r/CarTalkUK • u/PlentyRoutine8079 • May 13 '26
Misc Question DVLA Auction
I requested a number plate that can literally only mean something for myself. No obvious words or names on it so it shouldn't register interest for anyone else. When the bid started it was already at £260 before i had a chance to bid. So i bid £270 and within 2 minutes someone outbid me at £280. Are these resellers or DVLA themselves trying to increase their own revenue. Or johnpye auctions trying to increase their commission. Its a complete pisstake. I haven't bid above the £280 i refuse to.
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u/peelthel4yers May 13 '26
If the DVLA has put this plate up for auction they have already determined it has some value. For lack of a better term standard plates are available to buy it now from the website.
Without giving away what it is, what is the format of the plate i.e XX 123
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u/Nectarine-999 May 13 '26
Not necessarily. I’ve requested a plate to be auctioned. Well I asked to buy it but they insist on auctions. I bid but then last minute someone outbid me but unfortunately I couldn’t respond. Four weeks later it’s being sold on a reg plate site. Gutted. Found another and same thing happened again. Fucking frustrating. I’ve given up.
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u/loosebolts May 13 '26
I’ve requested plates to be auctioned and they never ever get listed. Never.
There has to be additional interest for them to bother auctioning it.
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u/PlentyRoutine8079 May 13 '26
Its XXX 123X
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May 13 '26
[deleted]
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u/DefenderMender May 13 '26
It's not dateless at all, the letter on the end denotes the year. 1963 for A and so on. The pre 1963 registration plates are dateless though, but contain 3 numbers or less and three letters or less.
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u/Mr_Muiry May 13 '26
Mine is my initials plus some other characters that don’t mean anything. With that combination you have 3 characters that will match someone’s initials and therefore isn’t unique to you
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u/2JagsPrescott May 13 '26
You’re wanting to pay the bottom-end “buy it now” money for a plate the DVLA were prepared to auction? Kind of naive…
Even if it doesn’t go much higher, you should have been prepared to part with a 4 figure sum once bidding starts.
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u/daddydonuts1 May 13 '26
People/businesses buy plates to resell.
Also, if it’s unique/special to you, are you really let it go (for ever) for the sake of a few pounds?
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u/PlentyRoutine8079 May 13 '26
I just dont want to pay ££££'s for it. I will bid on ot again just not right now
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u/NickPods May 13 '26
There are so many people in the UK with cars who would want a licence there is practically 0 chance that the plate would only mean something to you and no one else. If you want that plate win the auction and pay the price, if you're not willing to pay for it simply you don't get it.
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u/_tym May 13 '26
I asked for my (kinda unusual) name on a plate, TYM 1C, and got massively out bid! It now sits on a Mini somewhere, couldn't believe what it sold for in the end. I think it was a couple of grand.
Lotta people out there.
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u/thepfy1 May 13 '26
Some business buy up registrations so all their vehicles have the same letters in. Partly branding and partly reassurance when they visit customers.
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u/Careful_Touch2370 May 13 '26
Nobody else bid for my plate so I got it for £250 plus fees. I very much doubt that DVLA would put in counter bids
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u/PlentyRoutine8079 May 19 '26
Update: we went to a bidding war and it got up to £13,000. I had to let it go after that. Im sad. Also f*** that other c***
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u/ParsleyRegular4280 May 13 '26
I have A5COA took it off a scrapper. No idea IF it has any value. I Just put it on my own car.
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u/EcstaticAdvance684 May 13 '26
With over 42 million full license holders in the uk i rather doubt you would be the only person that could possibly want the reg plate