Colorado "euro" plate

**zachf88** · 05-23-2014 12:11 PM

I am finally registering my RS4 in the state of Colorado. I really don't want to put a plate on the front but my wife has received 3 tickets for no front plate when it's been in her windshield. Anyway, I saw a TT with this custo "euro" plate and was wondering if anyone was running this and if any of you guys think this would be "legit"

http://www.urbanplatesusa.com/#!shop

**auditd0rk** · 05-23-2014 12:36 PM

I think it all comes down to the cop's mood. I run the plate below (thanks Firefox250) and received a warning from a Monument cop. Never had any issues in the Springs (knock on wood). I've read the meter maids in downtown Denver, however, are pretty unforgiving.

**drumnjuny** · 05-23-2014 12:40 PM

keep it registered out of state. that's my 2c.

**zachf88** · 05-23-2014 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by drumnjuny

keep it registered out of state. that's my 2c.

I can't..... After 3 years of having Tx plates, TX DL, and a Texas job (while residing in CO), I have to become an "official" CO resident.

**drumnjuny** · 05-23-2014 12:53 PM

"have to" is relative

don't make excuses

be the change you want to see in the world.

**auditd0rk** · 05-23-2014 01:07 PM

In Colorado, your car would blend right in with a Texas plate :)

The major bummer is going to be the Colorado registration fees -- highway robbery.

**BeitzDUB** · 05-23-2014 01:50 PM

I had this one for about a year with no problems. Still have it, just never put new stickers on it.

**zachf88** · 05-23-2014 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by auditd0rk

In Colorado, your car would blend right in with a Texas plate :)

The major bummer is going to be the Colorado registration fees -- highway robbery.

Tell me about it.... I paid $84 a year for registration in TX..... that ownership tax is bull shit.

Originally Posted by BeitzDUB

I had this one for about a year with no problems. Still have it, just never put new stickers on it.

Do you ever park in downtown or cherry creek?

**TheSupervisor** · 05-23-2014 02:49 PM

How much is registration in CO?

**auditd0rk** · 05-23-2014 03:07 PM

Based on car's original taxable value and years in service. I bought my A4 in 2012 and registration was almost $900. This past march when I renewed (for the second time), it ran me close to $600.

Specific Ownership Taxes

These taxes are based on the year of manufacture of the vehicle and the original taxable value which is determined when the vehicle is new and does not change throughout the life of the vehicle.
Ownership tax is in lieu of personal property tax. Vehicles do not need to be operated in order to be assessed this tax.

The ownership tax rate is assessed on the original taxable value and year of service
Original taxable value is 85% of manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP).
The annual specific ownership tax is based on the year of service.

**BeitzDUB** · 05-23-2014 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by zachf88

Do you ever park in downtown or cherry creek?

Not often but I did. I got a meter maid ticket for no front plate with that one on the rear.

**Mcstiff** · 05-23-2014 11:33 PM

So, my plan is to fold the front plate to euro height. I cut an old one to the right height and the difference is very minimal, similar to what would be covered by a frame. My RS2 bumper does not have a mount, just a recess, so I still need to decide what will happen there. I've thought about making fillers for the side of a euro width mount so that it blends.

On the other hand, I'm rarely downtown and have not had issues driving around in the burbs.

I guess something like this is not bad and easy!

**BrianE** · 05-27-2014 09:42 PM

I ran without a front plate for a while but wife got a ticket in CC and I used to work in downtown but parked in a garage. Got hassled once there. I also got hassled at the airport and always parked with front towards a wall which was inconvenient. Got stopped once driving south on Broadway in Littleton and cop let me off. I just got tired of it and gave up and put the front plate on. I saw the same TT with the Colorado plate Euro Style. I talked to the gal and she said she ordered it online and hasn't had a problem but doesn't go to CC or downtown. She knows it is illegal. It's a bummer. Good luck with your decision.

**antoff83** · 05-27-2014 10:33 PM

I have no plates on both RS and M..got 2 $75 no plate tickets one in downtown one in Cherry creek both on the M3. I got the one in Cherry creek on exactly the same spot you saw my RS the other day. I wont put plates ever, especially on the RS grille.. so don't put it and try to avoid meter maids on a week days..my .002c. Be prepared for a big bucks on CO registration..

