

Quote: Originally Posted by stephenjc

That's funny. I actually thought about asking you - figuring you as a firefighter may have some police officer freinds who may tell you what their attitude is about this kind of thing. As far as need - I am not sure what you are asking. It is the law here in the Land of Lincoln that we have front plates. In the 7 weeks or so I have had mine with no front plate I know there have been at least a couple times where I have been in a position where an officer could easily see that I had no front plate and none have chased me down and pulled me over yet. As best as i can tell from some comments I have read and now from the experience of not being pulled over is that most officers seem to not care but if you are pulled over for speeding or some other offense they will give to a citation for the no front plate thing too.

When i picked up my MINI in January I went to the area of my dealer where the cars that are in for service are kept - just so I could see how many have plates in front and how many don't. I observed that like 2 out of three do not have front plates. So that says something and was probably the biggest factor in me deciding not to install the plate.

My girlfreind thinks I am silly for not putting the plate on as she thinks the presence of a front plate has no negative impact on the car's appearance whatsoever. I find myself thinking she is probably right and i can't seem to get any input from anyone on why they think it is so important to the appearance of the car. For now i am leaving it off and like you, if I am pulled over for this by an officer in my imediate area I will probably get the professional courtesy of no ticket or if I do get a ticket by a local officer i can probably weasel my way out of it in court.

Sad to say out of 27 1/2 years of interacting with our local PD, I guess I never had the occasion to ask 'em about plates until now
I run into them (figuratively speaking) now and then and I'll ask. After reflecting on the idea though...I have to agree with you that it really isn't of that much importance in the grand scheme of things. (unless maybe a person wanted to put a fancy "Mini" plate that's all chrome or something to that affect on there)
If they are going to nail me, it will probably be for my lack of wearing a seat belt. Long engrained habits of not wearing one are going to get me yet.