I didn't expect that!
By Fleur
@Fleura (34927)
United Kingdom
April 2, 2026 3:24pm CST
I mentioned a while ago that I was teaching Big One to drive, and that I had a few magnetic ‘L’ plates ready to stick on the car when she was driving.
Well we have recently been forced to get a different car (a very long story!) so now she has to get used to this one. For her first try I picked her up the other day and we drove to a nearby industrial estate after closing time so it would be a nice quiet place to try it out. We both hopped out and went to stick the ‘L’ plates on the front and back as usual – and they just fell off! Turns out the bonnet and the rear door of this car are somehow not magnetic!
How is that possible? I didn’t think they were just plastic, or are they? The sides of the car seem to be metal because the ‘L’ plates will stick there but that’s no use!
We need to be able to take them on and off so we’ll have to stick them in the windows or something instead. I certainly didn’t expect that!
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2026.
12 people like this
12 responses
@DaddyEvil (174208)
• United States
2 Apr
I bet your car has aluminum for the hood and trunk. Doors and sides are still made from steel. At least cars here are.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
2 Apr
Oh, that makes sense. I only thought of fiberglass.
3 people like this
@Fleura (34927)
• United Kingdom
2 Apr
I'd be surprised because I thought it would have to be thicker to make it strong enough, and that would make it heavy. But you could be right. Some vehicles used to have an aluminium body - like old Land Rovers - because when they get dented you can just bash them back into shape again.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (174208)
• United States
3 Apr
@Fleura But they still charge as if the whole car is made of the finest steel if you have to get it repaired. 
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (33875)
•
2 Apr
Oh well
You could always get the tie on type.
Like the ones back in the 70,s
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (97912)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
2 Apr
Hope you can figure all this out,
2 people like this
@DianneN (254949)
• United States
4 Apr
Smart to place it in the rear window. All three of our cars only have only one place at the back for our plates to be screwed in. We are required by law in our other state to have plates on the front of the cars, but no one wants to ruin a car by drilling their own holes. So far, the police have not bothered us or anyone else.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
3 Apr
What DE mentioned is possible or fiberglass
1 person likes this
