Where is this car from?

rbarrios · 02-25-2008, 04:21 PM

I was on the 210 in Pasadena. (Southern California).
And I saw this Honda.
The front and back had the same plates.
(Used to seeing some BMW's with those wide plates and a California plate on top- or those wide plates on front and CA on rear)....
but this vehicle had them on front and rear.... and the slot for the plate seems to be made for wide plates- unless theyre like that for all???

FenwickHockey65 · 02-25-2008, 04:29 PM

Well...

rbarrios · 02-25-2008, 04:34 PM

appears the plate mounting locations width has nothing to do with it.
I wonder now..

Smaart Aas Saabr · 02-25-2008, 04:36 PM

This is a European plate design... The guy probably took his Honda on a boat and shipped it to the US to drive around on vacation. It is legal and it is often cheaper than renting a car if you are going to do a lot of driving.

You have to look at the blue band, it will have a letter indicating country. EG if it was German it would say "D" if Italian it would say "I", France is "F", etc. You can also make a guess looking at the numbering system ("AD" is probably some sort of town/municipality code) but I don't know it offhand.

rbarrios · 02-25-2008, 04:44 PM

I tried looking at the 2nd pic I took, the 2 small letters are unreadable.

Bravada · 02-25-2008, 04:50 PM

Font and format appear German to me. Must be manufacturer's / supplier's testing, I see no other reason for shipping an Element for registration to Germany and back to California...

King Riffle · 02-25-2008, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smaart Aas Saabr

This is a European plate design... The guy probably took his Honda on a boat and shipped it to the US to drive around on vacation. It is legal and it is often cheaper than renting a car if you are going to do a lot of driving.

You have to look at the blue band, it will have a letter indicating country. EG if it was German it would say "D" if Italian it would say "I", France is "F", etc. You can also make a guess looking at the numbering system ("AD" is probably some sort of town/municipality code) but I don't know it offhand.

So if I were to go to Deutschland, and wanted to romp around the Autobahn, I could ship the Taurus over and drive it around?

Smaart Aas Saabr · 02-25-2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Riffle

So if I were to go to Deutschland, and wanted to romp around the Autobahn, I could ship the Taurus over and drive it around?

Yes but you need insurance to cover your car in Germany (typically North American insurance only covers US/Canada (sometimes Mex) travel). Registration is fine. But you need it to be valid and you have to leave the country at least once every 6 months or so. I don't know how this works in EU, if you drive to France and back then is it another 6 months? Or do you have to leave the EU entirely? (Go to Russia and pick up some cheap smokes, cheap gas and cheap hookers!)

This would have the advantage (I would imagine) that you wouldn't get busted by speed-cameras found all over Europe, since I wouldn't think they can track your American license plate. That said they might be angry with you

vsd · 02-25-2008, 05:03 PM

Could be someone that just put euro plates on their car. I know a guy who drives around w/ mexico city plates on his VW just for the hell of it.

t-rex · 02-25-2008, 05:42 PM

If it's German, the prefix would denote the Landkreis (county, or some cities) the car is registered in. There's no "AD" prefix in Germany, but the plate could very well be military personnel or something similar, now that US and British forces use the German-style license plates.

Since the Element's not sold in Europe, I'd reckon its US military personnel.

rbarrios · 02-25-2008, 06:13 PM

funny you mention the mexican plates...
In my garage I have 2 chevrolets- a 1970 Monte Carlo and a 1964 C-20 truck.
On both I have the legal CA plates front and back.
But while theyre parked- I place on one car- JALISCO mexico plates (the one with the tequila agave plant and on the other, it has MEXICO CITY DF plates.
Theyre only on there as conversation pieces- when the garage door opens, thats what people see....
I remove them when I drive the vehicle, which isnt often.
Last time I went to the large Pomona car show and auto swap meet I put the mexican plates on the front and back of the Monte Carlo- and stood a few feet back- there was lots of talk about those plates and the car as people looked at my car
similar plates I found online... but I have never driven on the road with the plates on the cars.

socalcookie · 02-25-2008, 07:53 PM

It's a US military plate from Germany. AD is the code for US military, standard European size plate.

HHRDude · 02-25-2008, 08:03 PM

I think you guys are all wrong. Just off the coast of Newfoundland( that's in Canada of course) there is a pair of islands owned by France called St. Pierre et Miquelon. these Islands are just about 20 km south of the province and it is just like stepping in to france itself. i'm originally from Nova scotia and have seen a lot of cars from these islands in my lifetime. if the plate have an S P in the blue are, then this is where they are from. they ahve all the same cars we have here because they can purchase them in Newfoundland and they also have cars we can't get here. I spoke to a man a couple of summers ago who was driving....get ready for it.... a 2000 toyota FJ long wheel base. It was in pristine shape and thinking it was a well preserved model was shocked to here it was only a couple of years old.

DuSpinnst · 02-25-2008, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socalcookie

It's a US military plate from Germany. AD is the code for US military, standard European size plate.

I was going to say only Germany has a 1-3 letter combo then two circles (you can see them in the pic) and then the rest of the plate.

King Riffle · 02-25-2008, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHRDude

I think you guys are all wrong. Just off the coast of Newfoundland( that's in Canada of course) there is a pair of islands owned by France called St. Pierre et Miquelon. these Islands are just about 20 km south of the province and it is just like stepping in to france itself. i'm originally from Nova scotia and have seen a lot of cars from these islands in my lifetime. if the plate have an S P in the blue are, then this is where they are from. they ahve all the same cars we have here because they can purchase them in Newfoundland and they also have cars we can't get here. I spoke to a man a couple of summers ago who was driving....get ready for it.... a 2000 toyota FJ long wheel base. It was in pristine shape and thinking it was a well preserved model was shocked to here it was only a couple of years old.

