GeekWheels

Keep the front plate on! You will get fined by the cops without it!

bradykp

i didnt realize this thread was already going on.....but.....

Colin, i realize you're in a state that requires front plate, so i guess it makes sense. i just can't believe anyone would drill a hole in a new vehicle without the buyer's permission.

I'm contacting my dealer tomorrow morning.

Madman....what sort of fit did you throw? i'd like to use the same approach.

Colin

Well since the car isn't sold at the time of PDI, ther is no way of knowing if the future owner will run the plate or not. This kinda sucks, but what can you do? Some tecs put it in, and some don't.

bradykp

i'm just hoping the dealer makes an effort to correct this mistake. or i'm gonna have to figure out how to get it done myself, and i'll be very unhappy if that's the case.

madmanmax3000

how many people have actually gotten a ticket for not having the front plate?

I'm thinking I can just keep it in the glove compartment and tell the police it fell off and I haven't gotten the new bracket yet if I do get stopped. Seems like they have better things to do than pull over people without front plates though.

gsclifton

iTrader: (2)

I have gotten 3 "fix-it" tickets but not with the TSX. Generally in Texas, the officer does not stop for just the missing front plate. But if you get stopped for something else, like speeding, you will then get 2 tickets instead of one. Where I live, it is not worth the hassle. Since traffic enforcement has become more of a revenue generating procedure, rather than a public safety matter, I would rather not exchange pleasantries with the po-po.

JayRoam

Kind of strange, but for a good year, I drove my CRX around without a REAR plate and never got any tickets. That's when I first bought it used, and the bolts had rusted so I couldn't put a new plate in. So I drilled out the bracket and put the rear plate on, and all was good.

Then after I started modifying with big rims, body kit, etc, I started getting pulled over for anything and everything imaginable. seatbelts, not signaling from 50 feet of the intersection... He says I only signaled from 10 feet of the intersection even though I was doing like 5mph since I had to stop from the stop sign!!! They had me put my hands on the hood of my car and everything in the pouring rain. I HATE COPS!!!

[/end rant]

Oh, as for the CRX's front plate, I had put it behind my front windshield and i never got a ticket for it. weird

bradykp

currently waiting for my salesman to call me back...he's talking to service to "see what they can do." i'm hoping they can impress me.

bradykp

just talked to my salesman, he spoke to service, and they claim they're instructed to put the screw in on the tsx and rsx, but not the tl and rl. i'm going to have to follow up more on this, given that max was able to find that they're not told to put the screw in. jeez, i better start keeping a notebook of things to make sure i ask for when buying a new car:

#1. don't put that ugly dealer decal on the car (usually sticker or a nameplate ughhh)
#2. please don't screw any holes into the body of my car. (never would have thought of this question on my own. damnit, i wish i saw this thread long before i got the car).

bradykp

isnt there some sort of checklist out there for buying a new car? i wonder if this is on it....

Colin

The techs have instructions from American Honda. The instructions specify a middle screw for the TSX and RSX. I even have the "packing list" that comes with the installation kit. These cars have a different mounting system than the TL, MDX. The RL has provisions for a third screw, but i'm unclear if installation kit provides it. (not relavent since we're not talking about RLs here)

Now on to common sense. The third screw is fugly. It is not really needed, but the plate frame does move around a bit without it. To me, it's easily added if someone complains that the bracket is loose (believe me it happens). If everyone wants this to change, write to American Honda and tell them to change the bracket design. As for us, we have almost all the techs NOT installing the third screw. Only one won't comply with the sales department's request. It's a good thing he doesn't PDI all our cars!! !!!

bradykp

i believe you Colin, you've been a wealth of information to me. according to max, the instructions don't require the 3rd screw, but do include it. he said he spoke to his service manager, went through the instructions, and that's the conclusion they came to.

is there any way you can fax me the installation instructions for the front license plate holder? i can pm you my fax number.

