One thing after another…

Took my 64 plate Santa Fe to my mechanic—someone I trust completely. He’s been working on my family’s cars for years, always after his regular work hours.

Took it in to get the rear brake pads replaced, and while he was under there, he called me up:

:wrench: “Your discs are almost shot, want me to replace them?” (Sent me photos to prove it.)

I let out some choice words (let’s just say it started with “for” and ended with “sake”) and told him to go ahead.

An hour later, another call…

Mechanic: “Good news and bad news.”

Me: “Go on…”

Mechanic: “Got past the electronic parking brake.”

Me: “Okayyy…”

Mechanic: “Got your calipers off. Was a fight, but they’re off.”

Me: “Oh good. What’s the bad news?”

Mechanic: “The calipers are knackered. Pistons are corroded.”

Me: Eurgh. (Again, not my exact words.)

Mechanic: “I can bodge it to get it through MOT, or I can keep it a night or two and replace them properly.”

Me: “Just replace them. They need doing.”

Mechanic: “Want me to call you if I find anything else?”

Me: “Absolutely not!”

:joy: Just thought I’d share my latest round of car-related misery.

Got it all… but can you explain what a ‘64 plate’ is?

Florian said:
Got it all… but can you explain what a ‘64 plate’ is?

Welcome to Europe. :eu:

Florian said:
Got it all… but can you explain what a ‘64 plate’ is?

Pretty sure that means it’s a 2014/2015 model.

Channing said:

Florian said:
Got it all… but can you explain what a ‘64 plate’ is?

Pretty sure that means it’s a 2014/2015 model.

Yep! In the UK, plate numbers indicate the car’s year.

For example, mine is SK64 XTB:

  • SK = Region where it was registered (Scotland in my case)
  • 64 = Late 2014 registration
  • XTB = Random letters

For reference:

  • 04 = 2004
  • 54 = Late 2004
  • 14 = 2014
  • 64 = Late 2014
  • 24 = 2024
  • 74 = Late 2024

Don’t ask me why they started using 5 for the second plate in the 2000s. I have no clue. :joy:

Sounds like every home plumbing job I’ve ever attempted. One problem turns into three.

Still not sure what a 64 plate is.

Zander said:
Still not sure what a 64 plate is.

UK registration plates work by year.

A 64 plate means the car was registered in late 2014.

For example, my reg is SK64 XTB:

  • SK = Where it was registered (Scotland in my case)
  • 64 = Late 2014 registration
  • XTB = Random letters

For more reference:

  • 04 = 2004
  • 54 = Late 2004
  • 14 = 2014
  • 64 = Late 2014
  • 24 = 2024
  • 74 = Late 2024

And yeah… I have no idea why they used 5 in the second plate of the year. :joy: