I recently bought a second-gen Jeep Cherokee (not that anyone really calls it that; it’s the XJ!), something I’ve wanted since I was in middle school. That’s my new-to-me machine below, and as you can see, it’s a fine example of “the SUV that changed the world.” I haven’t driven it much, as I’ve been awaiting a new crankshaft position sensor from Mopar. Despite that setback, because I am an insane person, I immediately ordered vanity plates. I couldn’t help myself. My personalized plates finally arrived last Monday, and boy was I thrilled. The Internet? Not so much. Here’s a look at my $5000 Jeep and also at a little fun that I had with my new plates.
[Note: Welcome back Rob Spiteri, our 20 year-old occasional weekend writer, who took a bit of a break due to a health scare. He’s all better now! Or maybe not; you may read this post and decide he’s far from well. -DT]
I’ve been designated the license-plate wizard here at The Autopian (I gave myself the title) due to my obsession with plates, or “tags” as you Southerners call them. My coworker, everyone’s favorite salvage-yard scavenger Stephen Walter Gossin, nicknamed me “Plates” and hasn’t called me anything else since, which is awesome.
Anyway, ready for the big reveal? Here it is:
I just know you’re scratching your head right now, “Wait a second…” Perhaps you’re thinking, “But David has a YJ Wrangler, and Rob you just said you have an XJ–did you switch cars?” No, but I like that idea.
[Editor’s Note: I’ve consulted with the Jeep oracle, and can now officially designate these tags as 100% blasphemy. -DT].
Why Y?
Why does my plate say “YJ” and not “XJ,” like the model it is? Perhaps it was a DMV clerical error. I mean, X and Y are only four inches away from each other on a QWERTY keyboard, right? Alas, no. Did I transfer this plate from a YJ to my new-to-me XJ? Incorrect. “Ah ha!” you say aloud, startling your cat. “Perhaps the Y and J are not even Jeep-related, but are the initials of a beloved someone–maybe an uncle Yves Jolicoeur, of whom you have fond memories from childhood visits to Quebec!” Also a no, but Uncle Yves sounds wonderful. I chose this plate. That’s right, I spent my hard-earned moola on expensive, wrong vanity plates simply to entertain the Jeep community. And not even one day after having my YJ plates did I receive, uh, spirited reactions.
[Editor’s Note: That’s my YJ above. If I were a huge YJ nut (and I’m not not one, but it’s not my true love like the XJ and ZJ) then maybe I’d be a little disappointed that I couldn’t get a YJ plate just so Rob can troll, but it’s all fair. -DT].
The XJ Community Reacts
My first devious plan in assessing the reactions of the interweb’s 4×4 aficionados was to enter the wonderful world of Jeep Facebook Groups. The Jeep groups of Zuckerland are full of people posting their 7-bar-grille’d shitboxes for triple what they’re worth because a pristine example of the same model sold for ridiculous dollars on Bring a Trailer. “Find another!” they say. My man, I can find ten.
As soon as I had the plates mounted, I sent a picture of them to my friend Julian, a fellow Jeep nut and admin of the “XJ Preservation Society” Cherokee Facebook group. I’m sure I made him laugh, but when I shared my new plates in the group, the other admins of the group had other opinions.
I attempted to post this:
The post was declined almost instantly. Soon after, Julian sent me a screenshot of the admin’s reactions:
My apologies admins of XJ Preservation Society, I was merely joking–not trolling at all, let alone big-time trolling. Sorry, XJ people. [Ed note: You were 100% trolling. Why are we even publishing this post? – MH]
Meanwhile, In The YJ Community…
Posting in the XJ group was a failure, so naturally I took the action to the YJ group–which is public, to my advantage.
I copy-pasted the same post into the YJ group and received quite a mixed bag of reactions from the members, not only in terms of positive versus negative, but intensity. Keith here was really unhappy with me. I mean, for real:
Connie used her considerable observational skills to point out that my “YJ” was not, in fact, a YJ:
Man, I bet Connie can absolutely crush a Where’s Waldo book.
Derek gave me a fantastic tip on how to remedy the plate’s offending “Y.”
I’m sure the Sharpie correction would be totally convincing, and I definitely wouldn’t get booked for felony license plate obstruction.
Allena–who I’m sure is just a delightful pleasure in real life–was absolutely not having my shenanigans:
I’m always working on myself, but come on, Allena–harsh.
The action wasn’t all negative, of course. Many got a kick out of my plates, as the sea of “Haha” Facebook reactions and many of laughing-crying-face Emoji comments prove:
Y Though
I’m keeping the yj plates. These plates are staying on as long as my Jeep is running, which might be a long, long, long time. No disrespect fellow Jeep owners, they’re just for “if you know, you know” laughs and I hope those who do know will get a kick out of them–though I’m sure wherever I meet other 4X4 fans, a few will enjoy informing me that I’m akshully driving an XJ. Fine by me! If these plates help me meet more Jeep drivers and car people, that’s a win!
There’s (or was; haven’t seen it since early Corona days) a beat up Toyota Camry in Queens which carried 4G63 license plates. I always expected him to be a dude who got married, had to get rid of his Evo, but is “plate squatting” for the day he can get another one – but maybe it is a refined joke like Spiteri’s?
Just ran the plate and it is now on the right car – a ’95 Eagle Talon TSi Turbo AWD! Yay!
