I have owned a 1937 15 for several years that has an age related number.

I have been contacted by the chap I bought the car from back then who has offered me the original two letter four number plate that was originally on the car.

My dilemma is to decide if the number is worth the several thousand pounds he is asking for it, any ideas folks.

My concern is that the car is blighted by the age related number will it be detrimental that the number will have been mucked about further by refitting that original number. Syd

Re-fitting the original number can only improve the cars value.

But if several Thousand Pounds are involved it may not be worth it. However, if you can afford you should go ahead. Both you and any future owners will then be happier with the car.

Salmons

What is it with numbers in this country? Most counties don't have a system that is open to such exploitation.
The previous owner probably switched the numbers with the intention of trying to resell it to you later, I'd tell him to stick it where the sun don't shine.

I have to admit to posting this as a bit of a teaser, the car in question was advertised for many months and just did not sell, it was listed on Fleabay and in Auto Trader.

Out of interest one morning I rang the vendor and agreed to take the 300 mile round trip to look at the prospects.

Restoration had been started on the car, the tyres were flat the battery was missing and the exhaust was rusted and hanging on the floor, the bumpers and number plates had been removed, so not exactly well presented. But with good potential.

It was only when I spoke to the vendor that I realised it had an age related number. Cut a long story short I pressed him about the number as I was not at all interested without the right number, he expressed his regret that he had sold the number under pressure to his brother and that there was no way he would sell it back. So I left a very silly offer and walked away.

Next day he rang to say he would accept the offer so I took him cash and picked up the car.

In the past two years I have done quite a bit of work and the car now looks good and drives well but need tyres before it can be used legally on the road.

Recently he offered the number back. I may be a bit naive but I am sure the tale is true but at £3,000 I will have to think long and hard about buying it.

Ironically the car was a gift at the price I paid and had he had the number at the time I bought the car I would have shaken his hand off at that price plus £3,000 for the number.

As Graham points out the number plate industry is out of control except that DVLA must be making a mint from the trade so I can't see it ever changing. Syd

Syd,
If you know the number you could search the number plate sale sites e,g Registration Transfers and find out how much it is for sale for.
the value depending on which site it is, would be about 50% of the asking price, My guess is the £3K the brother wants is the figure that the sale site is asking for.

Steve.

Well Steve, thanks for your input, as it happens No 2 son came over last night (also a Steve) and made the same suggestion and sure enough the number was there, rang them this morning and they are looking for £4,500.

This is starting to smell a bit so I shan't be investing, I am out. Syd

For a special birthday a doting husband bought his wife an expensive present she had longed for since they were married; it cost him £10000. One night while they were asleep, thieves entered their property and stole the gift. On discovering the loss the next day, the wife was distraught. 'Don't worry my love' said the husband, 'I shall replace it today'. This he duly did - it cost him £30.

You will have worked out what the gift was - and noted its intrinsic worth.

Syd, how about making a one time offer of (say) £500. Make it explicitly clear that it will be your one and only offer and see what happens. Quite possibly (probably) you'll be turned down but then simply respond if they change their mind that the offer will stand. And then forget about it.
I think these number prices are vastly overinflated and whilst some do sell, I think many don't sell for ages, if ever.

Done that Chris but twice as much, no reply as yet. Syd