Category Archives: Fun

October Photo Contest Results!

Lots of great entries for the photo contest but we went with these 3 winners!

Angela Roach sent this photo in from Georgia with her custom plate and curious passenger.

When we asked Angela about the meaning of the plate and why there was a stuffed Sloth poking out of her car she said;
“Carlisle is the name of my Mini. …I was looking for a manly name. Something w/ a little english/British background. It originates as a protected tower…….so hopefully on my journeys if I ever wreck him, he’ll protect me….lol.. 
The sloth is another story. My birthday was in June. My husband and I live in a tiny house. So, we don’t really buy presents. The north Georgia zoo in Cleveland GA has a sloth (always loved them). And they were looking for money to create a new habitat for the sloth. We donated to them for this. So, I got to meet the sloth and spend time with her. Her name is Jubilee. So, hubby got that sloth for me as a memory from that day. The stuffed sloth stays in my car and rides seat belted in the back seat every where I go. “
Love it! Thanks for the submission Angela and keep supporting the Sloth! 

Our next winner was a Instagram submission from @iamjwest08 

We just loved the color here and composition, yeah we are sort of photography dorks, as well as how the plate perfectly fits the car.

Now we do not suggest you power wash your custom plate but he did a good job avoiding spraying the plate directly. But he is rocking a 2003 Mercedes-Benz C240 with his “DÄS BENZ” plate that he designed online.

Our final winner from October comes from Kyle Hertzler, who got creative with his plate to and surprised is bride to be.

When Kyle ordered this plate a few months back we reached out to him and said PLEASE SEND US PHOTOS! The timing worked out and he send the photos in for the photo contest.

The surprised Fiancé is Larisa and they have been together for 2 years & 7 months!

When we asked what Larisa thought of the proposal he said, “She liked it, thought it was creative, and I got a ver quick YES!” 

The car is a 2003 (MK4) Jetta DI with the GLI skirting all around. We asked why he chose to propose this way and Kyle said, “I have one of your plates on my car all the time and on our first date she asked me what it was supposed to mean. I had 2 bins of rose petals attached to the garage door so 1 dumped when the door opened, the other dumped after I pulled the string.”

Thanks for sharing Kyle and good luck to you and Larisa! Let us know if you need some party favor plates for the wedding. 🙂

Thank you again for everyone who entered. Keep sending them in and checkout our customer gallery page to see if you made on our site.

 

Monthly Photo Contest

What:

CustomEuropeanPlates.com’s, (CEP), The Monthly Photo Contest begins on the 1st of the month, and ends on the last day of the month, at 12:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. By submitting an entry, each contestant agrees to the rules of the contest and states that he or she is 18 years old or older.

Who may enter:

Anyone above 18 years of age.

What to enter:

Engaging photos with a European Plate in the photo, a car is not required. Original ideas, unique design, & a creative presentation are desirable.

How to enter:

Tweet or Instagram your photos to #CustomEuroplatesGallery. Or send your photos to support@customeuropeanplates.com

We do not accept photographs submitted through the US mail and do not accept more than one contestant per e-mail address. High-quality scans of non-digital photographs are acceptable. Digital photographs should be taken at the highest resolution possible.

CEP may collect a photograph’s metadata upon entry.

You retain your rights to your photograph; however, by entering the contest, you grant CEP a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion of the magazine and its website, exhibition, and commercial products, including but not limited to CEP publications. Any photograph reproduced will include a photographer credit as feasible. CEP will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.

Entry deadline:

The contest begins on the 1st of the month. All entries must be received by 12:00 PM Pacific Standard Time on the last day of the month, 10/31/17

Judging:

Photo entries will be judged on creativity, quality, & originality. Photos with a European Plate in it are prefered but not required. Photos will be judged by the CEP team on the 1st of November month with the winner being announced by the end of the first week of the month.

CEP will notify the winner via the contact information provided at the time of entry or through their social media channel; CEP may disqualify anyone who fails to respond to the notification within five business days.

Please do not contact us about the status of entries or judging.

Prizes: $50 credit to CustomEuropeanPlates.com

One prize per person; winners may receive additional noncash prizes. Winners will be responsible for paying any notary public fees or taxes they may owe on a prize.

