Funny Story about front plates

[Krueger///M3]

Sorry to begin with that I don't have any pics... yet.

So my friend went to pick up his SSII E93 M3 today from Rasmussen BMW in Oregon and he came and gave me a ride after he did. The car is pretty beautiful. The SSII looks great on the vert and the sound with the top down is very nice.

So the real funny story in this is that my friend told me that his CA Scott (This is for you Greg) had told him that Rasmussen had gotten a letter from the city telling them that they had heard of dealers not putting the front plates on the cars that they sold. The letter addressed this as a problem but stated that they would understand if they didn't put front plates on M cars. The city actually addressed this! I know that I don't have the original letter from the city, but this is from a very credible source. I just thought that all of the M fans would like to hear about the city understanding the needs of the M crowd.

[hellrotm]

I don't understand why front plates are needed.

Not all states have that law.

[ideliver]

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

I don't understand why front plates are needed.

Not all states have that law.

Many urban legends...but all come down to making it easier to run your plates...in OH..the highway patrol used to pull around in front of you when they pulled you over...some say that it makes it easier to write parking tickets with head in parking...pick the flavor de jour...just know that changing these laws would not be a simple matter

[JIO]

It's interesting that motorcycles don't have to have front plates since one might be injured from the plate in case of a fall. I use the same excuse....In the event of a collision, I don't want to be injured from the front plate after I'm ejected through the windshield for not wearing a seat belt...he he.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by ideliver

Many urban legends...but all come down to making it easier to run your plates...in OH..the highway patrol used to pull around in front of you when they pulled you over...some say that it makes it easier to write parking tickets with head in parking...pick the flavor de jour...just know that changing these laws would not be a simple matter

I live in the 5th biggest city in the U.S.

We don't have front plates, they just issue one plate. Makes me happy.

[VMM]

Got a front plate ticket (20 dollar fix it) which I got signed off after doing the zip tie thing. The officer at the local police station stated that they were trying to crack down on no front plates due to the red light cameras which are popping up all over the place. Sound sketchy to me as I know that these cameras take a picture of both the front and back of the car and the driver. They've got cameras all over the intersection. Interestingly enough I've heard people complain about getting constantly harrassed by the police about the plates and even some of them being followed and warned repeatedly. I think this has something to do with the type of car and age of the driver. I have other friends with M3's, a couple of Porsche's, and a few Ferrari's and Maserati's. Some actually put the plates on and didn't care. The others don't have plates and have never been bothered. I don't think a law enforcement officer is going to pull over a 360 modena and lecture the driver about front plates.

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

I don't understand why front plates are needed.

Not all states have that law.

[MysticBlue]

My next M3 will be my 3rd car with no plates. It's been 7 years, several speeding tickets, quite a few more pull-overs with warnings (for speeding) and never a single word about no front plate.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by Krueger///M3

The letter addressed this as a problem but stated that they would understand if they didn't put front plates on M cars.

I'm movin' to Portland! I thought it was a cool place, but how cool is that exactly!?

[icemang17]

Originally Posted by Krueger///M3

Sorry to begin with that I don't have any pics... yet.

So my friend went to pick up his SSII E93 M3 today from Rasmussen BMW in Oregon and he came and gave me a ride after he did. The car is pretty beautiful. The SSII looks great on the vert and the sound with the top down is very nice.

So the real funny story in this is that my friend told me that his CA Scott (This is for you Greg) had told him that Rasmussen had gotten a letter from the city telling them that they had heard of dealers not putting the front plates on the cars that they sold. The letter addressed this as a problem but stated that they would understand if they didn't put front plates on M cars. The city actually addressed this! I know that I don't have the original letter from the city, but this is from a very credible source. I just thought that all of the M fans would like to hear about the city understanding the needs of the M crowd.

WOW this is stunning.....what is the plate law in Oregon....here in the republic of Kalifornia you are required to have front and rear plates...and its NOT up to the city or county it is a STATE law? So even if the county said its okay....you could still get nailed on it...just like tinted windows

[MysticBlue]

This is kind of strange. This is a state law, not city or county. Why would the city of Portland write a letter like this. What jurisdiction do they have over whether a car dealership is following Dept. of Motor Vehicle regs.
And yes, I bought my last 2 cars from Rasmussen and they did not put on the front plates at my request. Last time, the CA gave me a little nudge and said they are supposed to put them on, so if anybody asks, don't throw the dealership under the bus, say they fell off or something.

[Sadd]

how about Virginia??

[Krueger///M3]

Originally Posted by MysticBlue

This is kind of strange. This is a state law, not city or county. Why would the city of Portland write a letter like this. What jurisdiction do they have over whether a car dealership is following Dept. of Motor Vehicle regs.
And yes, I bought my last 2 cars from Rasmussen and they did not put on the front plates at my request. Last time, the CA gave me a little nudge and said they are supposed to put them on, so if anybody asks, don't throw the dealership under the bus, say they fell off or something.

It is still a law and the parking maids will still now give you a ticket for not having a front plate, but, the police are expressing their opinion that they would understand if you didn't put a plate on an M car. Some police officers may be more lenient, (Like the ones in your case about the front plate), but this letter doesn't mean that there isn't a law against (the letter is clarifying that Rasmussen should follow the law) it's just that some officers may let you off the hook and some may not.

[Krueger///M3]

Oh yeah, the city doesn't have any control over the dealer, they are just trying to get more dealers to willing follow their front plate law.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Krueger///M3

The letter addressed this as a problem but stated that they would understand if they didn't put front plates on M cars.

The city must have tons of time to write letters then, since I guess they'd need to be impartial and send a similar letter to Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Jaguar, etc. dealerships.

Could still be true though, I guess anything is possible, but even if not its cool that the dealership allowed your friend to keep the front plate off.

[Krueger///M3]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

The city must have tons of time to write letters then, since I guess they'd need to be impartial and send a similar letter to Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Jaguar, etc. dealerships.

Could still be true though, I guess anything is possible, but even if not its cool that the dealership allowed your friend to keep the front plate off.

I trust the source of the story and I think that one of the officers in the department probably has an M car (just a hunch) so this letter might be partial because of this. I have not asked anywhere else to see if other dealers were given the same type of letter.

[sfbimmer13]

I had to sign a paper when I picked up my car that I won't be driving without front plates...how f'd up is that?