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2017 front plate relocation?

179K views 777 replies 295 participants last post by  MazHover 
#1 ·
I just got my new 3 Grand Touring 6MT with the safety and premium packages. So far I adore the car! However I'm not a fan of the location of the front plate, I think it looks pretty bad in the middle of the grille like that. Sadly it's required in the state of Washington. I live in the same town as Corksport so I'm planning on stopping by to pick up the front plate relocater that uses the towing eye.

Has anyone used one of these towing eye relocaters? My main concern is does it obscure or mess with any of the front sensors or the fogs?
 
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
How about a front plate center location below the main grille, as in the following pic?


Many have done this, as I will. If you have any questions, you can PM member minsanity.

Edited for non-approved vendor content
 
#487 ·
How about a front plate center location below the main grille, as in the following pic?

Many have done this, as I will. If you have any questions, you can PM member minsanity.

Edited for non-approved vendor content

I noticed that your grill doesn't have the ugly license plate holes. where do you get your grill from or where did you get your grill covers from? Because thats my biggest issue until now with the license plate relocate. thanks
 
#4 · (Edited)
Those tow hook relocators look silly.
Its easy to make a relocator for a few bucks. All you need is a few inches of 1" square aluminum tubing, a couple screws with anchors and some 3M double sided automotive trim tape.
Drill a couple holes in the tubing and insert the anchors. Drill corresponding holes in the center of the plate. Attach the tubing to the bottom of the grill with the 3M tape and install your plate. 20 minutes work tops.

 
#5 ·
I think the tow hook position looks silly, too.

Don't like that lower position shown above because we drove a Benz for 25 years with a low hung license plate like that. Kept hitting it on curbs, etc. This was on a car where we could clearly see where the front of it is. Cannot on these new sedans, NONE of them. So, you'll hit it sometime in the future because it's sticking out there ahead of everything else.

It's designed to be placed just below the emblem. There's a blank spot that allows no air flow there. Anyplace else, you possibly interfere with the designed air flow.

Ralph
 
#6 ·
You hit curbs for 25 years with the same car ? I would have thought after the first couple times, well....:laugh:

I don't have any problem hitting anything. Then again, if you manage to hit the plate you'll be smashing up the bumper too. Won't make a difference if the plate is there or not. :crying:
Learn where the limits of the car are and pay attention when parking. :confused1:

The lower plate mounting doesn't interfere with anything, there is nothing there to be interfered with. Plenty of owners have moved their plate lower with no problems.
 
#8 ·
I'm not a fan of license plate being in the tow hook area either. Maybe it's my OCD, but having it not centered bugs the hell out of me :( I don't like having it in the lower position either for some reason, I tried it and didn't like how it looks. It just looks a bit off to me. Again, maybe it's just my OCD lol Whenever I try to relocate it, I always end up just putting the plates back smack in the middle. What I did was use a thicker black license plate frame up front to cover up as much of the white plate as legally possible and it does look better than having a big white plate there. Luckily in CA, we now have the legacy black/yellow license plate option which should blend in pretty well with the large black grill. Right now I'm just running without front plates till my black ones come in.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
Some FL M3 No-Drill Plate Relocator pics:

Clears bumper:

You may adjust the height of your preferred Plate Frame to clear the aero-lip:

This $5 Bell frame from Napa works well w/ the No-Drill Relocator for North American plate size:


Please PM me should anyone need details. Thanks much!:)

Edited to remove reference to non approved vendor.
This thread will be removed if it goes the way the 2016 thread went.

:rulez2:​
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
Some FL M3 No-Drill Plate Relocator pics:

Clears bumper:

You may adjust the height of your preferred Plate Frame to clear the aero-lip:

This $5 Bell frame from Napa works well w/ the No-Drill Relocator for North American plate size:



Please PM me should anyone need details. Thanks much!:)
Minsanity is the man!!!
 
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#14 ·
I bought this tow hook license plate mount off Amazon.com. It's not as expensive as the CorkSport one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A1FEOJG/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481663998

Here are some photos of my 2017 Mazda3 Grand Touring MT 5-door with Premium Equipment Package, i-ACTIVSENSE Package and Appearance Package in Machine Gray Metallic.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNceBLwDdqh/?taken-by=usctrojan4jc
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNKdqeIhLNd/?taken-by=usctrojan4jc
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNACIH6hT1N/?taken-by=usctrojan4jc

I put the original front grille license plate on because I'm pretty sure my highway fuel economy was taking a hit.

Hope this helps!
 
#16 ·
The tow hook mount is fine w/ NA plate size, but can look odd w/ larger ones from other regions. It's all a matter of preference. The good thing is that options are available.:)
The pre-FL No Drill Relocators have been paired w/ aftermarket grilles & bumpers...


The 2017 FL 3 BN can't use the same Relocator model above. Requires the FL relocator below.

The M2 DJ, not available in NA, has its own No-Drill Relocator, too.....
 
#26 ·
Lemme get in on this too @minsanity. About to replace the stock grille with a aftermarket one that has no spot for the license plate in the middle.
 
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#28 · (Edited)
This one here from zest jdm. Don't really dig the honeycomb one.
 

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#41 ·
I went out of my way to find a Mazda 3 where the dealer didn't happen to have drilled the front plastic for the plate. But I'm in a state (VA) that requires it. I don't wanna do the side plate tow hook as I'm concerned about an accident and it hurting the car as the bumper on that side wouldn't be doing it's job.

Minsanity,

Before I just have the dealer drill those spots for me, can you give details on how your mount works? How does it stay attached? Also will it blow airflow to the radiator down there?
 
#45 ·
Thanks for the PM.

The tow hook method in the pictures look like the plate sticks out a bit far. I saw someone mention elsewhere that in a fender bender that rod might not bend/break before the bumper reinforcement goes and otherwise would have been just absorbed by the plastic bumper cover.
 
#53 ·
PM me also please.
 
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