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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:
KaylaLS · 07/02/2025 12:30

Personal…i suppose.

I have family members with and without so no strong view either way.

Except for my step son who is constantly asking to borrow money to pay for the basics in his family life…yet his wife has personalised plates on her car…priortise!

MargaretThursday · 07/02/2025 12:30

When my dbro was about 8yo he was asked for his ambition.

He said to have a personalised numberplate with his name on. 🤣
He is over 5x that age and hasn't bought one yet.

Snowmanscarf · 07/02/2025 12:31

JingsMahBucket · 07/02/2025 12:10

But (why) is that a big deal? Are people trying to prevent thefts or something?

I also thought people were going to say that regular plates have the car’s model year number on them but it seems like they don’t?

Show quote history

But they do. The car has the year and area it was registered on it.

ThePoshUns · 07/02/2025 12:31

I bought one for my son for his 21st. It's his initials and year of birth.
I don't have one myself but I like the idea that he will have this plate in his cars for life and will remember that I gave it to him.
Each to their own eh?

Mostunexpected · 07/02/2025 12:32

I can never remember my number plate. Maybe I should get a personalised one and then there's a chance I'd remember it.

SnuffleTruffleHound · 07/02/2025 12:33

I like them as they tell me the driver of the car is a dick! Bit like an advance warning system

Gall10 · 07/02/2025 12:34

If I see a ‘personalized’ number plate I just assume the owner doesn’t know how to spell twat!

barstar · 07/02/2025 12:34

I have got one, I'm not vain, don't have more money than sense and don't drive about like a dickhead or any of the other assumptions made about people on here.

I just like it. In the same way I like other things.

One thing of note though, this subject comes up rather regularly on here and the vast majority jump on to slag off anyone who has one, that makes them a far bigger knob then the people they are talking about. If you don't like them, don't get one, but no need to be rude about people who are not replicas of yourself.

SallySilly · 07/02/2025 12:35

I have one. It was gifted to my husband by his parents on his 18th birthday. Its not on my car, which we mainly use as our family car as it's bigger. It has a lot of sentimental value to him. It's worth a small fortune. We haven't sold it because we don't need the money.

barstar · 07/02/2025 12:35

I love how the 2 posts directly above mine (cross posted) perfectly demonstrates my point. Thanks.

bluesatin · 07/02/2025 12:36

Dotjones · 07/02/2025 10:24

It's a way of advertising that you have more money than sense. Some people like to show wealth off and a personalised number plate is a way to do that. Especially someone who actually isn't that wealthy so can't but a brand new car. Putting a personalised plate on a slightly older car hides the fact it's not brand new.

In some parts of America where you can properly personalise your plate it makes sense, but in Britain it's pointless.

I must confess as a child I was looking forward to "P"-reg numbers to come out in the hope that I could get hold of P155 OFF, but I'd have never have been able to afford it and subsequently found out the DVLA don't sell "offensive" plates anyway, which kind of defeats the point.

A guy I knew had the plate BL03 JOB (blow job) for several years before the DVLA realised what they'd issued. They tried to withdraw it but he said he'd sue.
They got their own way in the end however - they wouldn't let him transfer it to a new car.
I like personalised plates - it's a lot less daft than spending hundreds or thousands on a designer handbag IMHO - and it's fun spotting them on the road. For instance we used to pass a driveway with a couple of cars with plates 2B and NOT 2B 😁

WhatALightbulbMoment · 07/02/2025 12:36

What's so bad about people knowing your car is old? Baffles me

Rosalina2025 · 07/02/2025 12:36

barstar · 07/02/2025 12:34

I have got one, I'm not vain, don't have more money than sense and don't drive about like a dickhead or any of the other assumptions made about people on here.

I just like it. In the same way I like other things.

One thing of note though, this subject comes up rather regularly on here and the vast majority jump on to slag off anyone who has one, that makes them a far bigger knob then the people they are talking about. If you don't like them, don't get one, but no need to be rude about people who are not replicas of yourself.

Yes and they can be quite aggresive about 😂.

ItsSoStimulatingBeingYourHat · 07/02/2025 12:36

I have one (despite having fairly strong opinions on them before)
It is a cheap one, and isn’t my name. It was only because I didn’t like the existing number plate, but didn’t want to not get the car because of it.

My car is 18 years old and obviously so- I’m not under the illusion that I’m fooling anyone into thinking it’s younger!

Original poster
Flexilexy · 07/02/2025 12:36

Pennnyforthright · 07/02/2025 10:20

FFS is that all you have to think about?

😂Nope.

OP posts:
ThePoshUns · 07/02/2025 12:38

Some pent up bitterness and inverted snobbery on this thread.

Anyotherdude · 07/02/2025 12:38

My DBIL got his dream car, and my DSIL bought him the perfectly ordinary , normal number plate that just happened to spell his name, for £500 from the DVLA for it.
She wanted to make it extra special, because it’s his dream car since he was 18, and it’s subtle. He likes it very much!

The dream car was second-hand, and he is in his 60’s, so not a case of flashing cash for either the car or the plate!

Ohshutupcolinyoutwat · 07/02/2025 12:39

My Dad bought my Mum one about 30 years ago and it is worth a small fortune now as it is an abbreviation for a now popular acronym. My Dad died last year and it is very precious and will always stay in the family. Who cares what others think, you do you!

Ohshutupcolinyoutwat · 07/02/2025 12:40

Gall10 · 07/02/2025 12:34

If I see a ‘personalized’ number plate I just assume the owner doesn’t know how to spell twat!

Eh?

Original poster
Flexilexy · 07/02/2025 12:40

InspectorGidget · 07/02/2025 10:41

I bought a car that had a personal plate. It means nothing to me but is now worth more than the car it's on! I'll probably keep the plate though when the car goes.

It's when people try and make a personal plate out of a normal one with will spacing that I find a bit tragic.

Buying a car and keeping the plate it came with doesn't really count (in my thinking).

I agree on your other point. Tragic.

OP posts:
Snorandrepeat · 07/02/2025 12:41

Quite handy to remember a personalised number plate when the wanker drives like an idiot..lots of them in my area !

sleepyduvetcat · 07/02/2025 12:41

When I was younger I thought people had them if they weren’t very good at remembering their ‘random’ one. As in, they would remember something with their initials in it but couldn’t memorise a random set of letters when they had to put it on on a parking meter.

Original poster
Flexilexy · 07/02/2025 12:41

Waltdisnerd · 07/02/2025 10:40

I have it because I like it.
Not sure what other reason there could be

You might find out if you read the answers here.

Seriously though, what is there to like? Genuinely curious.

OP posts:
WaitingForMojo · 07/02/2025 12:41

ThePoshUns · 07/02/2025 12:38

Some pent up bitterness and inverted snobbery on this thread.

Not inverted snobbery, just snobbery, they’re seen as downmarket and chavvy, not posh?

godmum56 · 07/02/2025 12:41

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 07/02/2025 10:20

I've got one, it's personal to me. Nothing to do with you. And I'm comfortably off not scraping by.

this.