Motorized Front License Plate Holder?

[csriram45]

What are you Leaf owners doing about the front license plate? here in CA its required by law although I know many decide to take the risk of not installing it and if you get the "fix it" ticket then put up a temporary one etc.

I was looking at various other sports car forum and came across various motorized front license plate holder like this http://www.swiftmotorsports.com/product_info.php?products_id=3922

Here is a non-motorized option as well. http://www.swiftmotorsports.com/product_info.php?products_id=3144

I wonder if anyone has tried anything like this on their Leaf? I don't have mine yet so can not say if this idea will work on the Leaf.

Anyone willing to try or go and measure to let me know if it will fit or have other similar ideas from other manufacturers?

 

[davewill]

What is the point of this, exactly? To hide it when you show the car? To play 007, and pop it out as soon as you see the fuzz? I just don't grok it.

 

[mwalsh]

What are you Leaf owners doing about the front license plate? here in CA its required by law although I know many decide to take the risk of not installing it and if you get the "fix it" ticket then put up a temporary one etc.

I was looking at various other sports car forum and came across various motorized front license plate holder like this http://www.swiftmotorsports.com/product_info.php?products_id=3922

Here is a non-motorized option as well. http://www.swiftmotorsports.com/product_info.php?products_id=3144

I wonder if anyone has tried anything like this on their Leaf? I don't have mine yet so can not say if this idea will work on the Leaf.

Anyone willing to try or go and measure to let me know if it will fit or have other similar ideas from other manufacturers?

Ooh! I like that! But you only have 7" of flat depth between the lip and a bulge in the underbelly pan. And that pan is also pretty flimsy.

 

[csriram45]

What is the point of this, exactly? To hide it when you show the car? To play 007, and pop it out as soon as you see the fuzz? I just don't grok it.

The idea is not have any holes drilled into your bumper and also the front license plate frame takes away the look of the car.

Thx

 

[csriram45]

Ooh! I like that! But you only have 7" of flat depth between the lip and a bulge in the underbelly pan. And that pan is also pretty flimsy.

Err... so are you technically saying that its not possible? Any other similar ideas possible?

 

[mwalsh]

Err... so are you technically saying that its not possible? Any other similar ideas possible?

I can only see it being possible by cutting a hole/slit in the pan so that you can pass the motor end of the bracket into the pan. Even then, I'd want to remove the pan first to see if there is anything on the motor/running gear that the bracket would foul. It would suck to make that cut first and find out that it still wouldn't work.

And even after that, like I said, the pan itself is pretty flimsy stuff.

 

[davewill]

The idea is not have any holes drilled into your bumper and also the front license plate frame takes away the look of the car.

Thx

That part I get. It's having it motorized so that you can pop it in and out that I don't get.

 

[derkraut]

Ooh! I like that! But you only have 7" of flat depth between the lip and a bulge in the underbelly pan. And that pan is also pretty flimsy.

Err... so are you technically saying that its not possible? Any other similar ideas possible?

Someone posted here awhile back (and showed a photo) of the front plate mounted on the towing hook attachment area; but I thought it looked even worse over there on the left side.

 

[Spies]

Someone posted here awhile back (and showed a photo) of the front plate mounted on the towing hook attachment area; but I thought it looked even worse over there on the left side.

That was me and my Leaf has been sporting it for a while. I am still not really sure what to think of it. I don't think it looks bad but I don't think it looks good either but there are no holes drilled in my bumper! Once I get my HOV stickers I may reconsider the front plate mount since the sticker will need to go about where the plate is now.

Here is the thread about it http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2743
and where you can order the kit http://www.gominigo.com/NOHOLES-Nissan.html
I believe they will give a price break if you mention the forum for what it's worth.

 

[mwalsh]

Once I get my HOV stickers I may reconsider the front plate mount since the sticker will need to go about where the plate is now.

There is no front sticker. You'll only get 3 white ZEV stickers, and they're all for the rear.

 

[Spies]

Once I get my HOV stickers I may reconsider the front plate mount since the sticker will need to go about where the plate is now.

