Unlucky 13

[Pine]

I have had my Jazz for 5 years and I am beginning to think about changing it, maybe next year. Normally I buy nearly new but this time I may consider a new car. I discussed this with the wife and she was adamant that we would not be having a new car next year as she would not want to drive around in a car with 13 on the reg plate, apparently she thinks it could be unlucky.  I was a bit surprised by this as she is not usually superstitious however I was wondering how many others might share her opinion and if it could harm UK car sales next year.

[guest809]

We had every intention of changing my wife's GD for a GE model in March 2013 but I decided to bring this change forward to March this year NOT because we are superstitious but because a lot of people are, and I think it will have a really marked impact on residuals for any cars registered between March and August next year.

So my wife got her new EX a year early  but I seriously hope someone at the DVLA is coming up with a plan here or else the UK dealerships will be very quiet places to spend the summer months next year

[Pine]

Altamar I think you made a good decision there, used 13 plate cars will be hard to shift.

[culzean]

What a ridiculous car registration system we have in the UK - I can't think of another country that has the date incorporated into the registration number.  In Germany you get your number plate for life, it gets transferred to any car you own, and when you pay registration and insurance they just send you a new plate every year and it has latest registration and insurance details on it.  You have to hand it to the Germans - they aren't snobby like the Brits who will fight to be the first in their neighbourhood to get the new plate on the drive at one minute past 12 midnight just so the neighbours will see it.

The dated plates also affect our motor industry badly,  with two'artificial' sales  peaks per year instead of a nice even sales throughout the year like other countries.

[caseyjones]

Hear hear.

[guest3170]

Will people really be so sensitive in the UK?  We just spent 8 happy years with a Honda CRV whose plate ended with "13" and can honestly say it never occurred to me until now that it may have been considered unlucky. That said we did lose the windscreen to a stray rock 1 month into ownership

[guest2765]

Im wanting to buy a plate off the DVLA to be my own personal numberplate "13" as the chosen number because it has brought me luck (yes good luck at that) so many times ^^ unfortunately the dvla have said I cant buy it until December because of the "13"

[guest2898]

Its times like these that i am glad i have my reg plate! i hope there are some bargains to be had with the 13 plate cars! i will get one and put my cherished plate on it!! 

[RichardA]

What a ridiculous car registration system we have in the UK - I can't think of another country that has the date incorporated into the registration number. 

Republic of Ireland is the only other country (e.g., '12' for 2012, etc).

[guest2898]

And the funny thing is, they didn't used to be eh richard? my "GAZ" Plate was a northern ireland reg. Seems they jumped on the bandwagon when they updated their system....

[culzean]

I can see that the new system may be good for the police, if someone only gets colour or make of a car and the first four registration digits (which narrow it down to a registration authority and the date within 6 months) then I guess it makes their job easier....................

[guest1262]

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 camera was replaced by the DMC-LX5.

The number 4 apparently is considered unlucky by the Japanese - hence no DMC-LX4. So, as the Jazz, wherever it is built, is Japanese, should we avoid buying a one new in 2014 too?

My 1.4 iVTEC is still working though.

[RichardA]

I can see that the new system may be good for the police, if someone only gets colour or make of a car and the first four registration digits (which narrow it down to a registration authority and the date within 6 months) then I guess it makes their job easier....................

Ten years ago, I bought a brand new Fiat Punto and there were four or five Puntos in the same colour in my town all with a registration plate starting with GU02.

Slightly off topic..I once put my key in the boot lock of my Punto, wondered for a second why it wouldn't fit, then realised it wasn't my car! Same colour, spec, even had the same first four digits on the registration plate. Mine was actually parked two spaces down!