Ok, heres the deal. Had some dents / paintwork done last year on the boot lid by the number plate area, and the guy needed to have the plate off. . . .but the screws were as rusty as a really rusting thing thats going rusty, and they snapped off when trying to remove them . . after a few months of Gaffer-Taped on plate i decided to do something about it. So drilled out the rusty screw threads. However, Now there are no threads in the holes, and ive managed to jam some screws in there for the time being.

I am planning on putting my private plate on soon, and will need a way (other than using that real strong car plate theft tape) to hold it on.

Would using some sort of filler in the pre welded holes for the screws be ok? and then I could just screw in the new plate, or is there a better way.

Any help or advice welcomed.

oh, and new washer jets have been ordered today at the grand price of 4 quid!! ahaha yes!!!!!!!

Rob. mk1 04 vrs

I had the same issue with my rear plates

The original screws were rusted solid and snapped in half when the Ford dealer I bought the car from went to put their plates on.

Solution carried out by Ford (without my knowledge and pror to my collection)

Drilled the new plate straight into the boot lid with a couple of self tappers!!

I didn't realise until i realised it was slightly wonky and set about straightening it!

Bunch of feckers! One was not amused!

Double sided trim tape works a treat. Stick it on in vertical lines rather than horizontal lines though otherwise it catches water behind the plate.

It looks a lot better without screws on the plate too. And if someones going to nick your plate they can do it screws, tape, whatever.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_203489_langId_-1_categoryId_165562

If you can get the old captive nuts out of the boot lid the partnumber for new ones from the dealer is N 904 792 03. No idea on price but can't be that much.

I had the same issue with my rear plates

The original screws were rusted solid and snapped in half when the Ford dealer I bought the car from went to put their plates on.

Solution carried out by Ford (without my knowledge and pror to my collection)

Drilled the new plate straight into the boot lid with a couple of self tappers!!

I didn't realise until i realised it was slightly wonky and set about straightening it!

Bunch of feckers! One was not amused!

WTF!! The ar**holes! That's so bad.

If the old screws rusted imagine how bad some holes in the bodywork are going to rust!

I use the doublesided numberplate foamy tape stuff on the front and rear of my car. I hate the look of screw heads on a numberplate. Crappy old numberplates really car ruin the look of a car.

If you can get the old captive nuts out of the boot lid the partnumber for new ones from the dealer is N 904 792 03. No idea on price but can't be that much.

ah so the kinda hollow bit that the screws went into? i did try to unbolt these but they looked like they were welded on . . . ur saying that they can be unbolted and come with a new thread bit inside from dealer?

My rear plate is double-sided tape stuck on. Seems fine, mind you it gets re-stuck on every few years when Skoda have another at respraying the boot

I almost sure dealers employ a blind person with the specific job of attaching number plates non-parallel to anything....

Edited 1 April, 201016 yr by mbames

I almost most dealers employ a blind person with the specific job of attaching number plates non-parallel to anything....

I think you'll find that the correct job description is "Bored & p*ssed off Apprentice"

I used double sided sticky pads on mine for years

It makes my blood boil when I hear this kind of thing .Dealers have very little to do to a new car in order to put it on the road. But most of them are useless at this simple number plate job . They use self-tapping screws that are designed for sheet metal to go into plastic bumpers and tailgate plastic inserts and screws go rusty because they are fractions of pennies cheaper than stainless steel ones. Number plates are left loose because the drilled hole was too big or the plastic bumper hole was stripped by heavy handed mechanic ( apprentice ?).

Why can't the manufacturers provide cars with proper fixing attachment points and provide dealers with proper fixings and simple number plate jig to do the job properly.

I once heard of a new car owner who had car with slightly "off-square" rear number plate .He took plate off to find what the problem was and found dealer had put in 3 sets of holes (6 holes) in 3 attempts at getting the plate correctly aligned. Dealer didn't even use the tapped holoes provided by the manufacturer !