Online Features:  CEP may select photos for highlight on its website or display in a publicly accessible contest archive; such selections will be made in the CEPs sole discretion.

Conditions of Entry

For a photo in which a person is recognizable, you must secure a model release from the subject or, in the case of a minor, the subject’s parent or guardian and provide it to CEP upon request.

Similarly, entrants whose photos depict other people’s work (such as sculptures, statues, paintings, and other copyrightable works) may need to obtain a release from the rights holder and provide it to CEP upon request. When photographing the work of others, it must be as an object in its environment and not a full-frame close-up of another person’s creation.

Photos that violate or infringe upon another person’s rights, including but not limited to copyright, are not eligible.

Photos that contain sexually explicit, nude, obscene, violent or other objectionable or inappropriate content, as determined by CEP in its sole discretion, are ineligible for this contest.

All entrants hold the Sponsors and their respective regents, directors, officers, employees, emeriti, fellows, interns, research associates, and volunteers (the “Indemnified Parties”) harmless from and against all claims of any nature arising in connection with entrant’s participation in the contest and acceptance or use of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not liable for any costs, damages, injuries, or other claims incurred as a result of entrants’ participation in the contest or winner’s acceptance and usage of a prize.  The Indemnified Parties are not responsible for incomplete or misdirected entries, technical or network malfunctions or failures, or causes beyond their control. Entrants are solely responsible for their entries. Entrants may not submit materials that introduce any software viruses, worms or other programs designed to damage software, hardware or telecommunications equipment or are off-topic, partisan-political, contain advertising, nudity, personal attacks or expletives, or is otherwise abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, discriminatory, libelous, obscene, false, sexually explicit, or that infringes on the rights of any third party.

The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. CEP reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at its discretion. In the event of a dispute regarding the winners, the CEP reserves the right to award or not award the prizes in its sole discretion. The CEP reserves the right to disqualify any entrant whose entry or conduct appears in any way to: inhibit the enjoyment of others; tamper with the competition; violate these rules or other applicable law or regulation; infringe on the rights of third parties; or act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Decisions of the CEP are final and binding.

10 Tips to Make That Old Car Feel New-ish

Most of us grow tired of our used cars long before they’re used-up cars. But money is tight for just about everyone, so why throw away a car that’s running well just because it’s feeling worn down?

Here are 10 tips recommended by popularmechanic.com

1. Keep it Clean

Not the sexiest first tip but it’s important. Get in there and clean her out. Shampoo, vacuum, & repeat. Get into all the tight spaces and scrub the dirt and grime out of the seats, upolstry, trunk, engine, wheels, everywhere.

This is a pretty obvious first step. But the cleaning pays off because all that time spent tidying up the car is also time spent inspecting it. This is your chance to uncover hidden problems.

2. Keep the Cockpit Clean

“Focus on the area you’re actually going to touch,” Atlanta-area used car dealer Steven Lang says. “Start at the steering wheel and the dashboard. If the wheel is pitted or deteriorated, a simple $10 cover can make a big difference to how a car feels. A dashboard cover may be a good investment too.”

Also check dashboard illumination. There are drivers out there who can’t read their speedometers at night simply because the illumination knob has been dimmed for years through sheer inattention. If the knobs and switches are actually busted or worn-out, though, they can often be cheaply replaced with either new parts or recycled pieces found at a junkyard.

If the dashboard pad is faded, consider repainting or dyeing it. You’re going to spend a lot of time staring at it.

And don’t forget the fabric. One of Lang’s favorite tricks for reinvigorating a car is to swap out the front seats for a pair he finds at a junkyard with fewer miles on them. “Seat foam breaks up over time,” he says. “For $100 or $150, a set from a low-mileage vehicle can make a car seem new.”

3. Electronics

Even if your car is only a couple of years old, it’s almost certainly got an outdated sound system. Trading an old radio head unit for one that integrates with an iPod, iPhone or satellite radio, and includes a Bluetooth connection for a cellphone, will shoot your car or truck into the present.

Head units with iPod integration start at under $80 on BestBuy.com. Throw in installation costs and you’ve still spent less than $200 to seriously upgrade your commute entertainment.

