XM1

[Lynnzer]

I was in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago at the NEC.
As I drove into the car park I pulled just behind a gorgeous blue XM. The Reg No was XM1.
I used to have one myself and I just loved the car.
Anyway, I went into the NEC, did my business in there and some hours later came out to go home. As I walked to the car, the XM owner was just in front of me and was opening the door for his wife.
I had a real good chat with him and we discussed our relationship with XM's.
Apparently he had seen the car advertised in a garage in the west country and drove down to see it. When he got there he was told it didn't have any registration documents but if he got onto DVLC they would issue them. Suspicion aside as he just loved the car, he bought it. He submitted the details to Swansea to get his documents and waited, And waited, and waited.
Eventually he called them and he was told that the person who was dealing with it was on holiday and would get back to him in due course.
A couple of weeks later he got a call from him. He told the owner that his car VIN didn't tally with the registration number on the car.
He would have to get a new number plate showing XM1.
Apparently the car was owned from new by Citroen UK, probably as an executives car. On selling it to the garage it was bought from they had a new number plate made and attached but they forgot to register it as a change so XM1 was still valid.
I guess some clerk got a good kick in the ass for that but what a lovely story. And what a bloody good plate to own for that car. Wonder what it could sell for?
In common with my own experience of the car, it suffered all the usual electrical problems. Windows winding down for no reason whatever, temperature indicators showing 120 centigrade when it was only 13 outside etc. he even had his offside wing mirror burst into flames while driving in the highlands in Scotland.
But all this aside he still loved the car as I did despite the problems with it.

[Citroening]

Just had a look on DVLA Vehicle Check/My Car Check/eBay and none bring up any details for "XM1" in any combination ("XM1", "XM 1, "X M1" etc)...

Wonder what it could sell for?

Probably not to an XMer - someone with an <insert flash car here> would probably pay over the odds for a short private plate...

Bet it looks good on an XM though.

[red_dwarfers]

It is a lovely story a bit too lovely to be true though I would have thought.

[CitroJim]

Is there any possibility/reason that such a plate would be withheld from having its details freely accessible in the DVLA database?

Can you go 'ex-directory' as it were as say, you can in the phone book?

[addo]

I am certain that with the right reasons, you could.

Try looking up DG's plates.

[Lynnzer]

Absolutely true guys.
The fella lives somewhere in the south west, used to have a factory in Hartlepool many years ago making batteries and is now retired. He said that the factory in Hartlepool had loads of land with it that wasn't used. Apparently he put it to an employees meeting as to what to do with it and offered it as land that the employees could use perhaps as allotments.
Next thing he knew it was full of donkeys and horses.
That's Hartlepool for you.
I live about 8 miles away and often you can't move for damned pony and traps.
Just wish I'd thought to take a picture of the car at the time.

[Captain Slow]

Having had a private plate in the past, I found out that you are unable to put a plate on a car that makes it look newer than it actually is, and unless they sold XM's on an X plate then it "shouldn't" be possible to put XM1 on it.

[addo]

XM production stopped around 2000; there are/were X-reg XMs sold. Never heard of a Y-reg but given the Xantia escapades it has to be possible!

[andmcit]

Having had a private plate in the past, I found out that you are unable to put a plate on a car that makes it look newer than it actually is, and unless they sold XM's on an X plate then it "shouldn't" be possible to put XM1 on it.

XM1 is just that, a random series of digits so not age related so could fit
on the oldest to the very newest registered car.

I haven't found this number existing anywhere online so cannot see how it
can be a valid number so it must be 'ex directory"!?