why did my '07 Camry come with a front license plate holder when other didn't? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

bluemoose · 07-13-2007, 02:30 AM

While I was still shopping for my '07 Camry, I noticed that all of the Camry & other Toyotas on the dealer's lot didn't have front license plate holders(bracket). Same thing at the other dealers. They all just screwed the dealer's logo plastice plates on the front bumper. I knew I had to find one of those black plastic license plate holders on my Camry.

While ordering some other parts from an online Toyota dealer, I also enquired about it and they found one for the Camry. Price $10.37 and no extra shipping cost because it was included with the rest of the order.

I haven't gotten around to putting it on because my actual metal license plates have not arrived yet.(financed via Toyota)

Well, guess what, I just noticed that my Camry already had this black plastic license plate holder installed on it.

Is this normal? I've never seen another Camry with this thing... not in my area anyway. Then again, maybe I just missed it, since license plates go in front of it....

When I go back to the dealer to pick up the license plates, I'm going to find out why my Camry has the holder on it...

pillpusher84 · 07-13-2007, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluemoose

While I was still shopping for my '07 Camry, I noticed that all of the Camry & other Toyotas on the dealer's lot didn't have front license plate holders(bracket). Same thing at the other dealers. They all just screwed the dealer's logo plastice plates on the front bumper. I knew I had to find one of those black plastic license plate holders on my Camry.

While ordering some other parts from an online Toyota dealer, I also enquired about it and they found one for the Camry. Price $10.37 and no extra shipping cost because it was included with the rest of the order.

I haven't gotten around to putting it on because my actual metal license plates have not arrived yet.(financed via Toyota)

Well, guess what, I just noticed that my Camry already had this black plastic license plate holder installed on it.

Is this normal? I've never seen another Camry with this thing... not in my area anyway. Then again, maybe I just missed it, since license plates go in front of it....

When I go back to the dealer to pick up the license plates, I'm going to find out why my Camry has the holder on it...

My license plate bracket was in a plastic package in my trunk ... I requested that no front plate bracket be installed, however the bumper cover already had two screw holes in it, so i gave up and put the plate on it .... however the car looks much nicer without the plate on it, and thats why I requested no bracket be installed ... bu oh well!

Normally, the front plate bracket would be installed by a tech during the PDI.

gdanaher · 07-13-2007, 06:15 AM

This was a distributor thing. Early on, some distributors included the bracket in the new car package but to save money they stopped including them. In my area the car did not come with the plastic bracket and I had only seen one other Camry with a bracket. Just attach directly to the front and it didn't look good at all so I ordered one on line. The dealer I bought the car from didn't even have them in the parts department and would need to order and wanted way more than the ten bucks I could get them for on line. It's just a way for Toyota to cut a corner and make a few extra dollars per unit. As for your car, maybe it has been sitting on the lot for several months? Check your vin sticker on the door to see when it was built.

WaterCop · 07-13-2007, 06:44 AM

A lot of the eastern states mandate the dealers drill the holes (VA, MD). If you get one fresh off the truck you may be able to stop them. Many of the southern states (TX is exception) do not require front plates and the dealers don't waste time. My wifes Mercury SUV was front plate was predrilled by an obnoxious dealer in Louisiana but she has this pewter front plate of the Palmetto Moon (it's a South Carolina thing) that she puts on her front plate holder so she didn't care. I hate front plates!

gdanaher · 07-13-2007, 07:49 AM

Maybe the car was a transfer from a Texas dealer. Louisiana has NEVER issued more than a single plate. Here in Texas the police will use the abscence of a front plate to stop and start checking for other stuff before writing the ticket. Front plates do help LEOs in crime stopping and it doesn't cost much to make them, about 1.50 each, but southern states feel the need to cut corners on costs.

beejay21k · 07-13-2007, 12:43 PM

That's interesting... I didn't know a bracket existed. In OH, front plates are mandatory, but the dealer told me I had to just screw the license plate directly into the bumper. Where did you find the bracket online?

bluemoose · 07-13-2007, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beejay21k

That's interesting... I didn't know a bracket existed. In OH, front plates are mandatory, but the dealer told me I had to just screw the license plate directly into the bumper. Where did you find the bracket online?

$11.70 + $0.90 shipping from http://www.trdsparks.com/

#13 in this picture.

Epsilon · 07-13-2007, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdanaher

Louisiana has NEVER issued more than a single plate.

Lucky us.

bluemoose · 07-13-2007, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epsilon

Lucky us.

I have always felt that driving around with license plates(1 or 2) on the car is like
me walking around with my social security number tattooed to my forehead....

I used to live in a state that required no photograph on the driver's license... not anymore...

Epsilon · 07-13-2007, 01:33 PM

The only reason I don't like front license plates is because it ruins the overall look of the front bumper.

pillpusher84 · 07-13-2007, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epsilon

The only reason I don't like front license plates is because it ruins the overall look of the front bumper.

Me neither ... thats why when I had to replace the front bumper cover on my ES300, I never installed the front license plate bracket ... much nicer overall appearance ... too bad if the 5-0 don't like it, because I'll never put it on!

Mike Gerber · 07-13-2007, 05:32 PM

That license plate bracket was an option when I ordered my 07 late last August here in the Chicago area. I found the part number here on TN. The dealer wasn't even aware there was such a thing. I think it looks much nicer than screwing the plate right in to the front bumper so I ordered it when I ordered my car. It was around $10. If anybody is interested in it, the part number for the front bracket is 52114-06030, and the part number for the extra long self tapping screws now required is 90159-60474.

Mike

FlopShot · 07-13-2007, 07:23 PM

You can always find these brackets being sold on EBay by people who got them with their cars but are on states that do not require a front licence palte. There was actually a Toyota service bulletin issued in late-2006 that notified dealers that the bracket was no longer standard equipment.

its2good · 07-13-2007, 07:38 PM

on TRDSparks.. how do you order an entirely new front bumper for an SE.. I want to get a new bumper to get rid of those two stupid holes left in my car from the license plate

bluemoose · 07-13-2007, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by its2good

on TRDSparks.. how do you order an entirely new front bumper for an SE.. I want to get a new bumper to get rid of those two stupid holes left in my car from the license plate

on their main page, you'll see the OEM part search near the bottom left... select you vehicle info and you'll end up with a list of parts... choose front bumper/grille...

I just did a quick search... the SE bumper cover is only $187.17... can this be right? Seems really low to me.... but it obviously is unpainted... so you'll have to figure in the cost of painting it... Perhaps it may be cheaper/easier to get the bodyshop to fix those two holes?