Electronic GPS navigation systems have also become affordable over the last few years. Good systems run about $150 and offer all the functionality of OEM systems that are often more than a $1000.

4. Let it Breathe

Aftermarket intake systems and air filters don’t work miracles, but they can open up an older engine’s inhalation system and kick up output a by few horsepower. Cold air intake systems from companies like K & N (KNFilters.com) are available for nearly every vehicle, and installation can usually be accomplished with little more than a screwdriver. Many are under $200.

5. Clean the lenses

Vehicles built during the last couple of decades usually have plastic composite headlamps that weather and dull over time. You can pick up a headlight restoration often for under $30, and they’re easy to use. It only takes a few minutes to turn a dull, yellowed headlight clear—which makes your old car look nicer and instantly improves illumination.

6. Fix the AC

Like your home air conditioner, your car’s AC can suffer buildups of mold, mildew and bacteria. To clean out the system, first make sure the air coming into the system isn’t first passing through leaves, dust or other accumulated grime in the air passageways. Then change or clean any filters in the system. Finally, use an air-conditioning deodorizer to finish things off. If nothing else, your nose should be happier.

7. Rubberize

Your car doors seal against rubber trim that is vulnerable to tears as it ages. These tears can lead to air gaps that howl in the wind while you drive, let heat escape when it’s cold outside, allow cold air to escape when its hot outside, and invite water in when it rains. Replacing these rubber strips takes patience, time and a talent for adhesives, but the strips themselves are usually inexpensive, and installing fresh ones can make your car quieter instantly. Don’t replace the seals if they’re still in good shape, but don’t hesitate if they’re brittle or ragged.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to replace your rubber windshield wiper blades. It’s a cheap way to survive the rainy season.

8. Paint

The use and abuse of touchup paint is a subject that could fill volumes. Generally speaking, it’s best to use it sparingly and carefully.

However, you can easily remove plastic trim pieces on your car’s exterior and repaint them with a spray can. It particularly makes a big difference on black parts that have weathered to a dull gray.

9. Brake & Suspension

“Shocks, springs, dampers, struts, brake rotors and pads may seem like normal service items,” says Matt Edmonds, marketing director for The Tire Rack. “But replacing them can make a huge difference in how a car drives.”

If you go nuts and buy everything—stabilizer bars, urethane bushings, racing shocks and more—it’s possible to make even a 1981 Cadillac Seville handle something like a race car and ride as stiffly as one too. But you don’t have to go to extremes to make your vehicle handle more precisely.

New shock absorbers make a big difference on their own, but while they’re off the car, you might consider rebuilding the suspension and steering system with new ball joints and tie rod ends. If you’re an enthusiast, new springs can lower your car for better handling and give a more aggressive look. Just stay within your budget and mechanical abilities.

The same goes for brakes. Worn discs and pads seriously degrade performance, so replace them.

10. Wheels & Tires

Getting better performance from your tires can be as simple as making sure they’re properly inflated. But when tires need to be replaced, that presents an opportunity to both improve the performance and appearance of your car.

Remember: Everything your car does, it does through the tires. And so good tires enable your car to do everything better. It used to be that moving up to wider tires or larger diameter wheels was difficult, because it was difficult to determine the correct wheel back spacing or how much rubber could fit under your car’s fenders. But today sites like The Tire Rack can provide dozens of wheel and tire combinations tailored to your vehicle.

New, bigger tires are the single most impressive way to change a car’s performance and appearance. Of course, a new set of wheels and tires won’t be inexpensive. But it’s still cheaper than getting a new car.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/g175/10-ways-to-make-your-old-car-feel-new/

10 Ways to Use Your American European License Plates

Fourth of July is coming up and we thought we should share our 10 favorite ways to use your American European License Plate this holiday weekend.

  1. Use it to decorate your car or office for the most American holiday.

2. Use it to shield yourself from the sun when you’re at a party.

3. Use it as a fan to beat the heat.

4. Wave it as you watch fireworks to show your patriotism and block everyone else’s view.

5. Use it to serve beer and burgers to guests at your party.

6. Use it as a bat in America’s favorite pastime, baseball.

7. Reenact Washington Crossing the Delaware, but put cool American style European plates on the boat.

8. Use 2 American style European plates as water skis and be the most patriotic skier out there.

9. Use it as a passport to get back into good ol’ America.

10. Wear it as a championship belt buckle to show off that America won the Revolutionary War.

51 Of our favorite Dad Jokes

We love our fathers just like everyone else, but somehow these dad jokes are just as cringeworthy as when he would say them!

