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I want to lose my cherished plate virginity*, but having looked at a few sites, it seems like the process is only slightly less dodgy than trying to buy small blue pills from a bloke in Brixton.

I found a number I want then went to buy, but they seem to want you to give your personal data before "searching". WTF? Why are you advertising a number if you don't have it?

I found the same number on about 10 different sites. One of which *appears* to let me buy it. Having seen the same plate on so many sites I'm wary of a trap, though.

http://www.cherishedcarnumberplates.co.uk is the one that appears to want take my money.

Anyone got any good advice to impart to me?

Ta muchly.

*actually, I bought one about 20 years ago, but decided I didn't like it, never put it on the car and flogged it on, so technically my virginity has grown back.

I bought both of mine direct from the DVLA. All their prices clearly show all charges where as a lot of the other sites seem cheap then when you come to the checkout they add all kinds.

The companies that advertise the plates are like estate agents they take there cut when the plate is sold

I would highly recommend Premier Plates as I've purchased four plates through them (I have no connection other than being a satisfied customer). If you call 08456 52 30 40 or email info@premierplates.co.uk (email is probably best as they are not great at returning calls from messages) and deal with Charmaine she will talk you through the whole process and in my experience is not at all estate agenty or salesy. I even use them to do the admin of moving a plate from one car to another as they get it 100% spot on each time. Hope this helps

Do DVLA if you can .. its simple and they have the plate for sale at that price

In my Experience .. the rest of them work like (as others say) Estate Agents

1. Bloke has a plate he thinks is work something
2. Bloke contacts one of the plate companies
3. They say its worth 5K
4. They advertise it for 7K
5. You get interested and contact the plate company saying you will buy it
6. They contact Bloke and say we sold your plate for 3k
7. Bloke sells it for 3k .. you pay 7K they make 4k

or

7a. Bloke says its no longer available and you start from 1.

8. they email you useless possibly plates for years and you spend ages trying to desub from their email and SMS engines

I bought RS06TOY for the RS6, HA10 GTS (as in Halo Car) GTS for my Boxster GTS and I bought W121 CAR (WIZI CAR on our Smart) all from DVLA

I used reg transfers to get mine........loads of sites advertise but is the number actually available?

Plate dealers don't actually own many , reg transfers had one of mine on sale for 4 years without a sniff , I've just put one on retention and just sold another . It's easy but don't get sucked into my plates worth blah blah blah as 98% of em mean some spurious word or set of initials that you need pin point instructions how to decipher it .

amanda1 wrote:I used reg transfers to get mine........loads of sites advertise but is the number actually available?

Yeah, ignore this.

Buy from DVLA.

John Johnson wrote:Plate dealers don't actually own many , reg transfers had one of mine on sale for 4 years without a sniff , I've just put one on retention and just sold another . It's easy but don't get sucked into my plates worth blah blah blah as 98% of em mean some spurious word or set of initials that you need pin point instructions how to decipher it .

little known thing about retention is that when you stick a plate on retention you can only keep it on paper for2 years and then you have to "use it or loose it".. in reality when you let it go it just goes into limbo and in the DVLA system is still "owned" by you, years later you can buy to back for the retention fee * number of years lapsed

We bought a plate back that had been in the system for 10 years

I've just put one on retention for three years , you lose right to assign it if you don't pay the fee after the retention fee ends

The DVLA site is junk. They only appear to offer current or prefix type plates for sale. Also the site doesn't work properly on firefox or IE. Anyhoo...

Looks like the only plates that interest me are through brokers / agents / whatever.

I think I'll just have a punt and see what happens...

Thanks for all the input so far.

good luck .. I only ever use Firefox and it works perfectly for me .. each to their own and good luck etc

have you looked at the DVLA auctions on their website?

Yeah. It seems I would have to go to Twickenham to bid on a plate?! I just want to buy one. I wish amazon did them...

You don't have to bid in person. You can register to telephone bid for DVLA auctions.