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What's wrong with having a Q plate?
Irony - 13/7/12 at 12:09 PM

I am into the final 25% of my build and I am starting to think about IVA etc etc. I am going to have a Q-plate because thats how my build went.

I see all sorts of posts on here saying things like 'I am trying to avoid a Q-plate' or 'ahh dreaded Q-plate'. Whats wrong with a Q-plate?

ditchlewis - 13/7/12 at 12:13 PM

Nothing. i have a Q plate and i'm happy

ditch

coozer - 13/7/12 at 12:13 PM

Nothing, in fact its better as regards emissions innit?

ditchlewis - 13/7/12 at 12:16 PM

^^^^ last weeks MOT was "no smoke therefore you passed"

ditch

adithorp - 13/7/12 at 12:24 PM

Nothig.

Only real downside is you can't put a private plate on it later. Some people look at it and think there's something odd/dodgy about the car; There might be if it was on a tin-top but it's normal on kits.

loggyboy - 13/7/12 at 12:29 PM

There is a slight stigma attached to them. Largely unjustafiably, but I would expect its probably because of the stolen/recovered use for Qs aswell.
The reason I dont want one is partly because I want the option of a personal plate, and partly because as most of my parts were going to be new anyway, I didnt see much problem with stetching to get a few extra new parts to get a brand new reg.
The other stigma is the 'cobbled together' feeling a Q conjours, its largely no true, but if a single donor is used it seems a little more 'thought about'.
You have to think of the 'non car' person when it comes to the stigma, not that it matters as most 'non car' people will never own or be that interested in buying a kit car.

deezee - 13/7/12 at 12:37 PM

Technically there is no problem with a Q, as mentioned some garages even test it on visual smoke only, although that depends on what the database says regarding the car, rather than the reg. However, it used to be issued to insurance write offs that had lost their identity. So some people treat Q reg cars with a degree of caution, believing that they aren't quite right.

flibble - 13/7/12 at 01:16 PM

I've got 2 Q plated motorcycles and no one will insure them anything other than third party only
Any car owners have the same problem or is it just bikes?

Irony - 13/7/12 at 01:18 PM

quote:
Originally posted by flibble
I've got 2 Q plated motorcycles and no one will insure them anything other than third party only
Any car owners have the same problem or is it just bikes?


My Father mentioned he has had the same problem with bikes in the past - but I thought that was because he didn't have access to google and specialist insurers.

Dangle_kt - 13/7/12 at 01:22 PM

no impact at all on the car, insurance and who wants a private reg anyway?

However it can effect resale value slightly.

Westy1994 - 13/7/12 at 01:31 PM

Q plates to those who know nothing about the kitcar industry are seen as written off production cars that have been rebuilt, and had to use a Q plate afterwards, not many folks would want a previously written off car, so the Q plate got a bad name.

As regards a Q plate on a kitcar, nothing wrong with at all, see the reasons already posted by others. You could ague that a Q plate is actually more exclusive ( than an age related plate) as well I suppose...

D Beddows - 13/7/12 at 02:18 PM

quote:

The other stigma is the 'cobbled together' feeling a Q conjours, its largely no true, but if a single donor is used it seems a little more 'thought about'


Sorry but that is utter nonsense - using a single donor usually means more compromises have had to be made than someone who truly 'though about' building a car would be happy with........

It's a series of numbers and letters - who cares!!!

StevieB - 13/7/12 at 03:26 PM

Nowt wrong with a Q Plate generally - I have one on my Westfield and I'd put the quality of the build (not down to me BTW) up against any age related or new plated kit car any day.

As said, it seems to have a stigma attached which can effect re-sale values a bit. I bought second hand so doesn't really have any impact for me.

I put a bit of effort into my Indy build to get an age related reg, but then spent a bit of time wondering if the effort was worth it as it was on a 'B' reg and I spent my time having to explain why it was still a 2006 car...

Daddylonglegs - 13/7/12 at 03:29 PM

Well said chap!


It is exactly that, a set of numbers & letters. Who really cares what numer is on the front or the back? I intend to have a grin on my face when I get it on the road irrespective of the number on the plate. I know I built it from scratch, I know it was a HUGE acheivemnet for me, and I know that no matter what 'opinions' someone has about the quality etc. of the car I will still be proud it's mine

So there!

Just my 2p's worth of course

wilkingj - 13/7/12 at 03:43 PM

Basically nothing wrong with a Q plate.

On a normal Tin Top it will almost certainly raise questions. On a Kit car its the accepted norm.

As already said, Downside is no cherished numbers or blingy trendy number plates.

As for the Smoke test only MoT. That not strictly true. If you have a Q plate, your Emission Limits are written on your V5. However, I've yet to see a MoT station that actually demands to see your V5 for the levels. Most just give it a visual test. I think the testers just use a bit of common sense!
Again, this will all depend on the age of the engine for the limits.

Just my 2d's worth.

Slimy38 - 13/7/12 at 05:05 PM

Personally the only reason why I don't want a Q plate is that it's very little extra effort to get an age related plate based on the route I'm aiming for (single donor for as much as possible). However, if I have any issues I'll be happy to 'drop' to a Q plate.

Although StevieB had a good point, I'd be aiming for a pre-95 plate which would then give me 2012-2013 car the look of an 18 year old car!

chillis - 13/7/12 at 06:45 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Irony
I am into the final 25% of my build and I am starting to think about IVA etc etc. I am going to have a Q-plate because thats how my build went.

I see all sorts of posts on here saying things like 'I am trying to avoid a Q-plate' or 'ahh dreaded Q-plate'. Whats wrong with a Q-plate?


As far as kit cars are concerned Q plate represents no problem. No issues with getting insurance so long as you use kit car friendly insurers. Seems to make life easier at MOT time. Many kit cars have q plate 'cos for a time you couldn't get anything else.
Could never seen the point of an age related plate, just lets people know how old the donor was.
Never been bothered by personal plates. If I really wanted a personal plate I'd change my name to what ever my plate was as it's cheaper

theprisioner - 13/7/12 at 07:39 PM

FUN
FUN

Plenty of FUN about!

vanepico - 13/7/12 at 08:06 PM

If I was going to get a personal numberplate on anything it would be a kit car. Putting a plate on some posh crummy car that is the same as anyone else's is not personal! If anything it was already personal, no one else has your old numberplate unless of course you've been cloned!

Having said that I consider building a kitcar as one of the things I've always wanted to achieve in my life so I may just get a personalised plate to say 'I built that!' and make it that bit more personal

I think the whole Q plate system is a bit outdated, I suppose the point of not being able to change a Q comes from when they were put on written off cars, so you could not cover up that fact, but if it has nothing to do with it being damaged who are they to say your car is any worse than a donut who has assembled a car by throwing money and getting a new plate. Maybe they should change it to, you can't change a Q plate if the vehicle had a previous identity.

[Edited on 13/7/12 by vanepico]