New Number Plates Hurdle

Along with the mass enthusiasm over the Olympics in Beijing (Great Britain are third in the table, yay - and with half the competitors China and USA have, I might add), came the news of the inevitable traffic congestion which was to occur as folk from all over the globe flocked to China's capital for the wondrous spectacle that is the 2008 Olympics. China's answer to this road jamming caused by the gathering of excitable, like-minded sporting fans? To introduce a new number plates ruling, barring certain number plates from entering the city on certain days! (Emergency services exempted.) And, as ridiculous as it sounds, this idea has now been adopted by Mumbai, India's financial capital. Plates ending in numbers 1 or 2 will not be allowed to enter the city on Mondays, and so on. So, do all the workers in Mumbai with such a plate get the day off, or do they car share, hike to work, grab onto the back of an ambulance? Sounds too much like hard work to me!

I think London's alternative (also adopted by Singapore) of congestion charges, is more effective. This avoids the possibility of number plates theft and does not deny certain people access to the city. Personally, I'm not exactly enthralled by either scheme. The thought of having to pay to drive in certain areas just seems ludicrous. My answer? Just don't bother going there.

Dear dear, the subject of number plates...it just crops up everywhere, doesn't it?

The Puzzle Over Number Plates

Well, we are now once again heading towards the autumn, with the new ‘58’ number plates set to be released next month. Although the current system has been around for seven years, it appears that the new format is still causing trouble for drivers.

According to a recent survey carried out by British Car Auctions (BCA) and Honestjohn.co.uk, a third of 1,200 motorists asked could not tell the age of a car simply by looking at the number plate. Perhaps a trifle more startling, 23% of those questioned did not know that the new style number plates reveal a vehicle’s age! Finding this out, we can’t help but wonder how many unsuspecting buyers and sellers have unknowingly been conned out of cash. It can be pretty hard to tell a vehicle’s age just by looking at its condition, and we suspect that it’s likely that someone who is unclear about number plates would not exactly be an expert when it comes to cars!

Clearly, number plates are causing rather a lot of confusion. Considering that this system is set to be with us for at least another forty odd years, we’d like to think that those looking to buy or sell a car will at least get a little more clued up on number plates. We can only hope!

Farewell to Illegal Number Plates?

Many of you will be aware that the current penalty for drivers who continue to display illegal plates is a fine of £1000. But what of those suppliers who continue to advertise unlawful registrations? So far, it seems that the driver is the only one who gets punished! Well, it has recently come to our attention that, as of 1st November 2008, any suppliers selling plates that do not comply with the DVLA regulations will be subject to a maximum fine of £2500. That’s more like it!

Some of these companies have continued to sell knowing that, with the recent clampdown on illegal registrations, those they sell to with a gleaming smile and a pat on the back, may well receive a hefty fine.

Perhaps the tables have finally turned and we may see some of these scallywag retailers having to delve into their own pockets!

Prefix Number Plates - Here At Last!

One may be forgiven for thinking that there’s nothing much to look forward to as the summer sun starts to fade and the nights draw in. However, as autumn sweeps its way into our lives, with it will come the last remaining unissued prefix number plates. The prefix letter F and numbers in a range of 1 to 20 will be released in October (date not yet confirmed). And, if previous releases are anything to go by, it’s fairly likely that this final lot will, once again, turn number plates enthusiasts into raving lunatics! Well, at least this inevitable madness is for a worthy cause. It’s funny what a marvellous item, like a personalised number plate can do to a generally well-behaved, upstanding citizen, isn’t it?

Number Plates HQ Gets a Facelift

The Regtransfers.co.uk marketing office is having a make-over.

The office is... compact, and there's very little in the way of spare space. So, you can probably see that having a new chap starting in about a week presented a bit of a challenge. In the end we decided to change everything.

When our new starter arrives, there will be seven of us crammed into a space little larger than the average cardboard box, but at least it'll be neat, with new carpet and desks.

