Until relatively recently, private number plates for vehicles were an extremely exclusive and luxurious commodity the likes of which were reserved only for those of wealth and status. The reason being that they had a tendency to be extremely expensive – at least for the more desirable options – which for the average UK motorist meant very little chances of creating and obtaining their own personal plate.
These days however things are quite different, as changes to the way in which UK vehicle registrations are both allocated and used has made it simpler than ever to take home a genuine one-of-a-kind plate. Prices still vary considerably and it’s perfectly possible to find plates with huge six-figure sums attached, but at the same time there are now endless options on the market for next to nothing.
Despite much wider availability across the UK however, the appeal of private plates remains as high as ever with more motorists investing in unique registrations than ever before. But what exactly are the key benefits of private registration plates above and beyond those automatically allocated?
1 – Stand Out From the Crowd
Well, first and foremost it’s a brilliant way of standing out from the crowd with something a little different. With general quality standards across mainstream vehicle markets having never been higher, it’s getting more and more difficult to make your own vehicle stand out as something a little different. Not only does a private plate make standing out possible, it does so for the lowest possible price.
2 – Creativity
For creative types, private plates represent nothing less than a blank canvas the likes of which is exploding with possibilities. In terms of the actual number of possibilities when it comes to choosing a private plate, there are literally tens of millions of possible letter and number combinations out there ready for purchase. As such, there are ways and means by which largely any name, abbreviation or word in general can be put together with a little creativity.
3 – A Genuine One Of a Kind
Perhaps the most important benefit of all when putting together a personal plate is the way in which you’re creating a genuine one of a kind plate that will never, ever be repeated. There can only be one of any number of plates in circulation at any one time, which means that whatever it is you come up with you can be proud to say there isn’t another one like it anywhere in the world. Once again therefore, standing out from the crowd comes as standard.
4 – Appreciation of Value
Depending on the final plate you go with and how creative you were in the selection process, it’s perfectly possible to end up with a commodity that never goes anywhere but up in value. In fact, it’s quite common for savvy buyers to take home certain number plates for relatively cheap, safe in the knowledge that over time they will be worth a small fortune more than they paid for them. This isn’t something that comes as guaranteed and does take a good amount of forethought, but make the right moves with a private plate and you really never know what it might be worth in the future.
5 – Hide Your Car’s Age
One of the less commonly known benefits of private plates in the UK today is the way in which they make it impossible for anyone to know how old your car is. As such, if, for example, you have a pretty old car that’s been kept in immaculate condition over the years, the right private plate could well make it look as if it rolled off the production lines this very year. What’s more, it can also be a nice touch to add to a classic car in order to give the impression that it may in fact be older than it is and thus more desirable. When it comes to hiding your car’s true age, there’s no better tool for the job.
6 – A Better Resale Price
Last but not least, once you’ve added all of the above benefits together what you’re left with is a car that’s almost guaranteed to sell for a higher price when the time comes to put it on the market. Even if you don’t actually plan to sell the number plate with the car, the fact that it is on the vehicle in its pictures and when a prospective buyer comes to view it will inherently add a sense of exclusivity and appeal to it.
