Illinois antique vehicle plates

Discussion in 'The Bench' started by buickman70, Dec 18, 2003.

  1. buickman70

    buickman70 I pirated this pic!!!

    I am trying to decide whether to get antique plates or standard plates. The antique plates are alot cheaper because they are 5yr plates. The downside is "Vehicles displaying Antique plates may only be driven to and from an antique auto show or exhibition, service station or demonstration."
    I want to be able to drive this car to work on nice days and go cruising. I see a lot of old cars with these plates but I dont want to be harrassed by the 5oh, because I drove my car to work. An experiences with this issue?
    Thanks, Rob
     
  2. MPRY1

    MPRY1 Gear Banger

    I went with regular plates exactly for that reason. I don't put many miles on the GS, but I didn't want the hassle of being limited to when and where I can drive it.
     
  3. 68 LeSabre 4dr

    68 LeSabre 4dr Well-Known Member

    Rob I lived in Illinois till 5 yrs ago . I would not put Antique plates on a car that you were going to drive .

    Just too many problems !!!! :shock: :TU:
     
  4. Loyd

    Loyd Turbocharger junkie

    Rob, we had a friend that had antique plates, and drove his GS to work sometimes, on nice days. He got ticketed, because a cop knew that there were no car shows on a weekday that early in the morning. So some cops pay attention.

    ShariB
     
  5. Smartin

    Smartin Guest


    How would the officer know you weren't on your way to a national event out of town and you were leaving on a weekday?

    A few of the BCA members here who have antique plates will fudge their mileage reports when they are due. Keeping mind they grossly overstate their original mileage.


    They drive their cars all over the place. Only one of them has ever been pulled over....and that was one time.
     
  6. Dale

    Dale Sweepspear

    Cops here don't seem to give a rip.

    The Riv had collector plates on it when I bought it. And at the time thought about switching over to yearly plates because of the restrictions.
    But, I've had several instances on my way to and from work that I've had a cop sitting behind me at a light. None of them have hassled me.
    I got hassled once because one thought I didn't have my seat belt on.
    I use the lap belt and not the shoulder belt, and since he didn't see the shoulder belt, he assumed I wasn't buckled.
    He never said anything about the plates.
    Heck, on any given sunny summer work day, you'll see many cars with collector plates during the morning and evening rush.
    I suppose though, If I got in an accident on the way to work my insurance company would call me on it!
    Hmmm.....On second thought, maybe I should switch.:confused:
     
  7. IDOXLR8

    IDOXLR8 Senior Member

    Antique Plates

    Dale, in MD we have the same laws and the loop hole is the of the rules " to and from repair shops :Brow: AL.
     

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  8. 68 LeSabre 4dr

    68 LeSabre 4dr Well-Known Member

    Plates

    In Wisconsin we have blue Collector plates if they are stock ! Green Hobbiest plates if they are modified !

    Drive year round but not in January !!!!! :laugh:


    Gotta love it !!!!!!:laugh: :laugh: :TU:
     
  9. Keith2k455

    Keith2k455 Well-Known Member

    Rob,

    I asked about this as well when I licensed my car in Illinois. I thought it pretty much came down to if you were willing to take the risk of getting hassled then you should get them, and if you don't want any possibility of getting hassled then dont. I was more concerned with emissions, but since we don't have them here I just went with standard plates.
     
  10. Driver2

    Driver2 Guest

    Remember, we are discussing "ILLINOIS" law:rolleyes:

    A car was MADE to be DRIVEN!:TU:

    It's NOT WORTH IT, to have "special" plates, because it LIMITS YOU to what you want to use YOUR OWN car for!

    Just get the Standard Plates, and it doesn't cost extra to personalize them (as long as you have one number in it!). :TU:

    Illinois "requires" that you use a FRONT, AND a Rear plate, but they don't "enforce" it. I DON'T use the Front Plate (and haven't for at least 7 years!). I have a custom plate that just says "BUICK", instead! It looks a LOT better than the "issued" plate!:bglasses:

    "IF" you drive your car DAILY, or at least, OFTEN (to work and home and to dinner and to your other Buick buddies' house...), THEN you want "standard" plates!
     
  11. 1 bad gs

    1 bad gs Well-Known Member

    antique plates

    i have antique plates on my gsx and occasionally drive it to work. the rules for illinois antique plates are car can be driven less than 2500 miles a year. it can also be driven to and from car shows and parades, and to and from a repair shop. ive never been hassled once by the police.
     
  12. riv2x4

    riv2x4 Well-Known Member

    I live in Illinois and have the antique plates on all my old cars. I work at home so that isn't an issue. The bigger issue is what type of insurance do you have on the car. If it is collector insurance vs standard the coverage on the collector policy is about the same as the allowed use for the antique plates. The regular plates may let you use it but the insurance coverage may not be there. I have yet to see a stated value old car policy that lets you drive to work. In Illinois you can also run YOM plates but only if you have it registered with antique plates.

    Larry
     
  13. buickman70

    buickman70 I pirated this pic!!!

    Thanks for the replies. I still don't know which way I will go with, I've got a set of brand new (never mounted on a car) ugly 1970 Illinois plates that I would really like to use.:Brow:
     
  14. RNelson '69 Riv

    RNelson '69 Riv Leadfoot

    For several years in Michigan I've used either historical or YOM plates with no hassles. Once I got stopped because the cop couldn't understand why I had 1969 plates on my Riv but when they came back as the registered plate # for my car he said good bye. I don't think half the law enforcement community even knows the restrictions or else they just don't seem to care. We have a sweet system here in MI, one time fee of $35 for life. Historical or YOM doesn't matter.
    The best part is that Haggerty Insurance has been after the State of Michigan to loosen up it's restrictions. :TU:
     

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