I'm not sure if this gets under anyone else's skin like it does mine, but this just bugs the heck out of me! I get my new 14 ram sport cc 4x4 and of course it has a license plate holder on it(which is normal), but when I get it home and get a closer look and go to take it off I discover that they just screw that thing straight to the plastic bumper. So now there are 4 gaping holes in the front bumper where it used to be. I know it's a little picky but I am OCD about the little this and this bugs me! I realize some states require front plates, but there's gotta be a better way than poking 4 holes in a brand new bumper. I think it should be the customers choice whether it goes on, but then again I realize dealers like to advertise that way...anyone else with me, or am I just crazy? :Wow1: anyway sorry for the rant!
Yes it bugs me too which is why when I order a vehicle I instruct the dealership NOT to put any license plate brackets on the front. There are aftermarket options that don't require drilling holes in the front or you could just not use the front plate and plead ignorance I also tell the dealership not to put any advertising of any kind on my vehicle (pin stripes, badges, stickers, license plate frames, etc.) unless they plan on paying me for the advertising (of course they won't).
i hate that too..my 03 had a plastic holder i took it off and the holes piss me off to no end...if you put tape flush to the front then go in behind the holes then putting a little bit of bondo or jb weld to fill the hole lil wet sanding it then hit it with a lil bit of touch up paint and looks pretty good and you hardly notice the holes
At least I'm not crazy.. Yea mine had stickers on it and plate holder, both are gone now...I'm not sure if I want to leave it like that or try and do something to fix it...
Kpresley84, I feel your pain. I had the same issue when I got my Nissan Pathfinder a few years back. The damn idiots had drilled holes for the plate holder to show off the dealership plate! (I live in Quebec and the law here only requires a rear license plate - no need to have one in front so drilling holes to have a dealership plate was even more maddening).
I looked around for a solution and ordered on the net small plugs color matched to the vehicle. Here's a picture of the front end of my Pathfinder, have a look or zoom on the bottom part of the front bumper and you'll see the 2 plugs. Looks clean and neat, next best thing to having no holes at all: http://s632.photobucket.com/user/Tzar0007/media/2012-08-25170854_zps0b28085c.jpg.html
Sorry, can't remember where I got them but google "front bumper hole plugs" and you should have some choices.
I noticed that as well when I got my vehicle home. My state requires a front plate so it's a bit of a non-issue for me but I would be very unhappy if I lived in a 1 plate state.
By the way, I never did put a front plate on my BMW X5. I was pulled over twice by the police just because of that. Got off both times with a warning.
Exactly...TX requires two as well and I've gotten away with it on other vehicles (current Ram wasn't ordered so already had the bracket installed on the front).
It would bug me too, unless there was no way around having a front plate. In BC, 2 plates are issued but in our area, close to Alberta where they only have one plate, probably 10% of the BC vehicles run one plate. I have done so for about 20 years without a problem. I told my dealer NOT to install the front bracket when it arrives. Would be very upset if they do.
One other thing that bugs me is people not putting their location on this forum information. Why not at least post your state or province?
It would drive me nuts. Im in pa so we dont have a front plate. Thank god they just left the holder in the backseat or id be askin for a paintjob on the bumper
I bought my truck so soon after it was taken off the carrier, the dealer didn't even have time to put their Dealership sticker on the back of the truck! Win for me!
Yeah this is extremely frustrating. My new Limited is the same way. Only good thing about it is at least there is a plate holder. My 2011 didn't have that and it was just drilled in my painted bumper with no holder.
I live in a one plate state. I wish mine would have came in a plastic bag inside the truck. That seems like the better option for them? So is it the dealer or manufacturer that puts them on?
Yes, it would bug the crap out of me. Arkansas only requires one plate, a dealership did the same thing to my wife's new Honda a few years ago, she was very upset. She looked all over to find some kind of vanity plate to put on the front so the holder wouldn't be empty.
The manufacturer puts the holes in the bumper but the dealer would install the plate holder if needed. Mine was in a bag in the back seat. Here was my solution:
Wife just bought a Porsche Cayenne. The dealer asked before drilling the holes and said most Porsche owners opted for no plate up front even though this is a 2-plate state. It was all news to me but it sure looks better without the holes. I've taken the plate off my other car and am looking for some kind of filler but haven't found anything yet.
Well luckily I know almost everyone at my dealer, and after talking with them today about how I'm not happy with the holes in my bumper one of my buddies which is the manager told me that I could take another one of their trucks like mine for a "test drive" and take it to my shop along with my truck and swap the bumpers out putting the new one without holes on my truck! This makes me feel a lot better about my bumper! Just had to share...
Haven't got my new Ram yet, but had a GMC like that. Didn't bother me because IL requires front plates, but still disappointing for those who don't have to have front plates.
I've taken every badge off of every vehicle I've bought from a dealer. On the new ones I've just popped the plastic badge off and peeled the adhesive strip off and it worked great. Did it on my moms new car too. Already paid them for the vehicle, they don't need their name on it anymore.
Mine bothered me for a different reason. In ny we need a front plate so the holes didn't bother me, but whoever put it on did so CROOKED! Looks like shit and now I'm gonna have to take it off and see if I can open up a couple of the holes.
When I bought mine I told the guy if you put the plate on the front of my truck you are getting me a new one. He handed me the front bracket to hold on to so noone could do it.
There are plenty of companies selling no drill front license plate brackets, but very few are made to fit our trucks. I'm going to try this one: http://skenedesign.com/FPBracket/index.shtml I'll let you know how it works out.
I'm in Michigan and when I got my Ram. It came with the front bracket kit in a bag. My bumper has holes already for them. So, It's factory. Not the dealership. My previous Rams has them as well. It's normal. I doubt theres anything you can do about them.
The Sports don't have the holes from the factory, there are dimples where the holes are supposed to go. Luckily I bought mine in Kentucky which is a one plate state, so they hadn't put it on already.
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