Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not see the point in personalised reg plates?

402 replies

Flexilexy · 07/02/2025 10:17

As I sat in traffic this morning trying to work out if someone's reg was their initials or if it was meant to spell a word out, I wondered why they even bothered.

If you have a personalised registration plate, why?

This is one of those things I've just never understood why anyone would spend money on it. I'd have to have a LOT of disposable income before this is something I'd part with cash for.

Google says "The cost of a personalized number plate can range from a few hundred pounds to hundreds of thousands of pounds."

I'll be honest, and show my judgemental side. Most (not all) of the people I know with personalised reg plates are skint, or just scraping by month to month. So it really baffles me that this is something they'd chose to do with their money.

But also, even if I could afford it, what's the appeal? I'm genuinely interested to know what makes you want one?

And yes, I'm fully aware it doesn't have any impact on my life at all, but one is allowed to ponder. This entire site is full of people complaining about things that aren't relevant to them, it's just a discussion.

YABU - Personalised reg plates are wonderful and not just an expensive bit of plastic that collects dead bugs
YANBU - They're totally fucking pointless

OP posts:
Loveumagenta · 07/02/2025 14:31

Rosalina2025 · 07/02/2025 14:30

Read my post above. You are so wrong.

Show quote history

It’s an opinion, based on experience so no I am not! You are welcome to have your own opinion based on your experience.

MrsSkylerWhite · 07/02/2025 14:31

Not my cup of tea but our widowed neighbour transferred her deceased husband’s plate to her car. It’s his initials, the number of the birthday she gave it to him then her initials. Means nothing to anyone else but it’s special to her.

People who have plates like 8IG 5NOB for example are precisely that! 😁

Rosalina2025 · 07/02/2025 14:33

Loveumagenta · 07/02/2025 14:31

It’s an opinion, based on experience so no I am not! You are welcome to have your own opinion based on your experience.

Show quote history

So if other people have proved they have them on other things other then Teslas how can you be right.

vitahelp · 07/02/2025 14:44

SquashedSquid · 07/02/2025 12:44

If someone has a personalised number plate, I know they're someone I want to avoid.

Interesting way of deciding who to spend time with. I best stop bothering with my husband, Mum, several close family members and a few of my close friends then. However my Dad, who is a prized dickhead hasn’t got a private plate so perhaps I should give him a chance 🤣

HappyMamma2023 · 07/02/2025 14:46

Hopping on this post - Our son got a personalised reg plate for his Christening! (From a famiy member not us). We're not sure what to do with it it only lasts 10 years and he wont be driving for at least another 7! Any advice welcome

newtb · 07/02/2025 14:46

I saw either a Bentley or Rolls with 1OBE in Hale and an Alfa v6 with V6CUL in Knutsford. Given that cul is arse in French made me smile. Then there was the Porsche with V11GRA on a 911.

Shade17 · 07/02/2025 14:49

HappyMamma2023 · 07/02/2025 14:46

Hopping on this post - Our son got a personalised reg plate for his Christening! (From a famiy member not us). We're not sure what to do with it it only lasts 10 years and he wont be driving for at least another 7! Any advice welcome

Edited

Yes, you just renew the retention cert for another 10 years.

whatcanthematterbe81 · 07/02/2025 14:51

It's a strange one. To me I feel the person wants everyone to know they have money. Screams rich chav to me but I know it won't always be the case. Both my siblings have them and I cringe but I'm sure I do things they find weird too. If they've got the money and that's their taste then why not. Personally I would like to spend my money on something else

Pickingmyselfup · 07/02/2025 14:52

Well what's the point in anything really. A more expensive car still gets you from a-b same as a cheap one, just a bit nicer.

I used to have one because it was given to me, it was worth a hell of a lot more than my bog standard car so I sold it to put down a house deposit.

I wouldn't buy another one unless I had so much money I didn't know what to do with it (and a nicer car to put it on!)

If they make someone happy then good for them.

mamajong · 07/02/2025 15:03

It does not affect my life in any way shape or form and I'm not usually a judgemental person but I do find personalised plates a bit pretentious and I can't help judging people a bit for them. I think its because the people I know who have them are either trying to hide the age of their car (why?!) or they are just showy people in other aspects of their life, so i can't help linking the two. I know I am being unreasonable but I'm human! 🤣

softsummer · 07/02/2025 15:38

Haven't RTFT but I don't understand people with personalised plates who say "I don't care what other people think of it, it's just for me and I like it and why shouldn't I" etc. because... a number plate is on the OUTSIDE of a car! The whole point is it's for other people to see and identify the car, not you, because you're inside driving? Obviously people are going to see it and have opinions. They'll see it more often than you do in fact

Rosalina2025 · 07/02/2025 15:44

softsummer · 07/02/2025 15:38

Haven't RTFT but I don't understand people with personalised plates who say "I don't care what other people think of it, it's just for me and I like it and why shouldn't I" etc. because... a number plate is on the OUTSIDE of a car! The whole point is it's for other people to see and identify the car, not you, because you're inside driving? Obviously people are going to see it and have opinions. They'll see it more often than you do in fact

Is it me or does this comment not any make any sense whatsoever?