Edited 11 March, 201016 yr by vwcabriolet1971

I think you'll find that the correct job description is "Bored & p*ssed off Apprentice"

I think you will find the correct description is infact "a retard"

The best way to secure number plates is with fixing pads like these.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390166611720&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I have used them many a time on both the front and back.The important part is they are 6mm thick so allow for curved surfaces.

just as a finishing post to this topic i started, the new plates were bought today and installed with industrial strength velco purchased from B and Q (other suppliers are available) 2 packets for 10 quid, very VERY strong stuff. looks mint with no screw holes. alls well that ends well, and should i need to remove the plates for whatever reason I can aslong as i go real slow.

the velcro i got was very similar to this :-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3M-DUAL-LOCK-HEAVY-DUTY-VELCRO-STICKY-PADS-BLACK-4-PACK_W0QQitemZ250518242664QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_DIY_Material_Nails_Fixing_MJ?hash=item3a540d0568

good evening all.

REH 17

just as a finishing post to this topic i started, the new plates were bought today and installed with industrial strength velco purchased from B and Q (other suppliers are available) 2 packets for 10 quid, very VERY strong stuff. looks mint with no screw holes. alls well that ends well, and should i need to remove the plates for whatever reason I can aslong as i go real slow.

Cool, I shall await a local prankster to come and turn your numberplate upside down

Cool, I shall await a local prankster to come and turn your numberplate upside down

not a chance . .. its proper strong stuff. wud require a delicate touch and patience to remove these. if u go too fast the plates will snap. and pranksters and mob villans round here jus go at it like a bull in a china shop - me included so fingers crossed onken.

I bought my car with euro look steel plate on it the rear is stuck on with the worlds strongest number plate tape!

I tryed removing at mot time but I could not get it off.

I have just come back from the nurburgring in it and the french police thought me and my mates (6 other cars) were gum ballers!

they said that stick on plates are agains the law in france! they said we had driver across europe flat out with no plate then stuck them back on at the euro tunnel!

so at GUN POINT! 1 french ginger ****er with short person sindrome set about pulling my rear press steel number plate of the fabia with a big flat head screew driver!

he has damaged the boot lid so it needs paint and the plate looked like a bean can!

once we got on the train and I cooled down I set about trying to salvage the plate so i could drive the rest of the way home to south wales.

I jumped on the plate to strighten it and stuck it on with some cheep tape from the services but this week in the sun its come off

:'(

I bought my car with euro look steel plate on it the rear is stuck on with the worlds strongest number plate tape!

I tryed removing at mot time but I could not get it off.

I have just come back from the nurburgring in it and the french police thought me and my mates (6 other cars) were gum ballers!

they said that stick on plates are agains the law in france! they said we had driver across europe flat out with no plate then stuck them back on at the euro tunnel!

so at GUN POINT! 1 french ginger ****er with short person sindrome set about pulling my rear press steel number plate of the fabia with a big flat head screew driver!

he has damaged the boot lid so it needs paint and the plate looked like a bean can!

once we got on the train and I cooled down I set about trying to salvage the plate so i could drive the rest of the way home to south wales.

I jumped on the plate to strighten it and stuck it on with some cheep tape from the services but this week in the sun its come off

:'(

What the hell! They were basically being dicks then, and just wanted to ruin your day.

They have no right to start touching your car. And the rubbish they told you about screwing numberplates on is just bull. It might be a french vehicle requirement, but it's not a UK requirement. You don't have to pass a bloody French MOT to enter France. Next time they'll demand that you must have French number plates, and register your car in France......

You should have told the frog to get f*cked, and then booted it off. After a mile of two he would probably surrender and offer you his wife......

This is why I avoid France when driving across Europe. I cut across Belgium and get to Germany asap. As soon as the French see a UK plate they turn into *******. I was closely tailgated by a car for some time in the early morning through France once. Eventually I got tired of it and just backed off, forcing him to pass me or slow right down. As they passed it was a police car. Basically trying to intimidate me. Nice huh.

right thats it the plate has come off again!

I have bought new female threaded inserts to put the plate on with screw but how the hell do you keep the inserts in the boot lid? arrrhhhh! I hate the french!!!!!!!!!!

I use tape to hold mine on. Looks a lot tidier without the screws:

I use the sticky tabs too - only problem is that they stick like **** to a blanket, and are a bit of a pain to remove when you need to :S