Top Gear Protests

[Psamathe]

If the authorities are considering prosecuting the switch to the less offensive plates they will almost certainly have checked that the 'offensive' ones were the correct ones for the car.

But they don't have the original car to check against. However, they do know that the H1 VAE were not for that vehicle. But as to the FLK plates - the Argentineans have the car so not possible for the serial number, colour before any respray, etc. to be checked by UK authorities.

That said, my real gripe is with the insults caused by using the FLK plate (genuine or not). Go to another country ...(said it before).

But the plate switching is something else the BBC might want to give Clarkson the boot over (or maybe another "final warning").

Ian

[pete75]

Back to the original topic: Interesting development. Seems that Top Gear may be fined (in the UK) for switching number plates of said Porsche. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/11147419/Top-Gear-faces-fine-for-Falklands-licence-plate.html

And a car dealer who sold Top Gear a number of plates has emerged but immediately been gagged by the BBC [url]https://uk.tv.yahoo.com/top-gear-and-bbc-accused-of-number-plate-scandal-cover-up-–-daily-tv-round-up-093528027.html[/url].

And the said Porsche was abandoned at the border with Chile and the Argentinian Police then found more (different) registration plates in the boot. And in Argentina, plate changing carries a 3 year prison sentence (and the Argentinian authorities are considering legal proceedings). so hopefully we will be seeing an extradition request ...

I realise it wasn't your intention but from reading your post I was under the impression that contrary to their claims Top Gear had replaced the original number plate on the car with the now infamous one and later sought to cover it up.

Not a deliberate intent, but I feel that there was obviously significant number plate switching going on said Porsche having at least 3 different sets, two of which were seen in use. So I am uncertain as to the FLK plates. Sort of "Will the real FLK please stand-up". Clarkson being all "innocent" whilst there is now evidence of number plate switching going on ..

So, given the ludicrous coincidence I am now even less certain about the real registration and even more certain that (real of false plates) the entire thing was quite deliberate.

Ian

They did indeed have other number plates to switch to

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/top ... rsche.html

[Bonefishblues]

But as to the FLK plates - the Argentineans have the car so not possible for the serial number, colour before any respray, etc. to be checked by UK authorities.

Be one heck of a coincidence that they managed to find another 928 of exactly the right model year (1991, IIRC) as the model that the FLK plate was originally attached to. They aren't exactly think on the ground.

There's little doubt in my mind at least that that's an original plate on its original car. Everything else gets muddy after that!

[Bicycler]

Agreed, you'd also have to have purchased the original anyway in order to ensure that no-one else would be able to produce it and show yours to be a fake. Not a concern for criminals wishing to use false plates but a big issue for the Beeb wanting to feature a vehicle in its programme.

[Mick F]

Interesting - and yet the plate that caused all the offence was definitely the Porsche's original one.

How do we know this?

Definitely the original?

[Bonefishblues]

Interesting - and yet the plate that caused all the offence was definitely the Porsche's original one.

How do we know this?

Definitely the original?

Much more nerdy individuals than I have checked it. I'll reference it later, if you'd like - just about to jump on a tube

[Mick F]

I await your reply.

There's a lady down the road from here and her Toyota Celica has a cherished plate. It's her third Celica and each one has had the same plate. Each time she changes her car, DVLA ask her to keep the original plates so when she sells the car, the reg numbers can revert to what they were originally. I have no recollection of what those numbers were, though I'm sure she has the last plates somewhere so I could ask.

This means that any car can have (at least) two reg numbers. One a cherished number, plus the original that it is reverted too when the car is sold.

Therefore, how do we know, and how can we find out, what the original reg number was of this Porsche?
Does someone have access to the VIN plate and the DVLA records?

[Psamathe]

Interesting - and yet the plate that caused all the offence was definitely the Porsche's original one.

How do we know this?

Definitely the original?

Much more nerdy individuals than I have checked it. I'll reference it later, if you'd like - just about to jump on a tube :)

If it was the proper plate for the vehicle i.e. the registered plate, whose to say it was not a "personalised plate". These programs take time to plan, etc. (particularly when shipping vehicles overseas) so plenty of time to source an interesting number plate, change the registration (just like those who buy plates with their initials, etc.) and suddenly the said Porsche is fully registered with the controversial plate. Could even have been done by a 3rd party before Top Gear purchased the vehicle (arranged by Top Gear but done before they owned it), etc. And any checks would quite correctly show that said Porsche was properly registered with the FLK registration.

Lots of ways things can be done.

Ian
Edit: Sorry, Mick's post got in whilst I was typing and basically making the same point.

[kwackers]

DVLA ask her to keep the original plates so when she sells the car, the reg numbers can revert to what they were originally

Is that right?
I once bought a car that had been on private plates and I was just issued a new 'year appropriate' registration.

[beardy]

Possibly that had private plates on first registration.

I too have bought a car which was on private plates but had its original plates restored when I took it.
They show up as right on the service records.

[Mick F]

DVLA ask her to keep the original plates so when she sells the car, the reg numbers can revert to what they were originally

Is that right?
I once bought a car that had been on private plates and I was just issued a new 'year appropriate' registration.

Yep.
That is correct.
Straight from the horse's mouth, and she knows what she's talking about.

However, if the car is left with it's cherished number and sold like that, the new owner knows nothing about the original number.

DVLA know of course, and it may have been easier for them to issue an "age related" plate, but these days the whole thing is referenced and recorded. The original plate can be re-issued, because it won't have been re-used on another vehicle meanwhile, and they know all the details of the vehicle and its history.

[Bonefishblues]

On Pistonheads Forum, Mon:

"Amateurish" asked:
Are we sure that the Porsche was originally registered with that plate? Could the Porsche owner have bought it as a cherished plate direct from the DVLA? Say a Falklands vet?

"Shakotan" replied:
MyRegCheck shows that plate was assigned to the 928 from new.

"Scuffers" commented:
Sometime later it had a personal plate on it (H1VAC?) but was changed back in 2001 (when it was sold again - the H1 plate is currently on a 911, so I would guess the previous owner kept the plate).

Earlier, on 4th Oct:

"MarshPhantom" asked:
Has anyone checked if the reg. no is real yet?

"Butter Face" replied:
Yes. It is the original issue plate for that car.
H1VAE was assigned to the car in 1998 but then taken back off and the car put back on it's original reg.

It's a question that has come up every couple or days or so on that thread since the (latest) furore started. Thread here if you've got a week to spare: http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topi ... &mid=52319

I'd be gobsmacked if every person who has checked has made the same error.

[Mick F]

Yes, but how do they know?
Are they privy to the VIN plate and the DVLA records?

[Bonefishblues]

Yes, but how do they know?
Are they privy to the VIN plate and the DVLA records?

Sign up and ask them - or would you like me to ask?

[Bicycler]

Lots of companies offer vehicle history checks to prospective buyers. I'm sure anybody in the trade could get the data up. You may even be able to get it directly from the DVLA.