E46 Front license plate mounting options
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So as you can see in the FS thread I ordered the wrong license plate holder for the 330izhp. Before ordering the correct one I was wondering what other folks have done to mount a front plate without drilling into the bumper. Just wanted to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.
Options I've seen on forum threads:
-double sided tape/industrial velcro, destroys paint on the bumper?
-zip-ties, toggle bolts or other DIY through the plastic lower grill
-drill holes on the underside of the bumper (https://skenebrackets.com/index.htm), costs a bit more than OEM plus backordered
-tow hook style mount (GMG, other "no holes" mounts, etc): don't really care for the offset look plus costs much more than OEM
- just run no front plate and accept a ticket, should you get one, as the price of a pristine front end
Insights welcomed
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I had the "no front plate" trim installed on my e36 and drove it for 50k miles in Wisconsin and never got stopped for it once. On my current beater e36 I screwed it right to the bumper with self tapping screws to keep with the previous owners pattern of doing everything with self tappers.
I would just run without it and the first offense is likely just a "fix it". If there is no holes in the bumper you can claim stupid "there was nowhere to put it so I didn't know what to do"
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I'd run without it as that's what i've been doing for years now. Unless you're driving around past 12am you've got nothing to worry about. You're only getting pulled over for no front plate because police are bored or they're looking for a reason to talk to you.
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Thanks guys! The goal with this car is ideally to avoid the ??? DIY where possible, already been removing some of the existing self-tapping screw work. I'll also hold the "claim stupid" defense in reserve...for when I really do stupid.
OEM plate holder ordered, this time the right one.
If anyone has used up their "claim stupid" for the year, has a LEO that hates them, or just wants their e46 to be legal pretty I've got a nonZHP/M-tech II plate holder (51117030593) listed for sale.
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