Best number plate / plate holder style

[JPanDAX]

Well after reading all this I think I am just going to go for the white EURO plates @ 400 once off fee... might get an after market frame for them also, but on my CW gti they should look fine...... as for you guys with the darker colours - yeah it doesnt sound fair to have no choice with your plates....

JP

[Lazarus7]

Can anyone please tell me what are the exact dimensions of the front plate holder on the R?

Sorry if it has been mentioned before I had a read through and searched but couldn't find a definative naswer.

Thanks

[Corey_R]

Which dimensions are you after exactly? It's a pretty complex shape.
If you're talking what dimensions are the surface that the plate affixes to, then again, it's curved and not flat, but it is wide enough to hold a full size Euro (i.e. 520mm wide) and tall enough to ALMOST fit the full size Euro (110mm high). However, the lower edge of the holder has no raised border, unlike the top, left and right. Therefore the plate can hang down slightly (or a lot, in the case of "old style" plates).

I'm not sure of the exact radius of the plate holder surface, but it's enough that if you put a plastic cover (which won't bend) on the plate, then it'll be off the plate holder by about 1cm on the left and right edge.

[Lazarus7]

Cool thanks, so I'm thinking the slimline prestige plates in WA being 372x100mm should be pretty spot on height wise but will just be a fair bit in from either side.

[Corey_R]

Are those the dimensions for the "front slimline"? Most other states front slimlines are ~84mm tall and absolutely swim on the holder...

[Lazarus7]

Yep, then you can either have the 100mm on the rear too or go with the 134mm....hmm I wonder which would look best on the rear, thoughts?

On a side note I tried every combo I could think of for the prestige (two letters, two numbers then WA) but they are all taken

So I reckon I'll have to go the customs which then leaves me with the difficult decision of what to get....and although I know it would be kinda stealing but Fab_R's plate is available in WA and I do really like that one

[Corey_R]

Well there are some photos I posted of me fitting Lakin plate holders on my car.

Being from NSW, the rear is 520mm x 112mm and the front is 372mm x 84mm. So neither plate matches the options you have, but that may give you an idea...

[Lazarus7]

Well all ordered Getting the front and rear Lakin brackets (front to replace the factory one) for the slimline front and rear custom plates.

Now all I have to do is wait 6 months till my car arrives

[xordis]

I did read through the majority of this thread, but didn't come across this info.
My dealer delivery person mentioned that they (the dealership) were annoyed with the front bracket on the GTI/GTD/R cars, and have asked many times to not have them fitted.
Apparently they are fitted at compliance time by Patrick Autocare.
This would make sense as the < GTI cars all have a slight recess (I think) in the front bar for fitting a number plate, but the GTI/GTD/R does not.
I do remember years ago that the law regarding front number plates was that if there is no appropriate mounting position for a front number plate, then you didn't have to have one. This was all pre speed camera days, and I am guessing that once speed cameras were introduced, they also pushed through some law regarding new cars must have some obvious location for a front plate.

[Corey_R]

Whilst I do know some dealers are frustrated at the front plate holder too, it is not correct that it is fitted in Australia by Patrick Autocare.
It is fitted at the factory, and can be confirmed by looking at the "Pr-numbers" list from your Vehicle Specific Information sheet (obtainable from erWin):

No. - Origin - Family - Description
6W1 - L - KZV - Licence plate bracket front (large)

This comes standard on cars thorough Europe and UK, but not on cars destined to America.
I did talk to Marcus Hofmann from Volkwagen Group Australia about this in person in June last year. I followed him up with an email, and chased him up a few months later.

I had suggested that the plate holders not be installed by default, and rather delivered to the dealers (either with the cars, or in bulk) so that they can install them if the customer choses. He said that VGA were looking into this but didn't have a solution....


Knowing the the "code number" for the holder is 6W1, it makes me wonder whether your dealer can put into the NADCON car configuration page -6W1 and see whether that would get through the system to the factory (-W4B is how they'd order a 3 door for example. i.e. "delete 5 door option".)

Anyway... I tried. Pointing out that there is only 3 of the 70+ varieties of plates that fit the holder in NSW, none in ACT and a few other states, that some states the plates cost $500 to $700 to fit, I thought I made a good case... I guess it's just something that won't change until enough customers give them the same feedback.