[mgastor2022grey]

Hey guys, hope everyone is in good health.

In the floods of Chennai 2023, I lost both my HSRP plates in my car. I have no idea where the plates are now.

I am also paranoid of it being misused by someone.

I am also looking to change the plate to something cool.

The car in question is a MG Astor.

Just a question: I have seen many other car number plates (the one with black cases) missing. Is it a group who is doing this?

Your help is needed! Thanks in advance

[shankar.balan]

These HSRP plates are actually meant to be riveted to the bumper plate holder area. But riveting is not always cosmetically or aesthetically pleasing and hence a lot of people tend to just fasten them by mounting a black bracket on the bumpers. If this is the case in your car, then I am not surprised that the plates have vanished. They must simply have floated away considering the intensity of the flood waters.

The only recourse you have now (as I understand it from various people in Bangalore) is to file an FIR about the loss of the plates and then apply for a fresh set of plates along with its attendant windshield sticker. Once these replacements are received I think it is better that you mount them on the car by riveting them on as per the statutorily prescribed requirement.

[bejoy]

The replacement plates should be ordered through the dealer, who in turn gets it from the HSRP vendor. You will have to quote the laser codes that is present in the windshield sticker (both front and rear codes are printed on the sticker).

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

In the floods of Chennai 2023, I lost both my HSRP plates in my car. I have no idea where the plates are now.

Please provide more details. Were your car flood affected? Were the plates rivetted?

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

I am also looking to change the plate to something cool.

Can't really give a suggestion, but why do you want to change it to a non-HSRP one? I think most states are going to be enforce the HSRP mandate, with the increasing number of forgery/crimes that are happening.

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

Just a question: I have seen many other car number plates (the one with black cases) missing. Is it a group who is doing this?

I suppose most of them were not rivetted. Majority of the frames, especially the ones on curved bumpers, that hold the plates are prone to breaking and will let go the plates with a slightest of bump. HSRP plates (along with the frames, if used) should be rivetted to the body of the car - this is to prevent the misuse, by making it difficult to remove and re-fit.

[mgastor2022grey]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Were your car flood affected? Were the plates rivetted?

Why do you want to change it to a non-HSRP one?

No, my car was not flood affected. Just drove through 2-3 feet of water to get some groceries, but for that itself, the number plate, 2 mudflaps, 3 lug nut covers and the MG logo at the front floated away. Very sad state of my car now. The plates were not rivetted. MG put it in a black case and stuck it to the body with 3M tape.

I want to change to a non-HSRP one as I'd like to add some style in the plates. Many BHPians have amazing plates and I want to be in the que. Nothing much other than that. Something like this:

[d.w.w.]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

a lot of people tend to just fasten them by mounting a black bracket on the bumpers.

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

MG put it in a black case and stuck it to the body with 3M tape.

Doesn't this beat the whole purpose of having HSRP? IMHO, this should be considered illegal.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by d.w.w.

Doesn't this beat the whole purpose of having HSRP? IMHO, this should be considered illegal.

Indeed it is illegal to fasten these without rivets. It is also illegal to not have that windshield sticker.
(In my case since my windshield cracked owing to a stone thrown up by a Lorry on the NICE Road, the sticker is not on the new windshield. I had that sticker removed from the old windshield and have kept it safely in the glove box.)

[AutoNoob]

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

In the floods of Chennai 2023, I lost both my HSRP plates in my car. I have no idea where the plates are now.

No, my car was not flood affected. Just drove through 2-3 feet of water to get some groceries, but for that itself, the number plate, 2 mudflaps, 3 lug nut covers and the MG logo at the front floated away.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

These HSRP plates are actually meant to be riveted to the bumper plate holder area... If this is the case in your car, then I am not surprised that the plates have vanished. They must simply have floated away considering the intensity of the flood waters.

The only recourse you have now (as I understand it from various people in Bangalore) is to file an FIR about the loss of the plates and then apply for a fresh set of plates along with its attendant windshield sticker.

Been there, done that. Few years back, I too faced same situation when driving vehicle in water logged road. The HSRPs were properly riveted, but the metal brackets on the front plastic bumper (on which the rivets get fastened) broke off tearing the mounting area. I realized the same after reaching the destination.

Took the serial number of HSRP from the windshield sticker. Filed a 'Lost Property' FIR online and mentioned the approximate time and place along with the vehicle registration number and the serial number of the lost plate.

Applied online for a new set of HSRPs and sticker. Had to replace the front bumper sub-assy part to mount the new plate. For rear, old rivets were drilled out, new plate was installed. The old RR plate was cut into small pieces (almost shredded), ensuring to cut out the serial number and then disposed off by spreading pieces in a road construction landfill. My better half said that I was acting paranoid . Was I ??

[saisree]

OT - a bit relevant

What is the sticker on the windshield that related to the HSRP plates? Where is it pasted?

[Aviator_guy]

Originally Posted by saisree

OT - a bit relevant

What is the sticker on the windshield that related to the HSRP plates? Where is it pasted?