There is no front sticker. You'll only get 3 white ZEV stickers, and they're all for the rear.

Thanks! I guess I just assumed that there are four white ones just like the four yellow ones for the Hybrids. Thinking back now I seem to remember there were only three white stickers for when I had the Honda EV Plus. I guess they never changed it. Cool.

 

[Googler]

There's one cute trick for omitting the front license plate that seems to work quite often. When you first get the car, the dealer puts a sticker on the right front inside of the windshield to contain temporary registration. If a cop sees that in the window, they may overlook a missing front license plate, so I left the sticker on the windshield and only mounted the rear plate.

 

[EVDRIVER]

There's one cute trick for omitting the front license plate that seems to work quite often. When you first get the car, the dealer puts a sticker on the right front inside of the windshield to contain temporary registration. If a cop sees that in the window, they may overlook a missing front license plate, so I left the sticker on the windshield and only mounted the rear plate.

Why would that matter unless the car were parked and they only approached from the front. Once you have a rear they know your plates are delivered.

 

[AndyN]

Has anyone tried or considered using 3M Super Strong Automotive tape to mount the plate holder? Used to hold trim and decals and plates in place. I was thinking of clear bra-ing the front and rear bumpers then 3Ming the front plate and applying the HOV stickers to the clear bra as well. No holes in bumper and if/when the HOV stickers expire I can just remove the clear bra.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Super-Strong-Automotive-Attachment/dp/B001B0QC3M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302444327&sr=8-1

 

[IBELEAF]

Has anyone tried or considered using 3M Super Strong Automotive tape to mount the plate holder? Used to hold trim and decals and plates in place. I was thinking of clear bra-ing the front and rear bumpers then 3Ming the front plate and applying the HOV stickers to the clear bra as well. No holes in bumper and if/when the HOV stickers expire I can just remove the clear bra.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Super-Strong-Automotive-Attachment/dp/B001B0QC3M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302444327&sr=8-1

Now that's an idea! Although, I would use clear Plasti Dip instead of clear bra.

 

[garygid]

Cut a piece of 3M clear (bra-type) plastic to just 0.25" larger than the HOV sticker, apply the 3M clear plastic to the car, then stick the HOV decal to the 3M clear plastic?

What does this accomplish other than making it easy for somebody to steal your HOV stickers?

 

[AndyN]

Cut a piece of 3M clear (bra-type) plastic to just 0.25" larger than the HOV sticker, apply the 3M clear plastic to the car, then stick the HOV decal to the 3M clear plastic?

What does this accomplish other than making it easy for somebody to steal your HOV stickers?

I'd clear the whole bumper. Figure somebody willing to spend the time to rip off the entire bumper piece can take it. It was just a way of potentially removing the stickers easily without leaving any residual. Actually, I've never looked into or tried taking off an HOV sticker. How easy is it to remove the adhesive? I'm just anal about my new cars. I almost need a rock chip to just break the ice so I can relax.

As for the plate, I think I'll be trying out the 3M tape. If it's good enough to hold molding onto a car it should be strong enough to hold a plate holder + plate.

 

[IBELEAF]

There seems to be different types of strong 3M tape. This might do the trick. My only concern what will happen if you go to automatic car wash.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Automotive-MMM6384-Acrylic-Attachment/dp/B000P16VYS/ref=wl_mb_hu_m_4_dp

 

[Glenn]

No holes in bumper and if/when the HOV stickers expire I can just remove the clear bra.

As pointed out in another thread, there is no HOV sticker for the front bumper. One less thing to worry about!

 

[AndyN]

There seems to be different types of strong 3M tape. This might do the trick. My only concern what will happen if you go to automatic car wash.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Automotive-MMM6384-Acrylic-Attachment/dp/B000P16VYS/ref=wl_mb_hu_m_4_dp

Hmmm... it does say OEM. With potential "mounting" points directly on the bumper and on the underside of the bumper (underside of upper opening) I think it should hold pretty well.