thanks

Colin

I don't have instrucitons, just a packing slip showing a self tapping screw. Pretty much what you already know. It's included so why not put it in? :playing_the_'devils advocate'_here: What if it was really important and it was included with the kit and someone didn't install it? You can see where it's going right? Customer, " they included this "widget" and you arbitrarily deceded not to install it?! If is wasn't necessary, why did Honda include it?" "I'm going to sue you for neglegence....." blah blah blah.

srenitynow

This is for those of us in states where the front plates are required. I found a super cheap solution to the rubbing the front bracket does to the paint; That is...if your bonehead dealer has not installed the 3rd screw without your permission...sorry bradykp. I wrapped a band-aid horizontally along the top edge of the back of the bracket and wrapped it under. You can't see it unless you look for it and It hasn't fallen off after it got wet. Cheezy but very effective. I suppose you can take a permanent black marker to the bandaid and "dye" the pad part if it bugs you.

bradykp

funny......if you really want me to believe that there is a person in this world incompetent enough to believe that that screw is important and could result in a lawsuit, then you're not as smart as i thought. but seriously, that's not why the mechanics put it in. according to someone who has successfully had their dealership replace the bumper, the procedure says to put the two bolts in. the screw is included, but the procedure at that dealership does not instruct them to put it in.

in fact, why not leave it up to the customer to put license plate holders on, since it's their car and their plate?

Colin

The "widget lawsuit" was an example of how we must be very careful. I was not saying that the license screw is grounds for a lawsuit. In fact, I specifically stated a the "widget" as an example to exclude the screw in question. If you couldn't see that, you need to read more carefully. Remember, here in America, people sue for Hot Coffee.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Foir everyone who complains about a screw in the bumper, there is someone complaining about a loose plate bracket. Dealers are "damed if they do and damned if the don't" in this situation.

bradykp

i'm not saying people aren't dumb enough to sue for it, i'm saying mechanics aren't thinking about a lawsuit when they drill a useless screw into the bumper. they know it's useless. it accomplishes nothing (holds it slightly firmer??). you could get the same result with scotch tape!

and....as far as for everyone who complains about a screw in the bumper, there is someone complaing about a loose plate bracket....which one of these complaints is easiest to fix??????

this seems like a simple solution to me:

ASK THE CONSUMER WHAT THEY WANT BEFORE DRILLING A SCREW IN THEIR $30,000 PURCHASE.

I'm not yelling at you Colin, i understand you're being devil's advocate, and you make very good points, i'm just saying....if someone doesn't want a loose plate holder, they'll say...hey, how can you make that a bit tighter (not that many people would realize it was loose, mine's had the screw out for a week not, and i don't hear any flappin, even at highway speeds 80-100mph).

if someone doesn't want a hole in their vehicle....what can they say? give me a new bumper?

I applaud you for requesting your service dept not put the screw in. I really would hope that acura could send a memo out to everyone, about coverletters for their TPS reports, and not putting screw holes into their customer's expensive purchases.

PS. they don't do it on the TL or RL, so do they just think that the people in those markets would be REALLY pissed about the hole, or is their actually a VALID reason?

Colin

TL and RL use a different mounting system, that does not result in a loose bracket when only two screws are used. This is why only two are provided in this kit. Generally RL customers will use a front plate if local laws require it and are pretty easy going with this sort of thing. It't only "scofflaws" like RSX and TSX owners that take off the front plates. These are the HARDEST clients to satisfy, and conversly (or perversly) these are the ones that have the smallest commissions.

It is easy to put the screew in after the fact, but not until after the customer dogs us on the survey. Question #9 "Vehicle free of problems" "No, my license plate was loose because the dealer didn't install it properly" You think I'm kidding, but it's happened. However, you are correct, I am playing the devils advocate, here, most of our cars are PDI'd without the third screw and yes, we deal with that complaint when it comes up.