Along with plates, a colored sticker is also part of the set. Color denotes the fuel type (blue for petrol and orange for diesel). It has the vehicle number, registration date and plates serial numbers printed. It is usually pasted on passenger side windshield area by the dealer during HSRP installation.

[rpunwani]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Indeed it is illegal to fasten these without rivets. It is also illegal to not have that windshield sticker.
(In my case since my windshield cracked owing to a stone thrown up by a Lorry on the NICE Road, the sticker is not on the new windshield. I had that sticker removed from the old windshield and have kept it safely in the glove box.)

The law states that the HSRP plates should be attached by some non-removable snaplock (some dealers chose to rivet the HSRP plates on the car).

I too had my windshield replaced due to a bird hit. Got a replacement windshield sticker from the dealer with the same serial numbers of the HSRP plates.

If plates are lost, file an FIR and get replacement HSRP plates, with a new sticker as the HSRP plates will have a different serial number from your original ones

[sarathlal]

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

In the floods of Chennai 2023, I lost both my HSRP plates in my car. I have no idea where the plates are now.


Your help is needed!

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

These HSRP plates are actually meant to be riveted to the bumper plate holder area. But riveting is not always cosmetically or aesthetically pleasing and hence a lot of people tend to just fasten them by mounting a black bracket on the bumpers. If this is the case in your car, then I am not surprised that the plates have vanished.

I myself had lost the riveted number plate while navigating pool of water logged on main road. The water was not very high, nor the small waves, other vehicles were making appeared to have the power to make such an impact, but such is the force of water.

Long story short, riveted number plates do get lost easily in this fashion if we are not lucky.

What you need to do is the following;
1. Submit a lost number plate request to your nearest police station. You can write down the request in plain paper and submit to the police station.
2. Mention the purpose clearly that such a report receipt is required by the dealer to raise replacement plate request.
3. Police officer will provide you a receipt of your complaint.
4. In the receipt, request them to mention your vehicle number.
5. Goto the dealer and give them this receipt. (No need of FIR)
6. Dealer will raise the replacement plate request. They will need copy of the above receipt, your RC and photo of the HSRP sticker that is stuck on your front windshield. Ensure that the serial number of the lost plate is clearly visible.
7. Once the replacement plate reaches your dealer, they will call you in to bring in the vehicle and they will fit it for you.

[arjab]

Originally Posted by mgastor2022grey

In the floods of Chennai 2023, I lost both my HSRP plates in my car. I have no idea where the plates are now.

A friend of mine in Chennai lost his Creta's front HSRP. He went to the local police station who asked him to lodge an official complaint with the CSR desk, located within that police station premises. I believe CSR is a form of repository of crime registry - not exactly sure. Anyways, with a copy of the receipt of acknowledgement of complaint with the CSR desk, he approached his RTO where his vehicle was registered. RTO has said the HSRP will be issued by them in a couple of week's time.

[v6kgang]

Recently went through this with my seltos, drove through water logged underpass (not even 1 feet), came home and parked the car. After 2 weeks noticed that the front plate was missing. Scoured through my apartment cctv footages for hours to narrow down the date that the number plates went missing.
Process followed was simple
1. Raise a missing items complaint with BLR police online (this is for your reference and peace of mind of plates not being misused)
2. Goto dealer and place hsrp request (took about a month for the plates to arrive). I ordered only front plates and was charged ~225Rs (175 for plates and 50 as service charge, if I can remember correctly)
3. Got a temp number plate from roadside shop and fixed it for that 1 month period
4. Once the number plates came in , dealer made the installation

Epitome kia was super helpful in calming my nerves and guiding through the entire process and getting things done

[Turbanator]

Number plates getting dislodged is common. It can happen to the riveted ones, too. Accidents happen all the time. A lot of time, the base frame is riveted to the bumper, and plates are clamped in that frame.

As v6kgang has mentioned, go to the dealer who sold you the car, and they can apply a fresh set of plates on charge. Until then, use the regular ones and keep a copy of the receipt for new applications. If the car is old or the dealership is far away, go to any dealer of that brand, and they can help you.

Originally Posted by v6kgang

2. Goto dealer and place hsrp request (took about a month for the plates to arrive). I ordered only front plates and was charged ~225Rs (175 for plates and 50 as service charge, if I can remember correctly

Are you sure they changed only front side? Don't these plates have a serial number (different than car number) and that's same on front and rear or was it in past?

[Aviator_guy]

It is concerning to see that HSRP plates are getting dislodged easily while wading in water. I used to think that if they are directly riveted to the car ( without any frames) then it is quite secured unless the car meets with an accident. I was at a 2w service center the other day, where they had tough time removing the rivets from one of the bikes (rear plate was bent and owner wanted it to be straightened). They almost damaged the area where it was mounted and also the plate while removing.
Wondering if it is so difficult to physically remove rivets then how come there are so many instances of people finding plates missing due to water logging. Is it due to the fact that plates are not directly riveted but are mounted on a frame instead?