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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Personalised number plates

238 replies

PrincessWellington · 30/09/2013 08:51

Why would someone pay money to have a misspelt version of their name on their car? Or words?

E.g. M41HEW, A11CET, OF55IDE T

I get the initials ones, not that i would want one, don't get this.

I have a theory though!

OP posts:
SirChenjin · 30/09/2013 15:01

GinAndIt - I know what you mean Grin

It's a bit like getting something like the title deeds to your house (a legal requirement) and saying "no - don't give me that old thing written in black ink on white paper, I want it written in gold mined from the Welsh mountains, and here, I insist on paying £10K for the privilege"

arethereanyleftatall · 30/09/2013 15:02

Agree that they don't show the owner in a very good light. I always thought that if ever I was due to go on a blind date and the date turned up in one, I would turn round there and then and go home.

arethereanyleftatall · 30/09/2013 15:05

It stirs up bitterness because there's an awfully lot of people who can't afford to put food on the table for their kids. If you have got money to waste on something completely and utterly useless, rather give it to them.

GinAndIt · 30/09/2013 15:06

That's it SirChejin - and please make sure it's in a different font too, just to make it that bit trickier to read... Grin

usuallyright · 30/09/2013 15:14

I frittered away money on 'totally useless' private number plate. I also bathe in bollinger and wear diamond stilettos to do the school run. I like to rub the plebs noses in our extravagant wealth :))

CloverkissSparklecheeks · 30/09/2013 15:16

Yes I can see that the holiday/handbag thing is different and maybe not as naff, although some people feel equally as strongly about people spending money on things like that.

Some NPs are naff, some are funny, some are practical but I still can't understand how anyone can be that bothered.

I was just bothered by the charity donation comments. I may have a personalised numberplate (well actually I haven't) but I could also donate £1000 a month to charity (I don't), no one would know either way.

Viviennemary · 30/09/2013 15:17

They make me cringe whatever the spelling. But if people like them that's up to them.

Owllady · 30/09/2013 15:18

a woman by me has the numberplate (something) COW
which i always find slightly odd!

usuallyright · 30/09/2013 15:19

we do like them, thanks :)

Talkinpeace · 30/09/2013 15:31

I like corporate ones ....
pub on the A27 has the plate on their van S66 PAD - it works
and Cleansing Service GRoup used to spend a lot of time in Aberdeen as all their vehicles have CSG on the plate

one of my old bosses had a PP : which was fine till he had an affair and we all knew where he'd been cos his car was distinctive

I prefer to drive a car that turns heads rather than have a numberplate that makes people snort

jazzandh · 30/09/2013 15:36

It's not always about status, sometimes it's just for a laugh. Plates can cost £250.....people do spend a lot more on a handbag!!

A friend has W30 OSH on his little fiesta van!! Ironic!

TheNaughtySausage · 30/09/2013 15:47

I've got a private plate. It was my grandpa's and has a bit of our family name on. It reminds me of him.

I wouldn't buy one though.

Original poster
PrincessWellington · 30/09/2013 16:20

I'm going to design a range of t shirts saying 4my, r4chl etc. there are obviously enough people who would want to buy them!

OP posts:
ButterMyArse · 30/09/2013 16:21

Totally naff. We had a 4PLAY parked near us growing up. Shudder.

droppedscones · 30/09/2013 16:28

My neighbours have their initials which include 0CKC (obviously can't put the actual one). I find it incredible that they actually paid for something and didn't notice what it was an anagram for. Or even worse, they did? Yikes.

Thisvehicleisreversing · 30/09/2013 16:38

I don't see the point of them when you can't even see them yourself.

If you bought one to sit on the mantelpiece then fine because you get to see it, but once it's on your car and you sit inside, the only people who see it are other drivers.

Therefore it is purely a 'look at what I've got' thing which, IMO is spectacularly naff.

Sallystyle · 30/09/2013 16:38

My mum has one. She doesn't care about status. It's just a bit of fun.

She loves it though.

I don't care what people spend their money on. Some people would think my constant buying of new converse a waste of money. Who cares?

Oh and SmallSqueak? she also manages to send money to a family in Kenya and has provided one of them with the funds to get training for a job to support their children. Funnily enough, some people get number plates and do their bit for charity.

Although I don't think anyone should be looked down on for spending money on fun things and not giving to charity. After all, I am sure you have spent money on things you didn't need which could have gone to charity too.

Original poster
PrincessWellington · 30/09/2013 16:40

I'll make the t shirts and donate the money to charity then everyone is happy! Sorted

OP posts:
Sallystyle · 30/09/2013 16:42

And FTR some of them are quite reasonably priced.

I just found one for £600.

I also found one for £8495 too!

merrymum · 30/09/2013 16:53

verysmallsqueak If I/we have 'excess' money, is it not up to me/us how I/we choose to spend it??? We have personalised plates which mean something to us, no one else would even look twice at them, and yes, as someone else has said, they are an investment, they are already worth twice what we paid for them, so if ever we need that money, we can sell them. It's OUR hard earned money and we will spend it as we see fit, my mortgage and bills are paid, my Children are fed and watered and well looked after, it's not hurting anyone else.

merrymum · 30/09/2013 16:55

samu2 a fellow converse fan.....ahhhhh so refreshing to know i'm not alone!! (probably shouldn't mention that all 7 pairs are neatly tucked up in their boxes after each wear....)

Sparklingbrook · 30/09/2013 16:56

I think some people with PP want to hide the age of their car Gin, because they want you to think it's a brand new one. When it's not.

That's the exact reason a Mum from school got hers-she told me. She also told me that if anyone asks to tell them her car was brand new. Nobody did. Weird that. Confused

It was a stupid one that made no sense too.

Bowlersarm · 30/09/2013 17:02

I made my DH do the opposite sparkling

He has a fairly unnoticeable personalised plate and recently bought a brand new car. I made him keep the cars number plate for a few months as we never buy brand new cars so I wanted to luxuriate for a while in the brand newness of it all!

DH whipped the brand new number plate off as soon as I let him Grin and replaced with his nondescript pp. Now it looks like any old car.

worsestershiresauce · 30/09/2013 17:04

My neighbour has one, which is v handy as she is a scary dangerous driver so it's nice to have a warning that it is she who will mow you down heading towards you rather than a.n.other 4x4 driver.

A friend has a really tw8tty one. I am a bit disappointed with myself that I judge her for that, but I do Confused. It says slightly trashy airhead to me. She is neither btw.

VerySmallSqueak · 30/09/2013 17:05

I think there is a lot of deliberate misinterpretation of what I said going on here.

I did not say that someone could not have a personalised numberplate and also give money to charity.

I am not advocating an austere joyless lifestyle where we all live in shanty towns,eating nettles, and donating any extra to charity.

But PP's are a useless waste of money and I've read nothing here that persuades me otherwise.

If after everything else,there's nothing better to spend your money on than a PP,and you feel that's what you need and deserve,then go for it.I can't stop you and I won't stop you.

Just don't expect me to agree with you.

Hope it enriches your lives Smile

And for those that have called me bitter and jealous. I'm not,but if that's what you want to think and it makes you feel better,again,go for it.