Pressed metal plates! - UK Legal?

Timthebrief

Barmy Army sleeper cell
I have a pair of Dubmeister plates in Spanish style but with a yellow rear from the group buy a couple of years back. They were certainly legal in terms of size and suitable reflective material; it was the font and the fact the BS no and manufacturer details weren't validly displayed that made them illegal.

If Dubmeister have sorted those issues and are complying with the ID requirements to provide the plates then they will be compliant with the relevant regulations and road legal.
 

andycupra

status subject to change
***Update*** - includes SCN discount :)

As promised here is details of correspondence ive had with Dubmeister regarding these plates.
Paul from dubmeister has been most helpful and I’m sure you will find the following interesting and pleasing :) (I have highlighted some important points).

Our plates have been developed with a large plate manufacturer that supplies for example official Netherlands plates and serves other countries and manufactures to many differing standards world wide.. They don't have to be tested by BSI, just be designed to comply, and actually comply if tested, and this is what we have done.

The BSAU 145d regulation has been finely gone through by our manufacturer and relevant sections have be exceeded or met, including a section specifically designed to exclude metal plates, which necessitated a subtle exclusive redesign of the metal base plate and different material to 'regular' Euro show plates, as well as altered letter tooling and lastly permanent laser marking of supplier info and maker info and the standard they are made to.

They have been fully tested by our manufacturer and pre tested against the BS145d standard by the German DIN institute – (in case any major flaws we hadn’t picked up on), who have set up testing environments for BSAU145d now, are testing and will award a certificate to this effect on completion.

We are fully satisfied they comply or exceed BSAU145d and have been told by a British Standards institute they can be marked as such if we are sure they comply by cross referencing DIN regs that duplicate/exceed sections of BS145d and amendments we have made, and they offered additional help if we needed, which we don't.

No UK authority has the knowledge or means to test plates other than British Standard Institute. No Police or local authority can challenge a user as they are marked correctly as to comply, and that’s the end of it as far as prosecution of the user.
If they want to test them they would have to send off to BSI and pay the £6000 to £15,000 fee...and result would be they pass anyway.

Our dealers/suppliers take proper relevant driver/vehicle ID which is a major part of plates being legal, correct lettering and physical plate spec alone is not sufficient as prevention of vehicle cloning is probably the main issue in 'illegal' plates and prosecutions.

So, we welcome any test to disprove our claim, which is that they do 100% fully comply when supplied by a DVLA registered licence plate supplier.

Paul also commented:

It was a long battle, we had to convince the German blank maker it was worth their while helping us, but they put a lot of R & D into it, and it was lucky they work with the DIN people on testing so closely. A £30,000 investment in laser marking was the final step..
Finished result is pleasing though...

If members of the forum are happy to mail in their legal docs (special delivery is best) we can return then safe with the plates they are entitled to, by guaranteed next day post (24hr turnaround)


Paul has offered:

A discount of £5.00 a set - That’s £31.90 delivered.
If they want to call in 10am-6pm Mon-Thur.10am-5pm Fri, or 10am-1pm Sat the shipping won’t apply, and price collected is £25.00.
(This is as the Nailsea Bristol address only, quote 'SCN500A' in order to get the discount ).

To be clear, we must stick to the law and supply original docs. Im sure you can understand this and only legal character spacing for these plates.

Show plates can also have a £5.00 discount on. GB, E band etc.

Tel 01275 851069/866069 10am-6pm M-F 10am-2pm Sat
Fax 01275 866458

Kind Regards
Paul

Tel 01275 851069/866069 10am-6pm M-F 10am-2pm Sat
Fax 01275 866458

Dubmeister
Unit 1 Blackfriars Industrial Estate
Blackfriars Road
Nailsea
Bristol
BS48 4DJ
 
Last edited:

lunalupi

...is not a bloke!
Jul 29, 2006
953
0
Wiltshire
Bargainous!

The Bristol address is my local one at so I am so going down there when I go home :D Nice job on the discount!
 

Myki da Pyki

Senior Member
Jul 15, 2007
3,302
4
Bristol
www.facebook.com
Nice one dubmeister and thanks to andy for finding out all the legal stuff for us. If i was to fly on over to them do you think they'd make them there and then? (sorry havent had plates made before so wasnt sure lol)
 

lunalupi

...is not a bloke!
Jul 29, 2006
953
0
Wiltshire
I want to know that too - I know some companies that can make the plates on the spot, but I don't know about Dubmeister.

I was going to give them a call on Monday and find out though - I shall report back!
 

andycupra

status subject to change
Paul has confirmed that the discounted price for pick up is only for the Bristol address at the moment.

For those ordering by post to get the £5 discount quote 'SCN500A' as a discount code and they will apply the discount.

Finally to confirm that for postage used for the plates paperwork is Royal mail special delivery or DPD guaranteed next day. - Both are insured 'signed for' services.

A thread in the discount section is due to be set up (probably monday), Paul is happy to answer any further questions through that.

FYI
If you pick up from Bristol or dont have a dealer near to you and so would use the postal service, then you clearly get to take advantage of the discount.
If like me, you are not local to Bristol but do have an alternative dealer fairly local, you should bear in mind that once you take into account postal costs it may prove more cost effective to pop into your local dealer and pay the £29.99 retail price.
 
Last edited:

lunalupi

...is not a bloke!
Jul 29, 2006
953
0
Wiltshire
I have a question - do I have to make two trips to Bristol, one to order and show my documents, and another to pick them up....or can I take the documents when I pick them up pleeeeeeeeeeease! I promise it's my car and I am who I say I am! :happy:
 

andycupra

status subject to change
I have a question - do I have to make two trips to Bristol, one to order and show my documents, and another to pick them up....or can I take the documents when I pick them up pleeeeeeeeeeease! I promise it's my car and I am who I say I am! :happy:

Paul (who it seems is never not working...) has said:
We do 'while you wait' usually for the local guys anyway, so thats no
problem. Best if they phone first though.

So people are aware, the documentation that is required legally is one for proof of entitlement and one for identify (so thats one from each of the following groups):

Proof of entitlement
V5 - 11 digits in section D
V11 - Vehicle licence renewal
V379 - Vehicle registration
V750 - Certificate of entitlement
V778 - Cherished transfer
Official Hire/Lease document
Record of insurance claim

One of Proof of Identity
Driving Licence
Passport
Photo travel pass or ID card
Foreign ID photo ID card
 
Last edited:

Mat

Guest
Loops: I should gi you my Docs and you could pick some up for me :D

Edit: My pic on licence wont look like you :doh: