zv plate v. original irish reg

kindalen

what opinions do people have on this topic?

i know many would much prefer an original irish car. why? really what difference does it make? does the thought of a zv plate make any of you shudder?

Max_Damage

Original Irish cars for the win. Looks more original.

I never liked ZV plates, always thought they were very 'fake' looking. I'd rather a 78-D-xxx or whatever plate if it was an import.

corktina

ZV plates are OK with 4 numbers...i dont like them with 5...but at the end of the day, its just a plate and if you dont like it, invent your own number for shows and swap the plates once off the road...

Dades

Had a 72 D XXX on my first classic, got a ZV on the second.

Meh - whatever floats your boat! Neither will stop the rust.

Bear in mind if you get a ZV you can change to a year-type reg at any stage - but not vice-versa.

2cv

corktina wrote: »

ZV plates are OK with 4 numbers...i dont like them with 5...but at the end of the day, its just a plate and if you dont like it, invent your own number for shows and swap the plates once off the road...

I'm with Tina on this one it's only a number...

Original reg looks more original sure, but if you ask me, i'd prefer to buy a car in the UK...

If you have the choice between a UK car that was well taken care of and a car that's been battered around irish roads for 30 odd years...
And please don't say "but they've got salt on the roads"

PaulK_CCI

Dades wrote: »

Bear in mind if you get a ZV you can change to a year-type reg at any stage - but not vice-versa.

That's actually the other way around

with regards to the issue at hand, I would think that an original Irish plates adds a small bit of extra value to the car, knowing that the car was sold from new in Ireland, but to be honest, ultimately it's the condition of the car that is the real winner here. Not much use having an original Irish car, left for scrap which can be an eyesrore, whereas a beautifully preserved or restored example on 66 - D - xxx can be a feast to the eyes!

artic

Nah, you cant beat an original Irish car on Irish plates,ZV plates would be my second preference, dont really like age related plates. But have to agree with a previous post in relation to sourcing cars from the UK,Irish cars do seem to be overpriced compared to their UK counterparts and some may say better quality too?.

Dades

PaulK_CCI wrote: »

That's actually the other way around

Really?! Doh! Just as well I never went to avail of a change... :pac:

PaulK_CCI

Dades wrote: »

Really?! Doh! Just as well I never went to avail of a change... :pac:

It's confusing I know, but the possibility to change from 66-D-xxx to ZV was introduced as a 'loophole' to allow those people that had imported a vehicle between '86 (when the system was changed to reflect the year denomination country wide) up until '92 (when the ZV system was introduced) to opt for a ZV plate. In this interim period, ANY car that was imported, received the 77 - WX - xxx style plates, and there was no choice...

Sids Not

I just couldnt afford an Irish car tbh....for me, its age related plates (takes away the guessing aspect :rolleyes:)...those ZV plates just look wrong on a classic imo....and now with all the digits they're starting to look like the owners PPS number ..:P

What will happen when they get to ZV 99999 ?...will the next one be say ,ZV1 1 .. or will they add yet another number ZV 100000...

BTW..does this Datsun's reg mean that there are at least 36951 ZV registered cars before it not including the age related ones..

corktina

no it doesnt.numbers are allocated to different counties/cities and there will be a lot of gaps

Wishbone Ash

PaulK_CCI wrote: »

That's actually the other way around

Dades wrote: »

Really?! Doh! Just as well I never went to avail of a change... :pac:

Once you select a 'ZV' it can't be changed (except by a ministerial order).

Statutory Instrument 357/1991

(5) ( a ) The identification mark to be assigned to a vehicle to which this sub-article applies shall consist of the index mark ZV and a number assigned to the vehicle by the licensing authority.

( b ) This sub-article applies to a vehicle in relation to which:—

(i) an application for a first licence is being made or where first registration in the State took place on or after the 1st day of January, 1987, and

(ii) the applicant for a licence satisfies the licensing authority that the vehicle was constructed more than 30 years prior to the commencement of the period in respect of which the licence is sought, and

(iii) the applicant for a licence requests the assignment of an identification mark which incorporates the letters ZV as an index mark.

(6) An identification mark assigned to a vehicle in accordance with this article shall remain assigned to the vehicle and no other such marks shall be assigned to the vehicle save in such circumstances as may be determined by the Minister

macplaxton

Either/or. I don't mind a four digit ZV or an original Irish reg as they both can be displayed in the correct period size/format/style.

corktina

in these difficult times, the Govt could make some dosh by releasing unused numbers in the old series , surely this would be very popular

carchaeologist

macplaxton wrote: »

Either/or. I don't mind a four digit ZV or an original Irish reg as they both can be displayed in the correct period size/format/style.

I agree totally,the 5 digit ZVs are plain wrong end of story.

Luke Crowley

Genuine Irish plates always look better, I reckon. A lot of the time, it's simply because they're much rarer than ZV plates, and also because it's nice to see a pre-87 car that's spent its whole life in this country.

And then there's the case of the Mk. IV Cortina I saw at a show a couple of years ago. It was a 2.3 Ghia automatic with all the goodies, and looked in really nice shape. It also had a 'Guaranteed Irish' sticker in the back window, which implies it was made at the old Ford factory in Cork (which is really close to where I live) and to top it all off, it was on a PI plate. An identical car built in Dagenham and on a ZV plate wouldn't have the nearly the same appeal.

G Luxel

I own a few cars and only one of them has a ZV. I wrote to the department of transport about replacing the ZV plate with an age-related plate xxxx ZK and I didnt even get an acknowledgement.:mad: I think if you import a car, you should be given an age-related plate like 9854 ZI or RYI 45, something period and authentic. I now see so many Euro plate ZVs which are hideous.

galwaytt

I used to like ZV's, but now I......prefer the year ones.

E.g. - isn't this just cool ? In a few years it'll be 100 !!

macplaxton

G Luxel wrote: »

I own a few cars and only one of them has a ZV. I wrote to the department of transport about replacing the ZV plate with an age-related plate xxxx ZK and I didnt even get an acknowledgement.:mad: I think if you import a car, you should be given an age-related plate like 9854 ZI or RYI 45, something period and authentic. I now see so many Euro plate ZVs which are hideous.

+1 If you've got a four digit ZV, at least display it properly!

Like this:



Not like this:


Or lordy this!



To the avid numberplate fan, no matter what system you devise, it's always going to look like age-related plate. Only un-issued numbers could be used and it would depend on availability.

Max_Damage

So far, the oldest post-87 plate I've heard off is: 10-D-20

I've a pic of a Ford Model T on my hard drive with 18-G-xx plates. I'll post it when I'm not on the iPod Touch!

corktina

Luke Crowley wrote: »

Genuine Irish plates always look better, I reckon. A lot of the time, it's simply because they're much rarer than ZV plates, and also because it's nice to see a pre-87 car that's spent its whole life in this country.

And then there's the case of the Mk. IV Cortina I saw at a show a couple of years ago. It was a 2.3 Ghia automatic with all the goodies, and looked in really nice shape. It also had a 'Guaranteed Irish' sticker in the back window, which implies it was made at the old Ford factory in Cork (which is really close to where I live) and to top it all off, it was on a PI plate. An identical car built in Dagenham and on a ZV plate wouldn't have the nearly the same appeal.

ah yes but it is a fact that many of the cars you see on old irish plates are ringers.I know of someone who has reproduced Guaranteed irish stickers even.

Sids Not

corktina wrote: »

ah yes but it is a fact that many of the cars you see on old irish plates are ringers.

Surely not...............:eek:

Max_Damage

This plate would turn far more heads than a 'ZV' one would:

corktina

im sure a while ago I saw a very early plate, my memory tells me it was pre 1910 which intrigued me as it raises the question of what happens when the current series reaches that point..

...lets say it was 01 C 1...would the first 2001 plate therefore be 01 C 2?and what if in 2010 you import a 1910 car half way through the year? Would it bear the number 10 C 5000 (or whatever)? I bet you'd have all sorts of trouble getting it taxed and NCT exempt and no end of stops by the Gardai!!!

eamon234

corktina wrote: »

im sure a while ago I saw a very early plate, my memory tells me it was pre 1910 which intrigued me as it raises the question of what happens when the current series reaches that point..

...lets say it was 01 C 1...would the first 2001 plate therefore be 01 C 2?and what if in 2010 you import a 1910 car half way through the year? Would it bear the number 10 C 5000 (or whatever)? I bet you'd have all sorts of trouble getting it taxed and NCT exempt and no end of stops by the Gardai!!!

That could be tricky alright - I imported a 99 car last year in Limerick and the reg I got was 7307 - there were a lot higher numbers than that in 1999 which i found strange

I agree with you on the ringer thing as well - it's pretty much common practice these days.

Satrastar

Registration plates are something only anoraks pay much attention to.

Most people don't know that ZV plates aren't original Irish.

Original Irish plates should be for original Irish cars only.

If people want their cars to seem original Irish, then they should buy original Irish cars.

I would be against releasing the old series for imported classics.

On the other hand, they really should address the 5 digit issue

corktina

5 digits is unnecessary isnt it.... and it looks daft at shows where 2 out of three cars are all in the ZV series.

macplaxton

Satrastar wrote: »

I would be against releasing the old series for imported classics.

I'm for the releasing of old format / previously un-issued series for imports. The number plate anoraks will still know an import from an original.

The other thing is transfers should be able to take place under certain conditions. A massive untapped revenue stream. Especially if a new format was added so you could make what you like out of 10 digits of your choice (with a "as long as it isn't offensive" clause).

corktina

absolutely, and for modern cars too...the yanks do it I think....massive money to be made even in this small country

Satrastar

macplaxton wrote: »

I'm for the releasing of old format / previously un-issued series for imports. The number plate anoraks will still know an import from an original.

People want an original Irish plate because it appears more original. But why should a car be allowed to appear original when it's not?

Max_Damage

^ Agreed.