Living in Ottawa, I don’t get down to southwestern Ontario that often. But the stars aligned, and I was able to attend the 2019 Bothwell car show. It was the first time I’d been able to attend since 2011. It’s a lot bigger than I remember! By mid-day, the organizers announced the registration figure for classic cars had hit 1400.
I hoped that I might see some previous Ontplates.com clients with their YOM licence plates on display, and I wasn’t disappointed! I recognized client plates that I had sold over ten years ago, plus one set of plates that I sold a mere three months ago! It’s always a treat to see vehicles decked out in vintage plates.
The Ontario YOM program is admittedly cumbersome– the client has to send the plates to Kingston, wait to get them back, and then head over to their local ServiceOntario counter. The fees aren’t cheap. But really, owning and maintaining a classic vehicle isn’t cheap, either. I spell out the fees and tasks to be done to each potential customer, and sometimes, the $251.65 MTO fee is a barrier. I accept that point of view, and I never push back. But how much do they spend on brakes? Or a crate engine? How much on aftermarket chrome? On upholstery? On a custom paint job? The cost of the YOM program is a drop in the bucket, all things considered.
While it’s great to see YOM plates at a car show, I see many regular car and truck plates as well. “AW-27046” on a peeling white Ontario plate does nothing for that ‘59 stepside pickup. I leave a business card in such vehicles if I can slip one through the side window without touching anything. Maybe one of those cards brought you to this site? If so, check out our inventory and see if YOM licence plates can help complete your classic!