Front plate holes on new Z's
 

When you bought your new Z, did it come with a front (dealer advertising) plate or frame already on the car?

Did it pi$$ off those of you who planned on NOT using a front plate? I know I would be pi$$ed if mine had holes already on it.

I'm wondering if it is standard practice for dealers to drill holes in the front bumper, without any concern for whether or not a potentiail customer would want or need holes on their front bumper.

I would hope that on a Z, the dealers wouldn't drill for a front plate as soon as the vehicles hit their lot. Hopefully they wait until AFTER somebody buys the car and if the customer requests not to have them drilled, then they don't drill.

My question is....

So do they drill front plate holes as soon as they hit the dealers lots or what?

I am sure it varies from dealer to dealer. Seen some with and without it.

Yup. I bought mine in VA, a state that requires front plates, so they typically do drill. Lucky for me they found my car in PA (no front plates) and trucked it in and I was able to catch it before the dealer did drill. FWIW, at least in VA, the dealer is not allowed to let the car off the lot until it is fully "streetable", so unless you can offer an alternative to drilling, they are going to do just that.

Steetable, why should the dealer be concerned with that?

The buyer won't recieve thier plates in the mail for several weeks after they buy the car. So when the buyer takes delivery of their car, there is no need for a front plate holder to make it streetable because there is no front plate to speak of at that point.

They asked me before they drilled. I told the guy that if he drilled, he might as well keep the car. So, needless to say, there are no holes in my bumper.:icon38:

Although there were a couple of Zs on the lot with the bracket already mounted. I guess I got lucky that they had to get my car from another dealer.

i think if your state requires it they automatically do it, i live in arkansas which doesnt require it, but my dealer put them on to put dealership plate on for advertisment? yes i was pissed. enough that i purchased a new bumper. it looks so much better. looks alot better with all rear emblems debadged also. had that done with front bumper.

When you order your car, make sure you tell them that you don't want holes drilled for the front plates. They are actually required to if the state you live in requires front plates. The loophole is that you can "put it on paper" that you don't want the holes drilled and that should be good enough for the dealership.

I've got it on my order sheet that I will refuse it if they drill holes in it (ordering from IL, live in IN and we don't require front plates). And I will, hopefully I don't have to do that in a couple weeks when I pick it up ;)

Yup, varies from dealer to dealer.

I think it varies from dealer to dealer. We are "required" to have front plates in Missouri, but they asked me if I wanted it drilled. I told them not to and have no holes in the bumper. I still don't have a front plate either. About the only time I have been questioned is at the emission test place. They had to walk to the back to check the license number and apparently that was too far for the guy to walk. He seemed a bit upset.

Les

In my state they are concerned about that because they get in trouble with the law if they let you take delivery without it......of course you would have to get caught and point the finger, but they won't take the risk.

Depending on how the dealer is setup here, you either leave the lot with front and rear paper temp tags to use while waiting on the tags, or if they have the DMV hookup, you actually leave with the real deal front and rear and it is entered in the DMV system from the dealership. PITA, but that's how it is.

edit to add: whether or not they do it right when they hit the lot does vary from dealer to dealer here. I've walked around lots where all the cars have the dealer's frame mounted emtpy waiting for the tags, and others that wait until delivery prep.

I've holes in them when I bought them due to CA laws I guess. I had them patched it up for me for free. I told them I didn't need those crap before I pulled out of the lot though.

plates required in OR.
mine had 2 small holes. but nothing mounted there.
like someone else said, untill they are actually ISSUED, you can require something you dont have yet. thats what the temp. is for

Mine had to be trucked from another state (??). It was drilled with plates. REALLY pi$$ed me off. I am painting it next week while removing the Nissan hamburger emblem and filling it in and painting the bumper.