How I restored my car's faded HSRP number plate for just Rs 300

It mainly happened on the front HSRP primarily due to the vehicles in front spraying dirt, especially on highways.

BHPian anaghp recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Solution for faded HSRP

Introduction

(You can skip to the solution if you want)

I had always liked the font and style of the IND plates that had been in circulation for years although it was not official. Every number plate vendor was able to make the IND plates that looked similar across the states. My 2011 Vento had these plates.

My new car was registered in October 2019 after the introduction of HSRP, which was exactly like those IND plates, with the main change being the laser-etched serial number. So I didn't think twice before fixing the official plates on my new car.

Fast forward 4 years, and the numbers have faded. It was a gradual process for 4 years. It mainly happened on the front number plate primarily due to the vehicles in front of you spraying dirt on you, especially on highways. This along with pressure washing eventually faded the plates and made them look ugly.

The problem

I wanted to get an official replacement because I thought it was the right thing to do. But there were 2 problems with this.

• The quality was still bad and I have seen people complain about it. So getting a new one would mean I will have to repeat this every few years. As a solution, I thought I'd either PPF the plates or spray clear-coat over them.
• Even if I was willing to PPF or clear coat the plates, the process of getting a replacement was a headache. I have to cut the damaged plates, send a photo, and select a dealership in another state as my vehicle is registered there (While I currently live in Kerala), book an appointment which may or may not be respected. Only 18 vendors are licensed in India to create the HSRP, so the time to get it would be a problem. It was all uncertain, so I looked for alternatives.

The solution

Because the IND plates have been in the market for years, I figured that any local dealer should be able to paint over the existing plates. As I spoke to a local dealer, I realised that there are 2 ways in which they make the number plates.

• Use heat over a carbon-paper-like mechanism to transfer ink to the number plate. I preferred this because this is how the HSRP is made. It also has India written in blue colour. However, when I got this done, I realised that the quality was not up to the mark. Just like official HSRPs, the edges weren't all that perfect (Even though it looks perfect in the picture).
• Cut the numbers on a sticker and stick it on the number plate. This apparently will last longer, but had India written in white.

When I compared both, I realised that the sticker mechanism (white India) looks a lot better, and it would definitely last longer. You can see the colour difference in the image above. The first (blue India) is the same damaged plate above.

I got this done for Rs. 300 (both plates). So if you want to restore your original HSRP plates, it should not take you more than Rs. 500 anyway.

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