# Front License Plate Frame



## NaustinJ (May 19, 2006)

*Front Liscence Plate*

So I finally got my plates yesterday, my car came without any front mount. I have been told however that to put the front plastic mount on, you have to drill through the bumper. Any ideas of how to add the front plate WITHOUT drilling through my bumper?


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## Platypus65 (Aug 16, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (NaustinJ)*

I just used a couple of long cable ties and it worked out great. No drilling and the plate is secured perfectly.


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## kghia (Nov 16, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (NaustinJ)*

not surprised -- my dealer installed my rear license plate just by using self-tapping screws.
I have a VW license-plate holder (not just a frame) that is still in the trunk, but I dont know if it was supposed to go behind my rear plate or if it was for use with the front plate (where front plates are used)
William


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## chatcher (Sep 8, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (NaustinJ)*

We live in a state that does not require a front plate, but bought our car in Ohio, a state that does. I was relieved the dealer had not yet installed the front bracket (it was in the trunk), because it does normally require drilling holes.
I wouldn't want to drill, and would try to attach it in some other way. But I guess it really wouldn't matter, since you'll probably always have to have the plate attached.


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## Bef (Nov 20, 2005)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (NaustinJ)*

I instructed my dealership to leave the front plate off, even though it's required in Ohio to have one. 
I'd rather take the chance and pay a $70 ticket than drill holes in my car...


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## mark_d_drake (Aug 17, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (Bef)*

Shouldn't it be possible to come up with some kind of strap on plate or clip on plate that would allow you to put the plate on when given a fixit ticket.. I think that there is something similar for Vettes.


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## vweosdriver (Oct 30, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (mark_d_drake)*

This is the first car I've had that the rear plate fastened to the plastic bumper with sheet metal screws. My other cars have had brackets.


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## cb391 (Mar 12, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (NaustinJ)*

Mine came with a frame in the front and no frame on the rear. Doesn't make any sense to me. When you buy a car especially when you spend over $30k you would think the mountings for the plates would be done better.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (cb391)*

You can purchase licence plate frames from the VW dealer for about $25 or so... I bought a set for my Golf some years ago, transferred them over to the Phaeton when I got it - they are nice, simple, low key.
Michael


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## cb391 (Mar 12, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (PanEuropean)*

Sorry about that. What I meant to say was there is a license plate mounting bracket on the front and none on the back. Bought my own frames. 

Andy


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (cb391)*

I 'kinda, sorta' think that the story on licence plate frames is this: Most American auto dealerships now use a transparent licence plate frame as a 'dealer sticker'. In other words, rather than putting a sticker that says "Joe's Volkswagen" on the trunk lid, they put a licence plate frame on the back that says "Joe's Volkswagen" across the bottom. I believe that VW of America is trying to discourage the dealers from putting any kind of sticker on the car itself, and suggesting that if the dealership insists on putting some form of dealer identification on the car that they do it by way of a licence plate frame. Hence, the reason why the cars are not built with licence plate frames.
For what it's worth, I don't know of any country in which VW supplies licence plate frames. I saw a $150,000.- Phaeton in a Zurich showroom today - no licence plate frames.
Michael


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## cb391 (Mar 12, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (PanEuropean)*

I'm sorry I used the word frames. I know many dealers use frames with their names on as advertising (which they are essentially getting for free). What I'm referring to are mounting brackets that are attached to or built into the bumpers that you attach the license plates and frames to.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (cb391)*

Hi Andy:
OK, now I understand you. VW produces about 3 different styles of rear bumper for each vehicle - one that fits large European licence plates (EC standard), one that fits smaller European licence plates (Swiss standard), and another that fits North American and Korean licence plates. Hence, the rear bumper cover itself is in fact a 'licence plate frame', because it is sized exactly for the type of plate that will be mounted.
Michael


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## kghia (Nov 16, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (cb391)*

My license plate is screwed directly to the rear bumper, with the dealership's frame that goes around the edge covering it. No rectangular mounting bracket behind it.
There was a rectangular mounting bracket in the plastic in the trunk-- whether this was meant for the front or back I dont really know, but they didn't use it. My state also does not require/issue front plates.
William


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## NaustinJ (May 19, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (Platypus65)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Platypus65* »_I just used a couple of long cable ties and it worked out great. No drilling and the plate is secured perfectly. 

Can you put up a picture? I really do not want to drill into the bumper to put on a front plate. I already got a ticket for this the day I put the rear plate on my car.


