Here in the UK there is quite a trade in personalised car registration number plates. I wonder if it is about pride or sheer folly? Is it about being a little different, making a statement or a pointless waste of money?
It seems a crazy world. It is devoid of GOD on any number plates, or SEX but apparently you can get PEN 15 and all kinds of other provocative and suggestive words and letters. .
The prices seem to range from just a few hundred pounds up to hundreds of thousands. I thought as an experiment I would see for myself on the Regtransfers website. As I’m a blogger, do they have anything for me?
As you can see, there isn’t really a stunning choice and often people have to substitute some letters for numbers, which I think is a bit naff especially when there’s some money involved. I would have to make do with BL06 if I wanted to get anywhere near BLOG. I would have to part with a whopping £5890 if I wanted BLO6 GER
If you fancy having E2 as shown on the little cheap car in the top photograph, at the moment this will cost you a cool £399,995 or £400k in round numbers, according to the website.
A few questions, if I may
So, what kind of people buy these number plates?
Perhaps people with too much money than sense? Maybe “new” money? People who are vain? Lottery winners? People using them as investments (eh?)? People who want to disguise the age of their car? Trying to keep up with other like-minded people?
I just don’t understand!!!!
What else could you do with £400k?
- You could do some seriously good work.
- Charities could benefit enormously from such money – you could employ a few people over the course of a few years to do good work.
- You could buy two modest houses or flats (depending on where you live!) for some people in need.
- You could send 400 people on a lovely overseas holiday.
- You could buy 40 decent cars for people who don’t have £10,000 to buy a decent one.
- You could….. well, you get the drift.
What should the Government do?
Well I think the Government does quite well out of this pointless trade already. It sells off newly available numbers and also holds auctions.
I think it could go further. I would slap a purchase tax on them, something like additional VAT.
How does 50% VAT sound?
Sounds a good idea to me.
I do actually have a personal plate which cost me £70 inclusive of VAT many years ago, acquired to stick on and hide the fact I had bought a new car! Whilst I find it incredulous that anyone would spend £400,000 on a number plate, it is a sad reflection on the eye watering inequality in this country that they have that much money, they can do so. However, I’d like to presume that £400k is what’s left after they’ve donated enormous funds to Charity and paid a whopping tax bill on hard earned cash (I understand that might not be true, of course), but I am at least thankful that they will have paid £66,667 in VAT on their purchase.
Thanks, fair point about hiding the appearance of a brand new car, hadn’t thought of that. I bet you’re the exception with this!
Yes it does highlight the many equalities in society. As do the cars people drive and Range Rovers (especially with black paint and black windows) are in my sights for having a rant. So I’m really hoping you don’t drive one of those monsters.