The marketing department is the creative heart of Regtransfers. It is where our amazing magazine, Regtransfers.co.uk: The World of Personal Number Plates, is created. It is where our adverts are designed. It is where the Numberplates.com cherished plates club resides. It is also the headquarters of more secret projects than you could shake an acrylic number plate at.

So far the make-over is looking very nice. We'll be a little cramped when everyone is installed in their new positions, but if we were scattered to the various other rooms at Regtransfers in the interests of a little more elbow room, it just wouldn't be the same.

If you're good, I might post a pic of the posh, revamped office a little later.

Private Number Plates Mag: New Issue Out Now!

It's here again!

The latest issue of Regtransfers.co.uk: The World of Personal Number Plates is ready and waiting. To get your FREE copy all you need to do is to click the following link to order your number plates magazine.

This time, our celebrity guests are television chef James Martin from the BBC's Saturday Kitchen and veteran British professional wresting icon Kendo Nagasaki. James is a well-established car enthusiast who writes a motoring column for The Mail on Sunday, while Kendo Nagasaki displays his personal number plates on a smart Lamborghini sports car which once belonged to Rod Stewart.

All your favourite features are present in this information packed edition and, as usual, we also bring you the widest selection of top quality private registrations available anywhere in the UK.

This is very probably the best issue we have produced so far. It is a joy to behold and, if I say so myself, I really don't know how we keep doing it.

Nice One, Lewis

Formula 1 whizz-kid Lewis Hamilton reportedly splashed out £200,000 on a personalised car registration when he bought LEW 1S from a property tycoon.

We reckon it is a terrific choice. Many drivers would have been tempted to buy something to do with their sport - something perhaps like the famous F 1 plates bought by Afzal Kahn a while ago. Lewis wisely resisted that and focused on something really personal instead. If he should decide to retire at some point and maybe pursue a career as an actor or a singer (hey, stranger things have happened!) then a racing-orientated number would have lost its relevance to him.

With LEW 1S he should be a winner once again. Not only is it a visually striking name plate - vitually a perfect representation of the name - but it is a popular name, so the potential market for a future resale should be a decent size. Of course, we shouldn't ignore the appeal of a plate once owned by one of the UK's most exciting young drivers. That could also add to the value.

Yes, a very good choice, we think.

"Gonad" Number Plates to be Sold for Charity

Some time ago, we told you about Dave Cook and his "One Ball Rally" charity project. We are happy to say that Dave and his companions are now safely back in the UK. What is more, Dave has compiled a short video featuring some of the highlights of his journey.

For those of you who haven't heard about the One Ball Rally...

Dave Cook is a 24 year old man who was treated for testicular and stomach cancer in 2007. Dave underwent "9 weeks of Hell, a.k.a chemotherapy". But as he says, "For all its evils, this treatment surely does the trick". Happily, He is now clear of the illness and has regular checks to make sure that is how things stay.

Dave wanted to do something to raise money for the oncology services who helped him during his difficult time, and he came up with the idea of a charity journey through Europe. As part of his treatment had involved the removal of a testicle, Dave thought the concept of the One Ball Rally would be appropriate. He arranged a vehicle, an old London black cab, and decided on a route.

Regtransfers.co.uk donated a number plate to be used on the rally vehicle and Dave thought X60 NAD ("ex-gonad") was an amusing choice. Unfortunately, it turned out that the cab they ended up with was too old to be legally allowed to display that number, so another registration had to be used during the journey. X60 NAD will still contribute though, as Dave says he will sell it to help with the fundraising.

On the subject of the fundraising, it is not too late to contribute to this good cause. If you'd like to boost Dave's total please visit the One Ball Blog at http://oneballrally.blogspot.com/, or go straight to the online donation facility at http://www.justgiving.com/oneballrally.

Private Number Plates: the Finishing Touch!

Regtransfers.co.uk teamed up with the exclusive Segrave Club for a photo shoot the other day. Their fantastic cars donned some of our best private number plates and posed for the camera.