Here are the 51 top dad jokes we could recall:

  1. Dad, did you get a haircut? No I got them all cut.
  2. Dad I’m hungry … “Hi hungry” I’m dad
  3. Dad, can you put my shoes on? No, I don’t think they’ll fit me.
  4. Can I watch the TV? Dad: Yes, but don’t turn it on.
  5. I would avoid the sushi if I was you. It’s a little fishy.
  6. What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta.
  7. You know, people say they pick their nose, but I feel like I was just born with mine.
  8. “Every time I hurt myself, even to this day, my dad says, ‘The good news is..it’ll feel better when it quits hurting.’”
  9. What’s brown and sticky? A stick.
  10. Want to hear a joke about paper? Nevermind it’s tearable.
  11. Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? Great food, no atmosphere.
  12. “I’ll call you later!”- “Please don’t do that. I’ve always asked you to call me Dad!”
  13. What did the mountain climber name his son? Cliff.
  14. This graveyard looks overcrowded. People must be dying to get in there.
  15. “My dad literally told me this one last week: ‘Did you hear about the guy who invented Lifesavers? They say he made a mint.’”
  16. “Whenever the cashier at the grocery store asks my dad if he would like the milk in a bag he replies, ‘No, just leave it in the carton!’”
  17. I got so angry the other day when I couldn’t find my stress ball.
  18. If I had a dime for every book I’ve ever read, I’d say: “Wow, that’s coincidental.”
  19. I’m not indecisive. Unless you want me to be.
  20. How many apples grow on a tree? All of them.
  21. How does a penguin build it’s house? Igloos it together.
  22. “Me: ‘Dad, make me a sandwich!’ Dad: ‘Poof, You’re a sandwich!’”
  23. “I heard there was a new store called Moderation. They have everything there
  24. A steak pun is a rare medium well done.
  25. “How can you tell if a ant is a boy or a girl? They’re all girls, otherwise they’d be uncles.”
  26. Milk is also the fastest liquid on earth – its pasteurized before you even see it
  27. “What’s Forrest Gump’s password? 1forrest1”
  28. The only thing worse than having diarrhea is having to spell it.
  29. I asked my friend to help me with a math problem. He said: “Don’t worry; this is a piece of cake.” I said: “No, it’s a math problem.”
  30. People don’t like having to bend over to get their drinks. We really need to raise the bar.
  31. I don’t play soccer because I enjoy the sport. I’m just doing it for kicks.
  32. Did I tell you the time I fell in love during a backflip? I was heels over head.
  33. I used to work in a shoe recycling shop. It was sole destroying.
  34. Why do you never see elephants hiding in trees? Because they’re so good at it.
  35. Where did the one-legged waitress work? IHOP!
  36. What happened when the two antennas got married? Well, the ceremony was kinda boring, but the reception was great!
  37. What did one snowman say to the other one?  “Do you smell carrots?”
  38. How do you make a tissue dance?  You put a little boogie in it!
  39. Why did the blonde stare at the orange juice container?  It said concentrate!
  40. If your nose runs and your feet smell, you are built upside down!
  41. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day, but I couldn’t find any.
  42. Q: How do you organize an outer space party? A: You planet.
  43. Q: What do you call a belt with a watch on it?A: A waist of time.
  44. What kind of shoes does a thief wear? Sneakers
  45. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, “I’ll serve you, but don’t start anything.”
  46. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.
  47. I went to a seafood disco last week… and pulled a mussel.
  48. Did you hear about the man who stole a calendar? He got 12 months.
  49. A man woke up in a hospital after a serious accident. He shouted, Doctor, doctor, I can’t feel my legs!” The doctor replied, “I know you can’t I’ve cut off your arms!”
  50. Do you know where you can get chicken broth in bulk? The stock market.
  51. What did the ocean say to the shore? Nothing, it just waved.

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