You do have to worry about it for laser, though.

Highly doubtful. Light is just high-frequency radio waves. LIDAR guns use infrared lasers which are going to reflect well from most materials.

wtf is a drive off

when you fill up and drive off

Most gas stations seem to require pre-pay which I assume eliminates it

Why do most cops aim for license plates? It certainly makes it harder for them. They have license plate covers that scatters the laser when it reflects. This forces the cop to aim somewhere else, which gives you a chance of having your laser detector to go off.

But hey, what do I know, I just spent some time talking to a cop who uses a laser gun. Surely you can't count on him to know wtf he is talking about.

I've never had a front license plate on my car. I've actually been pulled over at least a half dozen times in that car. Not once has a cop even walked to the front of the car to check if there's a front license plate.

My wife's car also has no front license plate.

Indeed.

I think they proved this is true on Mythbusters. Silver and white cars are easy to catch with laser guns, and having a front plate makes it all the easier. Black is more difficult because it is less reflective. A matte black car with a laser jammer is like a stealth fighter.

So they are trained to aim for the plate for no good reason. Gotcha.

They are trained to shoot people in the sternum area, but it's way worse for you to get shot in the head.

But one of the criteria wasn't "not getting a ****ty car"?

seriously, this is pretty LOL worthy, but, so is a large percentage of this thread.

I mean, we got one of the nicest 93 supra's in the country (self proclaimed)

People not knowing (or, even worse, being able to figure out in simple context) what "drive-off" means

Someone who apparently thinks license plates are "perfectly flat"

all for a dude that simply has to drill a couple of goddamn holes in his car to mount a license plate.

If this is the case then the LIDAR manufacturers are doing it wrong.

It's an easy target, maybe? I'd go with center mass.

Umm, at least here (well Texas where my tags are from) license plates aren't perfectly flat, they have raised lettering.

I think this OP was ridiculous, but I do like it for introducing me to the retractable license plate thing. That is sick, and I would get one if I didn't drive a beater POS Ford Ranger. Next car though, I'm all over that.

POTD. You killed it blinden

One time driving in AK I got pulled over for no front plate and the cop was in front of me. Like he just stopped in the middle of the road and walks back to my car.

Cool story.

IIRC on mythbusters they were just checking the cameras, not the actual SMD. It was supposed to be "ways to fool the speeding cameras" and some of them involved obfuscating the license plate with various sprays, covers, etc.

You know threads that start off good and just deteriorate?

This wasn't one of them.

I didn't mention it specifically, but I bought the car from a dealer, which is the reason I brought up Nissan. Also, I know it's not that a big deal, like a safety problem or other defect, but it just crossed my mind considering how many Z's you see in Ca. If bought new, the customer might have spent >$40k, should the customer then be expected to pull out their cordless drill when they get home and mod their new car to make it completely legal? Its a pretty popular car, shouldn't there be some disclosure (given how consumer's can be quick to sue over all sorts of things)?

I checked, and did receive two plates. I'm not sure if you can order one, I thought I had done so on the application but received two. That would negate the "only received one plate" argument, which according to the code would be permitted. I bet they'd make you prove it though.

I have never seen a Z irl with a front plate, only in a couple of pics. I didn't think it would have a real mechanical impact, but I'd rather find out than end up blocking airflow (for example). Can I ask what state you bought the car and if it was bought from a dealer (if not new)? And obviously, if the front plate was already mounted. PM me if you prefer.

The manufacturer knows in which state they are selling each car. I don't know whether some models have slightly different configurations or packages for different states, even if they are minor (like this, or the level of window tint, etc). Certainly individual cars might not get registered in one state vs another (Ca's strict emissions standards, for example), I don't think it is out of the question that different models might have small variations to meet state regulations.

I should have left that part out of my OP since it is not relevant and personal, but yes I am eligible for a temporary (red) placard. While I'm sure some ppl abuse placards, they do have to be approved by a physician. And not all disabilities are evident. Is that why you asked?

lol @ "above the law". I am not thrilled at the idea of drilling holes into the front of my car if there is an alternative (hence thread - and a retractable license plate holder sounds cool!). While it wouldn't seem difficult, I think it would also be very easy to **** it up and end up with a bunch of holes where there shouldn't have been. This isn't an exotic sports car, but it is still a nice car, and ppl buy it because of how it looks. In general, I don't think the default would be drilling holes into their car if there is an alternative.

Which looks better, iyo:

Woot, I'm about to get a best answer. My car knowledge stuff finally came in handy.

Okay, I've gotten 3 no front plate tickets before, and each time I zip-tied the license plate to the front of the car, and have gotten it signed off. I paid the ten dollars each time.

Afterwards, you can easily take off the zip ties.

Ta da! FastPlaySlow on FTP. Ship the monies.

Ok, well, the rule of thumb is when you buy a car like this, don't put it on until you have to. So, put it on now to avoid future problems. Don't, I repeat, don't drill into the plastic in the front of the car, it could crack, find another way to put it on there.

i hate the plate on the front of my car. but I live in MA so I have too. and my car is fun but not completely baller. (subaru wrx (tr))

anyone got pic of rocket surgery?

A few years ago when loveline was still on the radio, adam carolla had this exact story about his 350z getting a ticket in los angeles for not having the front plate, and that he dug through his garage, found the plate, took it down to the dmv to show that he had it, then immediately took it back off. Seems pretty much like standard operating procedure if you buy a sports car in a bitch state like cali, suck it up and pay the ticket.