We think you'll agree that these cars simply beg for something a bit more individual than the soulless, random string of numbers and letters of a standard car registration. If you drove one of these babies you'd so want it to be competely unique, wouldn't you? And you hardly buy a car like one of those shown below if you were shy about being noticed, eh?

US Number Plates Censors Worse Than Ours!

We have posted previously about censorship of number plates practiced by certain American authorities. We have also had a gentle dig at our friends from the DVLA when they have withheld certain sequences of characters from the normal issue series of registrations, supposedly because such sequences of characters might resemble offensive words etc.

Well, here's another example of personal number plates censorship from the USA. In Nevada a complaint was files against the car registration SEXRXRR. The complaint claimed that the number represented "sex, drugs and rock & roll". The committee responsible for ensuring that number plates don't warp the fragile personalities of Nevada's citizens agreed with the complainant and withdrew the registration from use.

SEXRXRR... "Sex, drugs and rock & roll"? Hang on, maybe if I narrow my eyes and kind of squint sideways... Nope, it still looks nothing like it.

Strewth, at least the DVLA number plates censor pick numbers that vaguely resemble the word. Very vaguely sometimes...

SEXRXRR? Nah.

Search for Legendary A 1 Private Number Plates

Many of you will be familiar with at least part of the history of A 1, probably the "holy Grail" of UK private number plates. The story goes that this London number was issued in 1903 to Earl Russell, who displayed it on a Napier motor car. Several books and internet pages have documented various versions of the registration's subsequent history, chronicling its movements between a series of private and corporate owners, and ending with its reported sale to a member of a foreign royal family in 2005. The widely circulated tale tells that A 1 was assigned to a white Bentley for the use of its royal owner, however current data indicates that A 1 now resides upon a Black Mini Cooper.

Over the past few years, Regtransfers has been approached by many journalists and members of the public requesting firm confirmation of the status of A 1. Some of these people have been interested in the possibility of the mark ever coming onto the market again, while the media have often wanted to include A 1 in various articles about car registrations.

The recent low profile of A 1 has contributed to a certain sense of mystery regarding its current situation. Enterprising plate-watchers who have kept tabs on the number have been surprised by its apparent transfer to a Mini: a nice enough car, but perhaps not what one would expect to find kitted out with the UK's ultimate distinguished registration.

Clearly, many people would dearly love to know for sure where A 1 is, who now owns it, if it will ever be sold again, why it is assigned to a Mini and whether or not the bearer vehicle is in daily use so they might have a chance of spotting this superstar plate. Regtransfers is trying to find a way to contact the current owner, or their representative with a view to asking if we may have a little information which we can share with the UK's personal number plates enthusiasts.

Any contact would, of course, be conducted with total respect for the privacy of the owner. That said, we really would be delighted if we could get just a little more information to bring the history of A 1 firmly and accurately up to date.

Regtransfers is offering a cash bounty to anyone who provides information leading to successful, confirmed contact with the current owner. Again, we emphasise that the owner’s privacy will be fully respected.

Anyone with information is invited to contact Regtransfers.co.uk at a1@regtransfers.co.uk, or to call 01582 470089.

Yay! It's Freebie Time Again!

Once again, Regtransfers.co.uk is proud to announce the latest issue of our FREE magazine, Regtransfers.co.uk: The World of Personal Number Plates.

This time we feature an interview with Theo Paphitis, the entrepreneur best known for his his connections with stationery chain Ryman, lingerie chain La Senza, Millwall FC and, of course, BBC TV's Dragons' Den. Theo is the second of the Dragons to appear in our pages and this series of interviews is proving very popular indeed. Also in this issue: an interview with 'Deadly' Doug Ellis, former chairman of Aston Villa FC; an article about Maybach cars, the ultimate in motoring luxury; readers' stories; news and comment from the world of personalised vehicle registrations and car number plates; listings of the very best numbers currently available in the UK; informative and entertaining number plates articles and, of course, the regular column contributed by the Registration Numbers Club.

All that, and more, completely free of charge! Copies are leaving the office in a veritable torrent, so order your free magazine now to avoid disappointment.

The Number Plates Oracle

Regtransfers.co.uk is probably responsible for sharing more useful information about UK car registrations and number plates than anyone in the country - even more than DVLA. Have you ever tried to find the answer to a simple number plates-related question on their website? Sheesh...

Seriously, we do our best to provide all the information and advice you could need, and we take special care with the details in our press and media section. We like to see the press getting their facts right when they write about our industry.

Len Stout is one of our main evangelists. Not only is he a big fan of private car registrations (he owns S7 OUT, the best "Stout" plate you could hope to find), Len is also very knowledgeable on the subject.

For the last couple of years, Len has been the semi-resident, guest number plates expert for BBC 3 Counties Radio, and he is frequently asked to go into the station to answer listeners' questions about car registrations and number plates. He even sticks his neck out to give preliminary estimates of the possible values for some of the plates owned by callers to the station.

The pic above shows Len during his latest spot on the Lorna Milton Afternoon Show.

That show is, at the time of writing, probably still available via the BBC's online "Listen Again" service. Please visit the BBC website for details.

Of course, there's no real need to call a radio phone-in to get the very best advice on private regstrations and number plates. Regtransfers.co.uk's expert advisers are always ready to help on 01582 477333.

Illegal Number Plates?

Aren't government departments wonderful? They move with such slow, majestic dignity that it's surprising that they ever get anything done.

Ah, no... not wonderful. I meant useless.

In 2001 we were told that it would be fine to display UK national flag emblems on our number plates. In fact we were led to believe that the regulations would be changed to explicitly allow it. It's now 2008 and it is still technically a contravention of the regulations to display them.

In Wales, apparently, some unfortunate people have even been give stress at MoT time, and have been told that these non-regulation plates are enough to justify an MoT failure.

As far as we are aware, that situation was just due to the traditional breaking down of communication between central government and those "on the ground" who are given the job of enforcing ambiguous rules and laws.

Anyway, it is not surprising that many people - especially in Wales - think it is high time that the authorities sorted themselves out and got this clarified. To that end, Plaid Cymru have an online petition designed to light a bit of a fire under the relevant bottoms.

If you'd like to participate you will find DETAILS HERE.

International Private Number Plates Price Records

Visitors to Regtransfers.co.uk and Numberplates.com will have noticed how much space has been devoted to record-breaking number plate sales in the last year or so. It's not really surprising, as price records have been set and exceeded with startling frequency as more and more countries gather a base of number plates enthusiasts.

At Regtransfers we try to bring you as much information as possible on our topic. We are building the site into THE information resource for all things to do with UK and international car registrations - and we have only just got started.

Amongst the content we have online are articles listing the most expensive number plates sold in the world. Where we do that we list the prices in local currency of the country where the sale took place as well as in UK pounds. We have found that this actually presents us with some pretty strange challenges as the world of international exchange rates can be a pretty weird one.

One of the things which gave me a headache when checking and updating this information was this:

In one article I revisited past records from a few years ago and compared prices then with prices now. Quite a few of the car registrations concerned were sold in non-UK currencies - in Hong Kong dollars and United Arab Emirates Dirhams, for example. One of the things that had me scratching my head was converting those currencies to quote them in pounds...

A recent sale in Hong Kong (where the currency is the Hong Kong dollar) saw the lucky number 18 sell for 16 million HKD. The previous record was held by number 9 which sold for 13 million HKD in 1994. In order to show these prices in UK pounds I used an online currency converter, first converting 16 million HKD into pounds at current rates. After that I used a similar facility to convert the 13 million HKD from the 1994 sale into UK pounds at exchange rates as they were at that time.

To my surprise, the plate with the higher price in Hong Kong dollars had the lower price in UK pounds. So... er... technically, the plate which holds the Hong Kong record doesn't hold it at all if you convert the currencies into UK. Or does it?

I'm not even sure any more. This is all so confusing that I'm going to have a little lie down. After that I might have another go at trying to understand it.

Or I might not.