"The Mysterious Super Large License Plate?" ! 》——The helplessness of Jazz car owners and the evolution history of license plates
After working in the license plate industry for so many years, I sometimes feel like I am a living dictionary in the license plate industry. No matter the model or year, when it comes to license plate size, I really know it right down to my spine! But when it comes to the most puzzling cases, Honda Jazz’s “super large license plate” must be on the list!
This article not only discusses the reasons for the "exaggerated size" of the Jazz, but also discusses the problems caused by large license plates and how to remedy them. Even if the car has a large license plate, it is wrong at all times!
Hong Kong license plate size is divided between the world
In Hong Kong, license plate sizes are basically divided into two camps:
- Japanese size : 6 ¾ inches x 13 inches, standard and compact, suitable for most Japanese cars.
- European size : 4 ⅜ inches x 20 ½ inches, the license plate is longer, in line with the design of European models.
But what about Jazz? It is obviously a Japanese car, but it has betrayed the Japanese camp and has a "super huge tailgate"! What is the origin of this license plate?
The Mystery of Jazz’s Oversized License Plate
The Honda Jazz is a car that should be of Japanese standard size, but it actually uses an oversized tailgate of 7 inches x 19 inches, which is really puzzling. Many car owners came home with their cars and immediately came over to ask us to exchange them for a "normal" license plate. However, the process was not as simple as imagined.
Do you think Honda will choose oversized sizes?
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Issues left over from history: The wrong trend of bigger and more luxurious
- Going back 20 years ago, there was a trend that the bigger the license plate, the more luxurious it was. Especially when agents introduced extra-large license plates with a mesh background, which looked very similar to the Rolls-Royce license plates back then.
- The competition was fierce at that time, so Honda tried to stand out and put flower attire on the license plate to highlight the "sensation of high-end". As a result, it created this "super large tail plate".
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Transport Department takes action: standardizing fonts and design
- More than ten years ago, the Transport Department suddenly issued a letter standardizing license plate fonts and prohibiting the use of netted backgrounds. This move will bring all license plates back to standard.
- However, Honda prefers to insist on itself. The tail end of Jazz is still huge, ignoring the standard size commonly used by Japanese models on the market.
What's the problem with oversized license plates?
1. Covers the car paint and makes it impossible to clean
An overly large license plate will cover a large area of paint on the rear body. Car owners cannot clean this area at ordinary times. Over time, dust and moisture accumulate, accelerating oxidation and corrosion of the paint. After the license plate is removed, the area may have changed color, and some "sneak marks" may appear.
2. The tape is difficult to clean and the cards are difficult to remove.
Oversized license plates require a large amount of tape to be stuck to the rear of the car. This tape is usually double-sided sponge tape and has been "integrated" into the car body over the years. It is necessary to remove the license plate and clean the glue marks at the same time, which requires a lot of effort and may even scratch the paint surface.
3. The visuals are clunky
The car is built thinly, and the large number plates are hung on it, and the proportions are completely wrong. Jazz, a small car with a lightweight design, looks completely incongruous with its oversized license plate, as if it is carrying a big car on its back.
4. It is easy to change something small into something big, but it is difficult to change something big into something small.
Changing a standard license plate into an oversized license plate is easy, just use a lot of adhesive tape, but if you want to change from large to thin while taking into account the appearance, it is really not that easy. During the process of dismantling the cards, there may be glue marks and flower marks remaining. These problems often require us to deal with them.
Small car with big license plate, how to fix it?
1. Choose your license plate manufacturer carefully
Find a reliable license plate manufacturer to ensure that the removal process is handled carefully to avoid scratches on the car body and residual glue marks.
2. Clean and treat car paint
After removing the license plate, use professional solvents to clean the glue marks. If necessary, polish the car body and repair the oxidized paint.
3. Choose the right size license plate
Changing back to the standard Japanese size (6 ¾ inches x 13 inches) not only makes the appearance more coordinated, but also reduces the adhesive area, making cleaning and maintenance easier.
4. Understand the reasons for agent selection
When buying a car, car owners can take the initiative to ask the agent for advice on using an oversized license plate, and ask for it to be exchanged back to the standard size if necessary, so as to avoid having to change their minds in the future.
Conclusion: Small cars should be thin, and license plates should be standard.
The oversized license plate of Honda Jazz is actually a historical issue, which to some extent reflects the strange atmosphere of competition in the agency market in the past period. But times have changed, and you should choose the right size for a small car, and you should no longer carry this huge "historical baggage".
The license plate is like a man's. Bigger is not better, but it has to be good. The right one is the most beautiful! ✨