Del
South East
Posts: 1,448
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I've discussed this question with a few petrol-headed mates and it provokes some interesting debate, so I thought I'd see what the RR'ers think.
You have a retro, it's not particularly interesting or valuable (say £1000) but you love it. It's really getting past its best and needs restoring, but you find yourself a little financially embarrassed and can't afford to do the work.
However, your retro has an interesting reg., which you have valued and if sold off, would easily give you enough to get the car restored and a nice few quid over too.
Do you:
a) sell the plate and restore the car
b) not sell the plate, end up unable to restore the car and sell it
Personally I say a), if you love the car then the rego shouldn't make a difference to you, it doesn't affect the driving of the car, which is why we drive, right?
But some mates say no, never sell the original reg. because it destroys the originality of the car and ruins it. If that means the car has to be sold to live on, so be it, them's the breaks.
So, what say ye?
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Ooooh, that is a good question. Cuts right to the heart of the car identity debate - does a car's identity reside in its registration, in the VIN number, in the shell, in its original components? Does your vehicle lose its identity if you replace components, or swap the registration? Is its identity really defined by the 8 points as defined by the DVLA? I mean, legally yes, but really? Really really?  Hmmm, Ship of Theseus and all that... Personally I'd say the car is more important than its registration number. I know there are some iconic cars known by their reg, and I know there's some old cars of my parents that I remember by their reg, but I'm pretty sure sitting in them or driving them would feel the same regardless of what the plates say. |
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1989 Peugeot 205. You know, the one that was parked in a ditch on the campsite at RRG'17... the glass is always full. but the ratio of air to water may vary. |
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I'd agree with the above... What the numberplate says is about as important as what the wheels look like, in as much as, as long as it's there, what does it matter.
But having said that, I'd not sell the plate off my car, even though there's not a great deal of it left now anyway.
I can see your friends point though, to originality buffs, a different plate would knock a few quid off, but these are usually the "It's got the later badges on an early car, hateful beast!" types. If they saw some of our cars... I'd pay to see their faces.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,843
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Is it the original plate or a valuable private plate that was added later?
Matt
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sparkyt
Posted a lot
selling stuff
Posts: 1,767
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My uncle has... dyd 2 ... on a car and it was the correct reg from the factory . He seems to think the car is worth more with the original reg . It's got to be better than having an age related number ...
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B-8-D
Posted a lot
down to one car!!
Posts: 4,038
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I would sell the plate..
If it means the car is saved then its all good..
If the car fell into terminal disrepair because of lack of funds then the reg' and the car would be lost anyway..
Si
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Screw the number plate.
I'm not fussed about the serial number on my hifi or my chainsaw, and the random letters and numbers that identify my vehicle are of no more interest to me either.
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1986 Panda 4x4.
1990 Metro Sport.
1999 Ford Escort estate.
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My car used to be SPK 101 iirc, it doesn't bother me that its been changed. But it is handy to keep a note of what it used to be, i thought i had a load of paperwork mixed in with my cars until i found the pictures and the original plates in the boot.
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1977 datsun 810 180b estate |
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Ive never really understood the attraction of personalised numberplates, as there are much better ways of personalising a car. If it was me I'd sell the plate and enjoy the car. if its not worth senimental value to you, let someone else pay for your restoration.
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I if you had to sell that car it's likely it would be robbed of it reg anyway, probably sending the car for scrap.
I'm all for keeping things original, but you have to be practical too.
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If the car is histroically significant yes, otherwise no. For example, I used to own the first Datsun Sunny to come to these shores, registration OKJ213F. It was used by motor and Autocar in roadtests back in the late 60's and featured in the companies adverts at the time. Removing it's registration would have been a bit daft as the car would have no longer been so imeadiately identifiable...   Other than cases like that, I can't think of a good reason for keeping a particular reg other than sentimental reason. If I had a car who resto could be funded by a reg sale I'd do it. If I had a historically significant car who's resto was beyond my means without selling the reg, I'd probably rather sell the car to someone with the funds to do it. |
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1962 Datsun Bluebird Estate - 1971 Datsun 510 SSS - 1976 Datsun 710 SSS - 1981 Dodge van - 1985 Nissan Cherry Europe GTi - 1988 Nissan Prairie - 1990 Hyundai Pony Pickup - 1992 Mazda MX5
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Sell the plate. No argument. We all love our cars don't we. When was the last time you heard someone waxing lyrical about DVB 392J or E300 CGY? No, they talked about the cars behind the plastic numbers.
It amazes me how many people with really rather expensive moderns spend even more money on numberplates that are really only £25 worth of plastic, yet draw more attention than the silly money cars.
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Peugeot 307sw - Suzuki SV650S - MX5.
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roundozo
Part of things
Retroless but not for long!
Posts: 332
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^Agree. If the plate can help save the car then it should go. Would be much nicer to have the car on your drive than a rusting hunk of junk with a nice plate.
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,517
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I'd keep the plate (and the car) then change my name by deed poll so that the plate had sentimental value too.  |
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable. |
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I don't give a curse word about number plates personally, if some weeble wants to pay enough for a set of numbers that i can restore a car then hell yeah i'd sell away. I never look at number plates when i'm looking at cars anyway and i'm sure most people are the same.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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Most of my cars were imported used so they are not on their original numbers.
My Capri, I'd do all I could legally to retain the registration on that as the car has been in the family on that plate since like 1984 or something.
Like RatDat says, if the plate identifies the car as a press car, or one off a TV show, or whatever, then the plate becomes a part of the car's story and authenticity.
The guy who owned both the Capris off The Professionals wouldn't have had half such an interesting driveway if they had been re-registered.
Having the original number is also nice for those rare occurances where someone polls up and says "Jesus that's my old car, we sold that in 1987 and I thought it would be baked bean cans by now!"
I've been able to confirm sightings of several of my old cars because the number plates remain constant.
That said if I bought a rough, say 1962 Ford Galaxie and the plate was like ABC123 and someone said "I'll give you 3 grand for that" then the plate would be sold quicker than you can say "more money than sense"
If however someone said "I'd give you £100 for the plate on your Buick" or whatever, I'm not sure I could be bothered with the faff for that.
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1937 Austin Street Rod - 1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1976 Rover V8 - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Keep the car, sell the plate - simples  |
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1993 Fiat Panda Selecta
2003 Vauxhall Combo 1.7DI van
2006 Mercedes Kompressor Evolution-S AMG SportCoupé
"You think you hate it now, wait til you drive it"
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Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,714
Club RR Member Number: 34
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I'm hoping one of the modern-driving numpties with more money than sense is going to pretty much finance my whole pickup build by buying the plate off it when its done, to stick on their q7 or whatever, as its transferrable. FFG 263 if anyones interested  |
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I'm hoping one of the modern-driving numpties with more money than sense is going to pretty much finance my whole pickup build by buying the plate off it when its done, to stick on their q7 or whatever, as its transferrable. FFG 263 if anyones interested I'd say sell the plate as well, HOWEVER the number isn't going to be worth anything like as much as the number plate dealers might have already valued. They will value at, say, £1500 and then contact you with a client who is willing to pay £350 ! Been there and got Tee Shirt  If car MOT'd / tax'd or has been taxed within last year with SORN since try on eBay to "Test the Waters" but be prepared to be dissapointed. Sorry to be negative but just being realistic. Paul h |
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Hmmm, Ship of Theseus and all that...
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