Private Plate

[Kernowboy]

So, in a moment of absolute lockdown madness, and having been less than complimentary about them for the last 40 years or so, I succumbed to the draw of a private plate for the new Cali when it arrives.
My question is this - do I let the dealer register the new van, thus getting a normal registration, and then transfer the private plate to it? Or give the retention certificate to the dealer and allow them to register from new to the private plate?
Are there any positives or drawbacks to either of those options, or indeed through life financial costs assuming I wish to retain the plate on sale?
It‘s new territory for me so grateful for any advice.

 

[2haw]

Just register it straight on the PP.. Saves having to change insurance over later.

Not unless you really want the neighbours to know it’s a 21 plate!

 

[Jabberwocky]

"............give the retention certificate to the dealer and allow them to register from new to the private plate............."

That's what we did (twice on differing vehicles), all went well - no hitches.

 

[OGII]

The transfer process is very quick and easy these days, just an internet transaction. Id be inclined to let dealer allocate a normal number then transfer your plate later. Does add downside of changing insurance documents which may incur an amendment fee. Does mran the original registration will be there for a quick change later should you need it. Probably makes little difference overall in reality.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Avoid insurance company amendment fee. Let the garage register it with your private number and advise your insurance company the reg is your private plate. Should go very smoothly.
EDIT: You will need a "Certificate of Entitlement" which comes from the DVLA once you have bought your private plate. Your dealer will want to see it before they register your Cali with your plate. Sorry should have mentioned this earlier.

 

[The Merle]

So, in a moment of absolute lockdown madness, and having been less than complimentary about them for the last 40 years or so, I succumbed to the draw of a private plate for the new Cali when it arrives.
My question is this - do I let the dealer register the new van, thus getting a normal registration, and then transfer the private plate to it? Or give the retention certificate to the dealer and allow them to register from new to the private plate?
Are there any positives or drawbacks to either of those options, or indeed through life financial costs assuming I wish to retain the plate on sale?
It‘s new territory for me so grateful for any advice.

If you tell your insurance company when you take out your policy that you will be changing reg they normally give you a months grace (no charge).
That’s what happened for me both times.
What plate did you go for?

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Never been a fan myself but really didn't like our reg. number, so we've just succumbed to a private plate too! Got the entitlement certificate today.

Does anyone know if we need to let VW warranty and servicing know if we change the plate from the original registration?

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

So, in a moment of absolute lockdown madness, and having been less than complimentary about them for the last 40 years or so, I succumbed to the draw of a private plate for the new Cali when it arrives.
My question is this - do I let the dealer register the new van, thus getting a normal registration, and then transfer the private plate to it? Or give the retention certificate to the dealer and allow them to register from new to the private plate?
Are there any positives or drawbacks to either of those options, or indeed through life financial costs assuming I wish to retain the plate on sale?
It‘s new territory for me so grateful for any advice.

I gave the retention certificate to the dealer. No cost of swapping after delivery. If/when you want to take the private plate off, DVLC will allocate a 21 plate to your van.

 

[2haw]

Sorry just remembered, the only benefit I have found of getting it put on a standard plate first, is that you’ve already got the plates made with dealer logos when you come to sell it. I’ve always had a dislike of aftermarket plates that do not show the original supplying dealer on them.

I’ve often asked the dealer in the past to make a 2nd set of plates with my private number on. I tell them I want them made up for free as I will be advertising their dealership!

 

[Dark Ocean]

So, in a moment of absolute lockdown madness, and having been less than complimentary about them for the last 40 years or so, I succumbed to the draw of a private plate for the new Cali when it arrives.
My question is this - do I let the dealer register the new van, thus getting a normal registration, and then transfer the private plate to it? Or give the retention certificate to the dealer and allow them to register from new to the private plate?
Are there any positives or drawbacks to either of those options, or indeed through life financial costs assuming I wish to retain the plate on sale?
It‘s new territory for me so grateful for any advice.