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## kghia (Nov 16, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (kghia)*

I got the license plate rectangular bracket out, and the back has a VW logo and part numbers as follows:
(as well as 4 plastic posts with ends that would snap through the 4 big holes in the bracket)
ZSB-1Q0.807.285.A
1Q0.807.287A
>PP+EPDM-TD10<
Made in Spain
M.59.2.17
(VW logo) (logo, like a "P" with box hanging off bottom of loop) NP3
to the right of that os a grid, with numbers 1-12 across the top, and numbers 04-13 going down the left. Inside the grid are dots at (06,1),(06,3),(05,5), partial dot? at (06,6), (06,7), partial dot? (06,8), (05,9),(05,10), maybe? at (04,11), (05,11),(05,12)
There is also a centerline, and two marks with arrows 0|<- | ->|150
which looks to be 150mm apart offhand.
On the back at the bottom there is also a piece which would be horizontal to the ground, and I think is to hold it out a little, maybe to make the plate straight-vertical.
Again my dealer didn't use this, but screwed the rear plate directly to the rear bumper, with their dealership frame over the plate (around the edges).
FWIW, they ALSO put a sticker for their dealership directly under the Eos badge.
William


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## gilesrulz (Nov 2, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (kghia)*

The black mount is for the front. It is there because the front bumper is rounded, or rather so that those who don't require a front license plate don't have to have a flat spot on the front bumper. 
The rear plate is not screwed in with sheet metal screws, there are 'nuts' built into the rear bumper that take a bolt (or at least that's how it is on mine). I'm not sure why there would need to be any other mounting hardware involved, honestly, though I suppose if you were really desperate for one, something could be had at Target or Evil Mart for $5. Maybe $10 if you had to have the chrome chain link halves.
As a side note the front holder on mine came riveted to the bumper. I don't need a front plate, but I left it on there anyway since I'm not in love with all that chrome. One random thing I've noticed since I spend a lot of time in MD, is that states that require two plates don't have many front plate replacements (ie sports team logos, etc.) in stores.








Heh. Never actually answered the OP's question...
You could try using a silicone caulk or similar to hold it on there, that should come off fairly well if you ever needed it to. Of course you'd have to make sure your front plate mounting screws (which are sheet metal screws) don't go all the way through into the bumper. You'd also have to make sure there was no wax where you were caulking it, and find some way to hold the frame until the caulk cured.


_Modified by gilesrulz at 7:03 PM 1-25-2007_


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## cb391 (Mar 12, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (gilesrulz)*

I wish my rear bumper had the same fasteners that yours has. I suppose I could put in some type of captive nut arrangement at some point


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## kghia (Nov 16, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (gilesrulz)*

hmm...your rear license plate is held on differently then.
They put a temporary tag on mine, and then I transferred a permanent (personalized) plate onto it. I was over to the side when he screwed the temp tag (and dealer frame) onto the bumper, but didn't get a close look at the time because another salesman was talking to me.
However, when I put the metal plate on myself (once the tag transfer/registration finally went through), I was able to see that he used sheet metal screws, and the holes were a little rough around the edges. I used small hex bolts from my other car, but will probably have to put in those screws, or similar security screws, again for it to really hold well in the holes that were made. (unless I end up swapping to a different Eos, to resolve a problem with the sale of this one, or maybe on that one too)
I wish that mine had the captured nuts too! I'm not sure that security bolts can do much when it is just screwed into the plastic.
Could you _see_ the nuts built into the bumper? (it is the thread visible when the bolts are not in, or the top of the nuts visible?)
William


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## gilesrulz (Nov 2, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (kghia)*

You can see them, but they are round, not hexagonal like a normal nut would be.


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## kghia (Nov 16, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (gilesrulz)*

I wonder if maybe your dealer just put some sort of threaded insert into the bumper before screwing the plate on.
Anybody else have any insight into the attachment of the license plate to the rear bumper?
Do others have a thread hole with bolts, or sheet metal screws?
How do you other dealers attach the rear plate?
William


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (kghia)*


_Quote, originally posted by *kghia* »_How do you other dealers attach the rear plate?

On my Phaeton, the rear plate is attached directly to the plastic bumper cover with two self-tapping screws.
Michael


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## chrisj428 (Feb 26, 2005)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (gilesrulz)*


_Quote, originally posted by *gilesrulz* »_Of course you'd have to make sure your front plate mounting screws (which are sheet metal screws) don't go all the way through into the bumper.

Please don't attempt this yourself -- take it back to the dealer & they should put it on for you at no charge, especially if your state requires front plates.
I know for fact that, on the Passat, there is a wiring harness and, for those with headlight washers, fluid tubes in very close proximity to where one would drill holes. In fact, VW recommend removing the chrome shield from the vehicle during a PDI before drilling holes to mount the "bracket".


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## theothereos (Oct 9, 2006)

*Re: Front Liscence Plate (NaustinJ)*

My car came with the front license plate frame securely installed, too bad front license plates are not required in my state.








Here is my solution to hide the old frame holes.










_Modified by theothereos at 4:55 PM 1-30-2007_


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