The appeal of personalised number plates has been a draw for many vehicle owners since they were first held back for individual sales in 1983 (although they were available by other means prior to that). There are many reasons why many of us are willing to part with our cash to get one, ranging from marking an occasion such as a wedding or birthday (think JU5T W3D), all the way through to making a statement, advertising or just for the prestige of owning a specific plate (QE 1, DB 9). If you’re looking to browse for your perfect reg, then visits sites like the DVLA or an online retailer.
Of course, some of these privately sold plates can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds to own which goes some way to explaining the £60 million plus that the DVLA makes from such sales every year. However, they can also be picked up from as little as £150 which can make them a particularly attractive buy and a big contributing factor in why there are so many out there today.
If you are considering a private number plate, or have your eye on one but fear it would be a frivolous purchase, it may be worth considering some of the benefits that come with having distinctive or meaningful plates:
They can work as a deterrent to would be thieves
Although a private plate will not provide any physical barrier to stop a thief in their tracks, a more easily recognised number may well make them think twice, as that quick but stealthy get away will be hampered if there is more chance of witnesses remembering the plates. Although your vehicle may be just like many others on the road, due to it being a popular model or colour, a distinctive number plate may be enough to keep it from blending into the crowd.
The value can rise
Although generally not as lucrative as it has been in the past, some people still buy private plates as an investment. Once the registration of a private plate has been bought, it becomes yours by right. Therefore, if you wanted to auction or sell the plates on, you are perfectly entitled to do so as long as you complete the relevant paperwork. Imagine having the rights to a private plate such as ‘GO0 GL3’ and the potential re-sale value to a UK based executive.
It can be a great advertising tool
As it is likely you will be fitting your private plates to a vehicle, it will also likely be mobile and therefore you will be creating a mobile advertising platform. Although limited by a relatively small number of characters, it is still possible to grab attention and therefore get a small message or endorsement into potential customers heads. This could be especially effective if used to bolster other advertising on a vehicle; BE5T C0D on a fish van for example, is sure to stick in peoples memories.
It can disguise the age of your vehicle
Using the DVLA registration method, as is the default method for all new car registrations, lets everyone know the date your car was registered i.e NE51 UBX would let everyone know that your car was registered in 2001. However, MR1 RU9 or other private plate removes the registration plates as a means to gauge the age of your vehicle.
They command attention
Whatever the reason for using a private plate, there is no denying that they stand out from the crowd. Any registration plates that don’t follow the norm are immediately noticeable and once noticed, people will try to work out what the message is and its significance. This in turn means that you are being noticed as people will invariably look at the driver to see if the private plates fit the profile of the owner.
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