I’ve just given the certificate of entitlement to the dealer, they will put the VW based private plate on the Cali when we pick it up next month. If we sell the Cali in the future, we can either take the plate off and have a generic 21 plate put on it or sell with the cool VW plate. Also I thinks it’s nice to pick up the Cali with the private plate on it from day one.

 

[2into1]

If you let them register it first, you'll have the original plates in your shed for when you take your plate off to sell the van. The new buyer will have shiny plates with the supplying dealer's info on them, which is always a suggestion that the van hasn't been crashed, which is nice.
Either way you'll have the cost and hassle (proving entitlement to buy) of purchasing and fitting one set of plates, either at the start of end of ownership.

 

[Kernowboy]

Brilliant. Thank you all for the input. Sound like pros/cons either way, but really useful to consider.
Love the optimism that it will be a 21 plate; I‘m ever hopeful but having ‘only’ ordered in October who knows......

 

[BeagleMum]

Never been a fan myself but really didn't like our reg. number, so we've just succumbed to a private plate too! Got the entitlement certificate today.

Does anyone know if we need to let VW warranty and servicing know if we change the plate from the original registration?

Yes make VW Assist, Warranty, Service, aware of reg change, makes it easier when you want to access them.

 

[dripster]

Sorry just remembered, the only benefit I have found of getting it put on a standard plate first, is that you’ve already got the plates made with dealer logos when you come to sell it. I’ve always had a dislike of aftermarket plates that do not show the original supplying dealer on them.

I’ve often asked the dealer in the past to make a 2nd set of plates with my private number on. I tell them I want them made up for free as I will be advertising their dealership!

The odd thing is when we took out private plate off our last car they gave it a different year-related plate, so my old ones were useless. Very annoying. When we've bought a new car we've given the certificate to the dealer just to save the cost of new plates and the job of swapping them and getting Insurance updated. We also in the past updated the service plans docs, although I imagine these are tied to the VIN?

 

[B J G]

Never been a fan myself but really didn't like our reg. number, so we've just succumbed to a private plate too! Got the entitlement certificate today.

Does anyone know if we need to let VW warranty and servicing know if we change the plate from the original registration?

You can tell them but no guarantee that it will be done.
They even seemed to loose my original Reg details. Kept trying to convince me that I'd got the number wrong, but then that's normal for VW - faultless.

 

[Grim Reaper]

The odd thing is when we took out private plate off our last car they gave it a different year-related plate, so my old ones were useless. Very annoying. When we've bought a new car we've given the certificate to the dealer just to save the cost of new plates and the job of swapping them and getting Insurance updated. We also in the past updated the service plans docs, although I imagine these are tied to the VIN?

This is the norm, no point in getting or keeping your 0 old plates in the garage because they will not return that registration number to the van in the future.

 

[B J G]

This is the norm, no point in getting or keeping your 0 old plates in the garage because they will not return that registration number to the van in the future.

Both of my 2 previous vehicles had the original Reg put back on when I took the Private plate off.

 

[Grim Reaper]

I've not seen that before, always got a new (age related) plate returned to the vehicle.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Both of my 2 previous vehicles had the original Reg put back on when I took the Private plate off.

Same here.

 

[B J G]

I've not seen that before, always got a new (age related) plate returned to the vehicle.

I did take them off and put on retention.

 

[2into1]

This is the norm, no point in getting or keeping your 0 old plates in the garage because they will not return that registration number to the van in the future.

Another one who's always has the original number reassigned, so definitely worth keeping the Orig plates.

 

[BeagleMum]

This is the norm, no point in getting or keeping your 0 old plates in the garage because they will not return that registration number to the van in the future.

Not for us, every time the original plates have gone back on.

 

[GrahamB]

Another one who's always has the original number reassigned, so definitely worth keeping the Orig plates.

Yes I have always had the original reg. returned if the car had a prior registration. I dont see any upside of getting a new van registered first and then switching to your personal plate though. Its just a hassle making the changes on insurance and finance (if you have it). If you really want dealer original plates when you take the personal number off to sell the van, you can take the DVLA doc to VW and ask them to do it.

 

[2haw]

I’ve too also had the original registration reassigned many times.