Brady, I'm not saying you're wrong, but I try to think like a customer, especially since I AM a customer when I buy anthing BUT a car. However, I don't think you're thinking like a business needs to. The "scotch tape" comment (or double stick tape) illustrates this point. You don't even see the uproar that could cause. "I just bought a 30K car and that stupid dealer holds part of ther plate on with tape....."

There are a lot of situations where it's a "no win" situation and you need to fall on one side or the other, and no matter what you are going to piss off a few people. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I hope that one day if you are manager on "the business" side you'll remember this perspective.



BTW, j/k kidding on the "scofflaw" bit, not kidding on the smallest commission part.

bradykp

i'm not saying the dealer should throw scotch tape on, i'm saying i could......

i understand you completely. i got suckered into thinking all was well on my survey, til i realized there was a hole in my car. i actually did work as a manager for circuit city and for blockbuster. i understand you can't please everyone. but, i also understand there's two options for this problem. one can be fixed by screwing in a hole later (probably by the time the customer has to come back in for their plates anyways, so it's not like it's a special trip), the other by replacing the bumper. which is easier? i'd choose the problem that's easier to fix.

we may be the smallest commission now, but who knows, one day, we buy an RL?


plus, look at all the accessories we sofflaws buy....that's gotta count for something?

skipreid

I have a new 2006 TSX. I took the front plate mount off this weekend. It only had the two
screws on it. I did see the extra hole though. Thankfully, it was NOT connected. So, I was able to get the mount off without any trouble.

Colin

OK, not to belabor the point, but I mistook your statement " you could get the same result with scotch tape!" as 'you' meaning the dealer. You didn't actually say "I could get...." Anyway, as I said, I agree with you . It's easy to add the screw later, but I want to help you to understand why its there.

Anyway, this thread was meaningless to you until you found out that you were "screwed". I would suggest that you channel this disappointment into something that might prove positive. Start up a petition among RSX and TSX owners and get it to AHM and/or HMC and demand they redesign the mounting system for future cars. Explain what we've discussed here, show that it hurts CSI and puts the dealers in a 'no win' situation. Explain that you are part of a small (but vocal and influential) minority of enthusiasts. Point out that they always show the cars at the dealer shows without a front plate! These things have a lot more wenght coming from a customer. Try it and see what happens?

The TSX and RSX will share development next time around, you could be a hero to thousands of owners. They might name it the "Brady(kp) Bill" in your honor!

bradykp

yeah. well i think it's worth letting customer service know. i don't mean to be a constant complainer, but that's how things get improved. i was baffled when i saw it at first, and i understand why a dealer would do it since the state requires front plates....i just couldn't believe that they actually would do it without asking. i cannot sell this car in PA with a hole in the bumper, and, what if the hole cracks and gets bigger or something?

if i saw this thread before i purchased the vehicle i would have asked them not to do it. i said it once, and i'll say it again: the burden should not be on the customer to request that the dealer not drill holes into a $30,000 car.

Colin

I think you should

That's your salesman's fault. In most cases, the cars are unsold at the time of PDI. In our store, if service opens up a new RO (to put in a screw, it's stupid I know) it costs us a minimun of 1/2 hour of labor. NOT saying this is the case at your store, but for us, everything is done at once.

It won't

If they provide a screw, someone will put it in (dispite all common sense.) The solution is to get them to stop providing the screw or change the mounting method.

cusetsx

One word... Bondo.

bradykp

yeah, then touchup paint and all the sanding the area....pain in the ass.

Colin

Of course the irony is that you'll get it all fixed (or replaced) and someone will nick the tip of the bumper when parallel parking......

bradykp

true, but i have a garage so no PP for me! whooohoooo.

i know, eventually it'll get a scratch in it. but a hole.....a hole???? a hole? i cant handle it!

lol

goodtime420

where can I get a front license plate braket? if anyone dont want theres just let me know and i'll buy it off you .

runner453

is it? mine is mounted underneat the front bumper...but I removed itg