Mounting the license plates?
 

OK, time for the temp tags to come off.

(a) The rear temp was held on with really short sheet-metal screws in the plastic. Really? That suffices?

(b) On the front, two relatively large diameter hole, no threads. Are there threads keeping inside to engage? Nuts from the back?

Is there a better way? I am contemplating breaking out the Riv-nut tool and having nice, positive threads for real bolts. Thoughts?

You need SOA342L171 to use those holes and fit US license plate. It's not very straightforward install, the Subaru dealership employee couldn't figure it out and was doing stupid things and said it can't be done without drilling holes. So don't rely on them, pretty easy install once you figure out how to.

if you've got riv nuts, those would definitely be a better option.

Thanks, a search showed a mounting plate... but no mention of hardware?

Looking better all the time. Combined with stainless steel bolts and anti-seize due to dissimilar metals.

BTW, just for fun, ordered a 21"w "euro" plate with her vanity plate number and state flag, I think it will look better on a pointy-nose car like the BRZ than the usual US "billboard". Had one on the Boxster for nine years now, no trouble.

It will be in the box.

2022 models had nutserts in those empty holes. you can do the same, or use a wellnut alongside using a jdm to usdm plate adapter

Thanks:thumbsup:, and I learned a new technical term :wellnut. I presume a careful measurement of the hole with the digital micrometer, and an order from Amazon, "and Bob's your uncle".

i believe you can order stainless rivnuts as well

OK, front hole is a whisker over 8mm, looking online at size charts that's an M4 well nut. Small diameter bolt, but I found M4 Allen-key washer-head bolts so that helps the bolthead not pulling though the plate and mount.

OK, that's Plan B if the wellnuts fail. With stainless screws, no "dissimilar metals" problems.

BTW, with the rear plate just screwed into plastic, can I drill out the bumper cover and add wellnuts there? I am unsure what's behind there, would not want to drill through a brake line, etc. I guess I could wait; I suspect the bumper cover needs to come off to install the trailer hitch eventually, but if anyone is familiar with that part of the car -- please chime in!

Use traditional screws for the back — available at any autoparts store.

For the front, I used this $15 easy and reversible solution from Amazon:

http://https://www.amazon.com/License-Bracket-Subaru-Adapter-Factory/dp/B071WDD936?pd_rd_w=ZheGp&content-id=amzn1.sym.b854a5c2-4475-41f8-a6d4-df92b2868104&pf_rd_p=b854a5c2-4475-41f8-a6d4-df92b2868104&pf_rd_r=PS0VNPXJEW39HJ6NWRNW&pd_rd_wg =yNTU5&pd_rd_r=c70409ea-b067-4a59-aa29-956ea4f9892d&pd_rd_i=B071WDD936&psc=1&ref_=pd_basp _bia_rpt_ba_s_1_sc

OK, now we have a Plan C. Not sure why I am not in favor of the plastic toggles, as they are a variation of the technology of the well nuts. I do like the Torx bolt idea, even though our cars are garage kept and her workplace is gated.

The well nuts and bolts will be here tomorrow and I'll report back -- success of failure.

I'd still like something better out back, the sheet metal screws are in place at the moment -- but in the year 2023, is that really how things should be assembled?

You are way overcomplicating this. Just order the part I mentioned, it comes with all hardware, I paid 30 + tax, only thing it lacks is instructions.

OK, front plate holder on and plate installed. M4 wellnuts are barely, in my opinion, big enough -- had to press the plate holder tight again the car to keep it from spinning and then tighten the bolt about forever before I got "bite" and it took a couple of tries (I tagged not he result and it seems well attached). The M4 bolts, buttonhead/washerhead Allen key M4, were small enough in diameter at the head that I worried about pull-through so I used a washer in between. The wellnut's flange means the plate and holder sit about 1/8" proud of the car, there's a little space in there; I have convinced myself that it's OK, aesthetically.

Instead of JDM or USDM plate, I got a Euro-style plate with her vanity plate number; the good news is that the entire plate is higher than the "functional" part of the grill opening so should no affect airflow there. I think the Euro plates look better on a pointy-nosed car.

Plan Z - No Front Tag at all? Looks so much better...

Seems like the underfunded police departments have better things to do than worry about no front plates? Well that is the hope anyway, but its not a backbreaking fine if they decide to tag you, and no points, so maybe worth 'seeing how it goes'..

The only issue with no plate I can see is if you live in a state which requires them and you use toll-roads. Some are going to optical plate readers vs RFID tags and if they can't see a front plate you could run into problems.

I've been plateless for over 18 months now and no issues at all.

I live in one of those states, and I have a classic Land Rover with no front tag. Before going to EZPASS transponders, when I would get toll notices, it shows the rear of the car, so they take photos of the front and rear of the vehicle (wife's car with front tag always had a front photo). But if it was an issue, I would think an EZPASS Transponder should take care if it..

I also ran our Miata without a tag for 10 years prior to selling it, was ticketed for no front tag once (by an arrogant A$$ that almost caused a multivehicle accident walking out into the road in front of me over it :rolleyes:)

Funny thing is, I live close to the border of a state that has no front tag requirement, so he could have very easily put multiple drivers in danger to have been pulling over a car with no front tag requirement (he couldn't see the back of my vehicle before pulling me over).

I've done the plateless thing on cars before, never got a ticket for it. I've had a Europlate on my Boxster for 9 years now, no issues (including toll roads with EXPass).

If the BRZ's design did not have the "cold sore" mounting boss above the grille opening, maybe I would have considered not having a front plate.

The 'platform' they molded into the bumper cover is a disappointing eyesore, but still, from a distance, think it looks better sans tag..

OK has Plate Pay if you don't have the tag, but no front tags. They read the back just fine.

I just saw 2 dimples on front bumper that align perfectly with license plate holes and used 2 self tapping screws to mount the plate. Pretty sure its not going anywhere.

We have family in Broken Arrow and frequently run the Creek Turnpike and I-44. Fortunately, we have a Pike Pass, so it isn't a big deal. Since OK, doesn't require a front tage, I think those cameras are only aimed at the back of the car, but that isn't the case in every state.

My comments were based more on my experiences on toll roads in Chicago. Illinois requires a front plate, and in the few times I drove the toll roads before buying an I-Pass, it used pictures of the front of the car for billing. Lovely picture of your front plate and you behind the wheel...

Every state and toll road is different and I was just throwing that out there as food for thought.

I'm so glad we don't have front plates here. They totally ruin the front of most cars.

I'd seriously doubt that states are going to miss out on revenue from out of state vehicles that don't require front tags, or people who don't run front tags, so they are going to photograph front and back..

Wonder what happens when there is no front tag, and the rear tag is obstructed by bike racks, hitch racks, etc..

Sorry, :offtopic: now..

With 87.91% of vehicles now SUV's, with bluff front ends, it probably does not matter to most folks.

illinois still has camera's for the rear plates. it's why us indiana people still need to use ipass!

Well, a month later, came out to the car to find the front plate at 45 degrees -- the well nut did not hold. Need a Plan B.

:thumbsup:

...and that was the final solution. No idea why there are two web forums for these cars, but on "the other one" someone posted that an M6 rivnut is correct. As I only had a fractional-inch rivnut tool I had to order metric from Amazon, and now the front plate is really affixed.