Is Your Reg Plate Worth More Than Your Car

Reg Plates Article

Is Your Reg Plate Worth More Than Your Car

When you can afford every new supercar in the world, the only thing that will set you above the rest of your equals is the numberplate – and in Dubai that means shelling out millions.

Due to an enormous increase in demand, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has begun hosting auctions where businessmen compete to adorn their luxury supercars with a much-prized "vanity plate".

The auctions opened in Dubai last week, and in the last three public openings alone the RTA has raised a jaw-dropping $50.3 million dollars.

The most expensive plate ever auctioned off – which simply reads "No 1" – was sold to Emirati businessman Saeed Abdul Ghafar Al Khouri for a staggering $18.6 million in 2008.

Other big buys include "D5", which was purchased for $11.7 million by property developer Balwinder Sahni, and "No 5", which was picked up for a cool $8.9 million by 25-year-old prince Talal Ali Mohammad Khouri.

Single numbers and letters often go for the highest prices, with many bidders keen to secure a plate that's instantly distinctive – a feat that's easier said than done in a city that boasts more than 26,000 millionaires, and where supercars are regularly left to collect dust.

To put these figures in comparison, the average Aussie wishing to bolt custom plates to their car is slugged $448 a year, a fee high enough to put most motorists off even considering it.

But for a certain sect of Dubai-based billionaires, the ownership of a unique numberplate is more than simply having a nice-looking car – it's about showing others that you're richer than them.

Bidders at the RTA auctions will frequently get into heated bidding wars, often raising the price of the number plate far above any vehicle they could hope to put it on.

According to Sultan Al Marzouqi, director of vehicle licensing at the RTA, the auctions aren't just a way for Dubai's businessman to flash their cash – they're also a valuable source of income for the government department.

"Auctions help generate revenue for RTA's never ending infrastructure projects," Al Marzouqi told the Khaleej Times.

"Lots of people buy those numbers for trading or investment purposes, or they are regarded as a statement of individuality - of being unique and special."

Some bidders say that these ultra-expensive plates have special meaning – for instance, Balwinder Sahini says he fought so hard for the coveted "D5" plate because it's his "lucky number".

For others, it’s simply a good investment because while you cannot guarantee the plate will hold its worth, you can guarantee that it will hold its exclusivity.

"It is a good investment I am making and I advise others to put their money in unique numberplates," said entrepreneur Waleed Abdul Khader, after dropping a cool $1.3 million on the plate "018".

If you have a clear idea of the letters and numbers you would like in your number plate, you can carry out a specialised search that covers over 42 million combinations of number plate registrations.

Choosing between current style number plates and prefix style number plates gives you a wider range of options, so you are more likely to find a private plate that includes the letters and numbers you prefer. All you need to do is fill in two of the three search boxes at the top of the page and then let our website do its magic. You will be presented with options you can purchase for yourself, or as a gift.

Personalised number plate auctions take place every three months, selling an average of 1,600 private registration numbers each time. They are a great opportunity to get hold of number plates that have never been on sale before, as they come with the new issues of each year’s plates.

If you are unable to attend the auction yourself, you can rely on us to bid on your dream personalised number plate – which will also help to prevent you from getting carried away and bidding far more than you had intended to!

We have the experience and expertise to be able to offer you advice and guidance about the kind of price range a particular plate might go for, and you can trust us to place your bids for you. We can even call you during the auction so you can keep track of whether you’re on a winning streak or not.

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