What Does This Mean: "55 Plate" Or "55 Reg"?

[junebug1701]

I'm trying to update my British-American dictionary but this term has me stumped. I see people talking about their 55 plate RAV or 55 reg RAV. What does the 55 designate and how does it apply to the model year? Or does it refer to the license plate/number plate? Thanks!

[dave.m]

It applies to a car registered between September 2005 and March 2006

If it was an 05 reg, it would have been registered between March 2005 and September 2005.

Edit, the number plate would read for example, AA 55 AAA, first two letters are area identifier, last three letters are random.

[pips]

[john1944]

The term 'reg' and 'plate' are I believe dated fromm the era before the current format of registrations. The plates used to change each year in August, and most people who had a vehicle to sell that was registered after January 1st used to describe it as registered in that year.

[junebug1701]

OK, I think I get it. So this has to do with when the car was first registered and put into service, not model year, or year of manufacture?

[chatman]

OK, I think I get it. So this has to do with when the car was first registered and put into service, not model year, or year of manufacture?

You are correct....

Gets confusing when people have a private plate, for there cars....then you can't see the year of the vehicle..

Coaches tend to have Irish number plates as they disguise their real age....

[hertsnminds]

So this has to do with when the car was first registered and put into service, not model year, or year of manufacture?

To know when a car came off the production line you need to find the VIN (vehicle identification number) and ask a main dealer to look it up on the database. A car could be made in January take 6 weeks to be shipped around the World, sit on an airfield for another month or two, be moved to a dealers showroom and still not get registered.

Equally there are some cars that dealers pre-register and then you will see pre-registered bargains offered when they want to shift the cars. These cars may have exactly the same milage and spec as a "brand new vehicle" but they are seen to be worth a bit less as they have already had one registered owner (the dealer).

[bothwell_buyer]

:lol: :lol:

Don't believe everything you read !!!

Its more to do with the number of doors and hinges the car has!!!! :lol: :lol:

(Secretly I'm just jealous cos I have 2 'M' reg cars - which means they were registered in September 1994 !! ) Despite the fact they were registered within a month of each other, as hertsnminds rightly says, they can and were manufactured at different times. As a result, there are subtle differences to each car in respect of the wiring for example.

[Bodgit-fixit-run]

:lol: :lol:

Don't believe everything you read !!!

Its more to do with the number of doors and hinges the car has!!!! :lol: :lol:

(Secretly I'm just jealous cos I have 2 'M' reg cars - which means they were registered in September 1994 !! ) Despite the fact they were registered within a month of each other, as hertsnminds rightly says, they can and were manufactured at different times. As a result, there are subtle differences to each car in respect of the wiring for example.

Well said sir. Howver surely it is that in those days they didn't have the technology to fit extra doors and hinges.

a 55 plate could mean 5 doors five sets of hinges.

In the days of your's they couldn't chisel plates like they can now. So they couldn't put the doors to match. :P :P :P :P

[bothwell_buyer]

:lol: :lol:

Don't believe everything you read !!!

Its more to do with the number of doors and hinges the car has!!!! :lol: :lol:

(Secretly I'm just jealous cos I have 2 'M' reg cars - which means they were registered in September 1994 !! ) Despite the fact they were registered within a month of each other, as hertsnminds rightly says, they can and were manufactured at different times. As a result, there are subtle differences to each car in respect of the wiring for example.

Well said sir. Howver surely it is that in those days they didn't have the technology to fit extra doors and hinges.

a 55 plate could mean 5 doors five sets of hinges.

In the days of your's they couldn't chisel plates like they can now. So they couldn't put the doors to match. :P :P :P :P

maybe

but

they seemed to manage it on my Humber hawk of 1963 without any bother and the original hinges are still on the 4 doors, boot, and bonnet/hood.

Now, remind me what the bother was with the original minis??? Hinges? Lack of doors?

Indeed, with the growing obesity within the UK, the Japs had to build a 5 door RAV so that middle England could access the rear seats! :D :D :D

[Robert6920]

It means some civil servant in the Department of Transport was able to convene a series of meetings to discuss the registering of vehicles in the UK. They no doubt consulted widely with industry and every other interested party (popularly known as "stakeholders"), formulated consultation papers and discussed different systems around the world (which probably required a number of trips to see different approaches - preferred destinations would include Australia, Orlando, Mauritius, the Cayman Islands, Timbuktoo and Zanzibar) before coming up with a method that no-one really understands.....

Yes, I am a devout and practising cynic

[junebug1701]

It means some civil servant in the Department of Transport was able to convene a series of meetings to discuss the registering of vehicles in the UK. They no doubt consulted widely with industry and every other interested party (popularly known as "stakeholders"), formulated consultation papers and discussed different systems around the world (which probably required a number of trips to see different approaches - preferred destinations would include Australia, Orlando, Mauritius, the Cayman Islands, Timbuktoo and Zanzibar) before coming up with a method that no-one really understands.....

Yes, I am a devout and practising cynic

No different than our state politicians. After Katrina breached our levees they couldn't wait to make a fact-finding tour of The Netherlands to see how they keep the water out. I'm sure the trip was all business. B)