So that sounds (and looks like) an awesome place to visit. I'd never heard of it before (or thought that France was nearby). Thanks!

02-25-2008, 04:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
rbarrios 2.8 Liter Turbocharged V6 Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 781	Where is this car from? I was on the 210 in Pasadena. (Southern California). And I saw this Honda. The front and back had the same plates. (Used to seeing some BMW's with those wide plates and a California plate on top- or those wide plates on front and CA on rear).... but this vehicle had them on front and rear.... and the slot for the plate seems to be made for wide plates- unless theyre like that for all???

02-25-2008, 04:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
FenwickHockey65 News Contributor Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: West Chester, OH Drives: Chevrolet Malibu LS, GMC Envoy SLE, GMC Sonoma SLS Posts: 9,303	Re: Where is this car from? Well... __________________ Proud to drive American. Proud to drive GM. Current Cars: 2007 Chevrolet Malibu LS: 2.2L ECOTEC I-4 2003 GMC Envoy SLE: 4.2L Vortec 4200 I-6 1998 GMC Sonoma SLS Ext. Cab: 4.3L Vortec 4300 V6 Former Cars: 1993 Saturn SW2 (1993-2006, 243,000 miles) 1989 GMC Safari SLT (1989-2003, 293,000 miles) Future Car: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2LT RS: 3.6L SIDI High-Feature V6

02-25-2008, 04:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
rbarrios 2.8 Liter Turbocharged V6 Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 781	Re: Where is this car from? appears the plate mounting locations width has nothing to do with it. I wonder now..

02-25-2008, 04:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
Smaart Aas Saabr Firebird Concept (the turbine one) Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Montréal, Québec Posts: 11,179	Re: Where is this car from? This is a European plate design... The guy probably took his Honda on a boat and shipped it to the US to drive around on vacation. It is legal and it is often cheaper than renting a car if you are going to do a lot of driving. You have to look at the blue band, it will have a letter indicating country. EG if it was German it would say "D" if Italian it would say "I", France is "F", etc. You can also make a guess looking at the numbering system ("AD" is probably some sort of town/municipality code) but I don't know it offhand.

02-25-2008, 04:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
rbarrios 2.8 Liter Turbocharged V6 Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 781	Re: Where is this car from? I tried looking at the 2nd pic I took, the 2 small letters are unreadable.

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02-25-2008, 04:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
Bravada GMI Europe Correspondent Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Warsaw, Poland Posts: 13,839	Re: Where is this car from? Font and format appear German to me. Must be manufacturer's / supplier's testing, I see no other reason for shipping an Element for registration to Germany and back to California...

02-25-2008, 05:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
vsd 6.2 Liter LS3 V8 Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,500	Re: Where is this car from? Could be someone that just put euro plates on their car. I know a guy who drives around w/ mexico city plates on his VW just for the hell of it. __________________ "No one should be protected from the effects of their own stupidity." - Anton LaVey ACAB

02-25-2008, 05:42 PM	#10 (permalink)
t-rex 6.2 Liter LS9 Supercharged V8 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: New Orleans Drives: 2005 BMW 325i. Posts: 7,523	Re: Where is this car from? If it's German, the prefix would denote the Landkreis (county, or some cities) the car is registered in. There's no "AD" prefix in Germany, but the plate could very well be military personnel or something similar, now that US and British forces use the German-style license plates. Since the Element's not sold in Europe, I'd reckon its US military personnel.

02-25-2008, 06:13 PM	#11 (permalink)
rbarrios 2.8 Liter Turbocharged V6 Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 781	Re: Where is this car from? funny you mention the mexican plates... In my garage I have 2 chevrolets- a 1970 Monte Carlo and a 1964 C-20 truck. On both I have the legal CA plates front and back. But while theyre parked- I place on one car- JALISCO mexico plates (the one with the tequila agave plant and on the other, it has MEXICO CITY DF plates. Theyre only on there as conversation pieces- when the garage door opens, thats what people see.... I remove them when I drive the vehicle, which isnt often. Last time I went to the large Pomona car show and auto swap meet I put the mexican plates on the front and back of the Monte Carlo- and stood a few feet back- there was lots of talk about those plates and the car as people looked at my car similar plates I found online... but I have never driven on the road with the plates on the cars.

02-25-2008, 07:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
socalcookie 2.4 Liter SIDI ECOTEC Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern California Drives: 1994 Isuzu Rodeo Posts: 255	Re: Where is this car from? It's a US military plate from Germany. AD is the code for US military, standard European size plate.

02-25-2008, 08:03 PM	#13 (permalink)
HHRDude 2.4 Liter SIDI ECOTEC Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Fort Mac, AB, Canada Drives: '06 HHR LT, Daytona Blue '07 Equinox LS AWD Posts: 140	Re: Where is this car from? I think you guys are all wrong. Just off the coast of Newfoundland( that's in Canada of course) there is a pair of islands owned by France called St. Pierre et Miquelon. these Islands are just about 20 km south of the province and it is just like stepping in to france itself. i'm originally from Nova scotia and have seen a lot of cars from these islands in my lifetime. if the plate have an S P in the blue are, then this is where they are from. they ahve all the same cars we have here because they can purchase them in Newfoundland and they also have cars we can't get here. I spoke to a man a couple of summers ago who was driving....get ready for it.... a 2000 toyota FJ long wheel base. It was in pristine shape and thinking it was a well preserved model was shocked to here it was only a couple of years old. __________________ "I Can't Drive....55 !!!! " Current Rides 2006 Chev HHR 2LT( traded in ) 2007 Equinox 2LS AWD

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