Nobody thinks you can't see the number plate or you're not allowed to have an opinion. They just don't care what you think of it.

Loveumagenta · 07/02/2025 15:45

softsummer · 07/02/2025 15:38

Haven't RTFT but I don't understand people with personalised plates who say "I don't care what other people think of it, it's just for me and I like it and why shouldn't I" etc. because... a number plate is on the OUTSIDE of a car! The whole point is it's for other people to see and identify the car, not you, because you're inside driving? Obviously people are going to see it and have opinions. They'll see it more often than you do in fact

I think the same! It’s not like they’ve bought fancy underwear that only they can appreciate! It’s called a Vanity plate in the US A for a reason I think.

Rosalina2025 · 07/02/2025 15:46

Also, some posters are saying that it's rich people who have more money than sense and other posters are saying it's people who are skint and want to look rich.

barstar · 07/02/2025 15:46

softsummer · 07/02/2025 15:38

Haven't RTFT but I don't understand people with personalised plates who say "I don't care what other people think of it, it's just for me and I like it and why shouldn't I" etc. because... a number plate is on the OUTSIDE of a car! The whole point is it's for other people to see and identify the car, not you, because you're inside driving? Obviously people are going to see it and have opinions. They'll see it more often than you do in fact

I mean you could argue that for anything that shows externally. I bought my coat for me, I buy my earrings for me, i chose the colour of my car for me, I bought my reg for me.

Let's be real here, I bought it because I like it. I don't need to look at it in the same way o don't look at my shoes when I'm walking, I still like them.

Rosalina2025 · 07/02/2025 15:47

barstar · 07/02/2025 15:46

I mean you could argue that for anything that shows externally. I bought my coat for me, I buy my earrings for me, i chose the colour of my car for me, I bought my reg for me.

Let's be real here, I bought it because I like it. I don't need to look at it in the same way o don't look at my shoes when I'm walking, I still like them.

Show quote history

I'm getting my hair done next week and people are going to look it at more than me because it's on my head.

barstar · 07/02/2025 15:51

SquashedSquid · 07/02/2025 12:44

If someone has a personalised number plate, I know they're someone I want to avoid.

This is great news, I would be happy for you to avoid me. I'm not a fan of people who make such stupid judgments on people. Thanks for avoiding.

SquashedSquid · 07/02/2025 15:52

barstar · 07/02/2025 15:51

This is great news, I would be happy for you to avoid me. I'm not a fan of people who make such stupid judgments on people. Thanks for avoiding.

Show quote history

No problem at all!

Loveumagenta · 07/02/2025 15:53

Rosalina2025 · 07/02/2025 15:46

Also, some posters are saying that it's rich people who have more money than sense and other posters are saying it's people who are skint and want to look rich.

Could well be both, no? There are plenty of people with not much money who spend what they do have on souped up cars with ‘ luxuries’ added.
And equally posh people getting played for their 21st, 30th, 50th etc from parents and partners

Hedjwitch · 07/02/2025 15:54

Tacky, but each to their own.

Rosalina2025 · 07/02/2025 15:55

Loveumagenta · 07/02/2025 15:53

Could well be both, no? There are plenty of people with not much money who spend what they do have on souped up cars with ‘ luxuries’ added.
And equally posh people getting played for their 21st, 30th, 50th etc from parents and partners

Show quote history

So it can be a huge amount of people from different backgrounds, different reasons, some wankers, some not wankers.

Glad we got that sorted.

TheEllisGreyMethod · 07/02/2025 15:58

It is peak chav.

EliosBackPack · 07/02/2025 15:58

The only one I’ve liked or made sense to me was a very good-looking Chanel van, immaculately clean and shiny, dark windows and the registration number was - N05.

waggytaildog · 07/02/2025 15:59

I have one that goes like this (changed details obvs)

My initial - A
Birthday - 13

DD inital - T
DS initial - MA

A13 TMA

So.. it means something to me and my two young children love it

Also - DH bought it and sorted it for my birthday so I didn't even choose it 🤷🏽‍♀️

People get more annoyed that it's on a white RR 🤣

EmmaEmEmz · 07/02/2025 16:01

softsummer · 07/02/2025 15:38

Haven't RTFT but I don't understand people with personalised plates who say "I don't care what other people think of it, it's just for me and I like it and why shouldn't I" etc. because... a number plate is on the OUTSIDE of a car! The whole point is it's for other people to see and identify the car, not you, because you're inside driving? Obviously people are going to see it and have opinions. They'll see it more often than you do in fact

I see it every time I walk to my car. Multiple times a day.

It's like my backpack or the tattoo on the back of my leg. Other people see it more than me, but I chose them because I like them.