Plates you win - Cars you lose

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The chap who was kind enough to bring the Daytona down to the show for filming was pretty candid about his thoughts on the car, yes he’d bought it at the right time and at the right price, today he could sell it on and make a very healthy profit, but he won’t. He’d bought the car because he loved it and because he could afford it. Its financial value was far less important than its emotional value and as he never intended to part with it, the fact it had gone up in value was merely a bonus.

Which got me thinking about number plates; of course there is no denying that some number plates end up being a great investment, but the truth is that most are bought by people who never intend selling them. Just like the Ferrari Daytona they are bought because they are cherished. Something to enjoy, to give pleasure and put a smile on your face every time you see them. I bought my first plate a couple of years ago, in fact its now on that old Audi Coupe I mentioned. Not long after my wife’s car gained one, then my dad’s and now even a few of my friends have been bitten by the bug.

But unlike new cars that become used cars the day after you buy them, a cherished number plate will remain as fresh tomorrow as it is today. And if you think I’m trying to sell you on the idea of getting a cherished plate, then to be honest I probably am. Because what me and the rest of the team at Used Car Roadshow would love you to do is to forget all about buying a brand new car, settle down for an episode of The Used Car Roadshow, and if you see something that you really love, buy it, drive it and enjoy it. With the money you have saved buying a used car you can get yourself a cherished plate so your car ages gracefully and perhaps even more importantly it will almost certainly put a smile on your face every time you look at it.

The brand new series of The Used Car Roadshow with Jason Dawe, Penny Mallory, Chris Piper ‘Pipes’ and Zoë Hardman starts on 18 April at 7pm on ITV4.

Jason Dawe

© 2007 Jason Dawe

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