Driving home tonight I saw a MK7 on an 08 plate - I thought they started on a 58? Looking up the plate online out of interest it was registered on the 1st May 2008. Wikipedia says they started production in August... And Ford etis doesn't recognise the plate.

Seems a bit odd to me!

You can put an older plate on newer car, just can't put an newer plate on an older car.

Plate might have had their initials in or something so they wanted to keep it.

But surely the first registered date is of the car it's on now, not the one the plate was first on?

It will be a demostrater model. Theres a 51 plate Fiesta MK6 that drives about here

There are a small number of 08 plates about. When I ordered mine, the car I test drove was an 08 and mine was one of the first 58 plates. Does seem strange that it was registered in May, maybe it was a pre-production model?

Its in squeeze and has the 17" streetpack alloys. Didn't see a badge with the model on, and it didn't have the sideskirts, spoiler or diffuser. Maybe it was a preproduction then.

According to the DVLA website you can buy any plate that's older than or equal to the reg date of your car & register those plates to your car.

For example, searching on a plate with my initials, I see that AE52 AJE, AE06 AJE, AE56 AJE, AE57 AJE, AE08 AJE & AE58 AJE are available. I could buy & register any of these plates for my car even though the original registration is a 59 plate.

And, of course, you can have any available older style number plate.

Apparently, F13 STA can be yours for £10665.

http://www.nationalnumbers.co.uk/options/F13_STA.htm

This page shows the VAT on this alone is £1760.00, although I don't see why you should have to pay VAT on something that is at least 2nd hand.

Yes 08 is 1st March, but ended 31st August, but yes quite easily personalised.

I'm a steam enthusiast, and wanted MA11 ARD but its gone to a future auction, and M411 ARD is £18,000!