**McGovs2.7TB5** · 05-28-2014 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by auditd0rk

Based on car's original taxable value and years in service. I bought my A4 in 2012 and registration was almost $900. This past march when I renewed (for the second time), it ran me close to $600.

Specific Ownership Taxes

These taxes are based on the year of manufacture of the vehicle and the original taxable value which is determined when the vehicle is new and does not change throughout the life of the vehicle.
Ownership tax is in lieu of personal property tax. Vehicles do not need to be operated in order to be assessed this tax.

The ownership tax rate is assessed on the original taxable value and year of service
Original taxable value is 85% of manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP).
The annual specific ownership tax is based on the year of service.

By comparison my S4 cost me ~$70 last year.

I've had no front plate for over 3 years now, no issues. I have a garage spot downtown so I don't really worry about it. Even when i got stopped for speeding the cop made no mention of the lack of front plate.

Zach, CO law says it must be affixed to the front which is why they still ticketed you when it was in the windshield. I feel no plate is more inconspicuous than a euro style one.

**ROARs6** · 05-29-2014 11:12 AM

Just got a ticket for no front plate. $15 fine plus fees comes out to $40.50. Just FYI.

**Docwyte** · 05-29-2014 12:26 PM

In general the cops don't care if you don't have a front plate on, unless you're being a dick. Then they'll throw the book at you.

However the meter maids are relentless and will nail your hide to the wall. $75 a whack isn't worth it to me. The street my office is on, which is a quiet side street of Evans, oddly is regularly patrolled by meter maids. Hence all of my cars having front plates on them now...

**yas** · 05-30-2014 11:26 AM

I carry the plate holder under my front seat and just click it on when I'm parking downtown. A bit of a pain, but better than $75 tickets over and over.

**zachf88** · 05-30-2014 11:32 AM

I actually ended up using some magnets behind my filler plate and behind the license plate. Whenever I park in CC or downtown, I'll pull my plate out of the glove box and "affix" it to the front.

**DOCEVG** · 05-30-2014 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by zachf88

I actually ended up using some magnets behind my filler plate and behind the license plate. Whenever I park in CC or downtown, I'll pull my plate out of the glove box and "affix" it to the front.

Great idea, although now all of us know where to steal a plate from.

**antoff83** · 05-30-2014 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by zachf88

I actually ended up using some magnets behind my filler plate and behind the license plate. Whenever I park in CC or downtown, I'll pull my plate out of the glove box and "affix" it to the front.

good idea Zach

wish I could put same on my RS but dont have filler plate on that grille

**Tweakophyte** · 05-30-2014 05:36 PM

I got a "no front plate" while parked in downtown Denver back in '97... only $25 back then.... I keep my front plate on, now.

**Subsonic** · 05-30-2014 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by zachf88

I am finally registering my RS4 in the state of Colorado. I really don't want to put a plate on the front but my wife has received 3 tickets for no front plate when it's been in her windshield.

That's because displayed in the windshield is not legal. Look up the statute, it must be affixed to the front of the vehicle iirc.

Also there's a license plate holder available that goes where your tow hook would. Spaghetti told me about it back in April but I haven't purchased it yet. It's made by US Millworks.

Edit: Nm, I missed that someone already mentioned the reason she got a ticket anyway.

**SomeDayAS4** · 05-30-2014 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by zachf88

I actually ended up using some magnets behind my filler plate and behind the license plate. Whenever I park in CC or downtown, I'll pull my plate out of the glove box and "affix" it to the front.

same set up on my car after i got shafted by the freaking MMs

**zachf88** · 05-31-2014 12:00 PM

My wife has the US Mill works on her X5.... I just don't want a front plate on my RS4!

**yas** · 05-31-2014 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by antoff83

good idea Zach

wish I could put same on my RS but dont have filler plate on that grille

If you have the plate holder for the RS grille, you should be able to setup something similar. The plate holder has little pegs that stick into the hexagons on the grille.

**dangerous_dave7** · 05-31-2014 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by TheSupervisor

How much is registration in CO?

Pretty sure I paid north of $1000 last fall for my S4...

**TheSupervisor** · 05-31-2014 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by dangerous_dave7

Pretty sure I paid north of $1000 last fall for my S4...

Is that for a new registration? How much of that was tax and how much was registration?

**Subsonic** · 05-31-2014 02:15 PM

First year I registered mine it was $1215 for a taxable value of $47,957. This year was closer to $700.

I'm in Arapahoe County:

Ownership Tax: $959
Prior O.T. (Ownership Tax also I think, I bought it Dec. 26th, 2012 and learned that you get to pay for the entire month): $168
License Fee: $88
Road Fee: $23 (included in license fee)
Bridge Fee: $18 (included in license fee)

Originally Posted by zachf88

Tell me about it.... I paid $84 a year for registration in TX..... that ownership tax is bull shit.

It was $10/year in Louisiana. Truck or car. Really hurt moving here lol. I hear California and a few other states are pretty high too.

**Mcstiff** · 05-31-2014 09:02 PM

Something like this would work on RS mesh

http://chairpilotproducts.com/index....helby-custom-1

**zpfbz** · 06-14-2014 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by Docwyte

In general the cops don't care if you don't have a front plate on, unless you're being a dick. Then they'll throw the book at you.

However the meter maids are relentless and will nail your hide to the wall. $75 a whack...

This has been exactly my experience... I've run one vehicle or another in Colorado without a front plate for 20+ years and never had a cop give me a problem about it, even if I was pulled over for something else.

But the Denver area meter maids are relentless! Park on the street or at a meter that is meter maid patrolled and expect a big ticket. I guarantee the euro-shaped plate, even with the correct number, will net the same result. The correct plate in the correct spot is the only way to keep them from padding their ticket quota using your vehicle.

I was actually thinking of doing something with magnets as well, possibly using a custom euro-style plate from germanplates.com (similar to auditd0rk's) permanently mounted, with a magnetic mount for the 'real' plate over the top if I'm parking in meter-maid hell...

**KidGT** · 06-20-2014 01:52 AM

Originally Posted by zachf88

I actually ended up using some magnets behind my filler plate and behind the license plate. Whenever I park in CC or downtown, I'll pull my plate out of the glove box and "affix" it to the front.

This x 1000.

$6 bucks worth of rare earth magnets from Home Depot and some epoxy is all you need.

**Mcstiff** · 07-17-2014 11:05 AM

FYI, got pulled over by a Boulder Sheriff in Longmont this morning (on the Diagonal across from OB's Liquids and Solids) specifically for no front plate. He was nice and gave me a warning as I had the plate, all my docs were good, and I told him I was waiting on a mount for my front bumper (:fingerscrossed:). He said that I'd be surprised how many people without a front plate have other issues like expired papers etc.

I guess I need to decide if I want to bother with a EU plate mount, attach a narrowed plate without, or hook it to my lower grill...

**SomeDayAS4** · 07-17-2014 12:02 PM

no plate still after multiple warnings hah

**McGovs2.7TB5** · 07-17-2014 12:31 PM

No plate, no warnings here.

**Mcstiff** · 07-18-2014 07:59 AM

I don't need the hassle / waste the time it takes to get pulled over so they can check my papers...

**BeitzDUB** · 07-18-2014 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by Mcstiff

I don't need the hassle / waste the time it takes to get pulled over so they can check my papers...

Mance's old car? I haven't seen that thing in years!
Checking papers?! What year is this and what country is this?

**Mcstiff** · 07-18-2014 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by BeitzDUB

Mance's old car? I haven't seen that thing in years!
Checking papers?! What year is this and what country is this?

It is the ex. Mance mobile, his son had it for a spell then decided to sell and I picked it up in the spring from Champagne. "Build" thread in my sig, it is a fun ride but never got the bottom end he was building so likely ~180awhp.

The clear intent was to pull me over and try to find a "better" violation; not that this is uncommon or "wrong".