Way too serious from a group of enthusiasts that display rubber duckies on their windshields as trophies, hang Jerry cans, off-roading jacks and shovels on vehicles that never see dirt and name their rigs like boats.
No duckies for you!!
Funny plate in my eyes, but I get why it would bother some people. As much as I can laugh at it from here, I would never do “confidently wrong” kind of humor like that myself.
I used to have the vanity plate “DEEJAY” for my DJ business when I had a conversion van, but since I sold the business I’ve reverted to a more anonymous default plate. At least until inspiration truly hits me for a new plate.
At least Pennsylvania is nice enough to only have a 1-time fee for vanity plates rather than increased renewals.
should have done ZJ
If you have to ask you can’t afford it!
My favorite is the year I spent with a vanity organ donor plate that read ZOMBIS. I only kept it a year because the renewal was too expensive. While I don’t mind paying a premium to create the plate, charging that same premium to renew it is stupid.
You did not discover vanity plates. This has been an option for every YJ owner for over 30 years. Sucks on them that you were the first to actually pony up the loot for it.
100% troll NOT trolling. I support you wholeheartedly.
Correct, the New York YJ community had years to claim this pretty damn obvious vanity plate for one of their vehicles. If someone puts a plate that says LAMBO on their Maserati then you have to blame Lambo owners for not getting it first.
I drive a Lexus GX and the plate is BBYOTA.
Because the GX is a Toyota. Good times.
I just looked up whether “BUGATTI” was available here in New Hampshire, thinking it’d be perfect for my Yaris.
Some sonofabitch is even funnier than I am, because it’s on a 2014 Spark 1LT with a CVT.
Edit: If you’re on here and find yourself in the Monadnock Region, I’ll buy you a drink.
Oh. So you’re that sort. Got it. Well, my minivan has RUNNOFT on it. A ‘lil bit cryptic, but Coen Bros fans get it.
outstanding
I have an XJ, which I love, and I immediately laughed when I saw this. People take themselves too seriously, and this is a completely harmless and hilarious way to point that out.
Many years ago, I asked the NY DMV if the vanity plate “REALEMON” was available. It was, but i figured if I bought it I’d never sell the clunker I intended to mount it on. So, I passed. The best NY vanity plate I ever saw took me a while to figure out. Apparently, DMV didn’t figure it out, because they did issue it. Again, years ago, on a black Mustang, it said, “6ULDV8.”
Took me a while too.
My brain was stuck on Gold V8
For the correction/apology, change it to “YJ UNLMTD” and then proudly state to those communities that you’ve addressed their concerns.
An outstanding return to form for Weekend Rob!
Glad you’re back on the site. Hope you’re doing well.
Also, Plates is a terrific nickname, and it’s even better because it came from Stevie G!
I’d be funnier if it was up-badged/down-badged (Lambo) or something a little further away otherwise it looks like a mistake. Maybe Bronco or G-Wagon? Not sure those are funny either. The right joke will preset itself.
I tried to get TESLA plates on my Chevy Bolt, it made me chuckle.
In Vermont TESLA is on a Mitsubishi Outlander.
Thats kind of odd, at least the PHEV version? Yeah, I dont get the punchline if its just an ICE version.
Maybe a huge fan of the band Tesla?
When I got my ’96 XJ, I tracked down a period-appropriate Dole/Kemp bumper sticker as a reminder of a better time in politics. Absolutely nobody gets it.
Yeah, nobody gets the Goldwater sticker on my Corvair either.
I’ve got “Reagan/Bush ’84” on the ’83 T-Bird!
Back in ’04 I put a vintage “Democrats for Nixon” sticker on the back of my F250. Being such an old, old bumper sticker it didn’t have a glossy “laminated” surface, so it faded into oblivion within a few months.
It’s kind of like a door you push to open being labeled “pull”: kind of funny the first time but then you start wondering about the type of person who would find it funny repeatedly, let alone go to the trouble of mislabeling something purely as a joke.
Been waiting for your return! I hope your classes are going well, its been boring here on the weekends!
That’s my highschool ride right there, which I totalled. Always told myself I would buy one when I was an adult and put leather seats in it and a good stereo. Well I am an adult now and still don’t own one.
Hard to find nice ones that haven’t been abused by guys making off-road rigs. Congrats and enjoy your trolling!
Hi Greg! Thanks for the welcome back! Classes start tomorrow. Yuck!
“I mean, X and Y are only four inches away from each other on a QWERTY keyboard, right?”
Germans would like to correct you that their QWERTZ keyboard has X and Y next to each other like peas in a pod. 😉
I fkn love this.
Welcome back, Robbo, hopefully all fixed up.
Rob-bot is an appropriately new nickname for me
Sorry to hear about the cybernetic prostate implant, I bet it wasn’t fun going in
Now that you have everyone’s attention, you need to make a contrite post that says you realize your mistake, are quite embarrassed, and have acquired new plates at great expense.
Then you show a (photoshopped) picture of the “new” plates: “DJ”.
On the one hand, I enjoy a bit of trolling that doesn’t punch down as much as the next person.
On the other hand, if this article had been proposed by someone without a writing history on the site, it would have been immediately rejected. (At least my hope is that there is not this big of a content void to fill.)
Why? It’s entertaining and somewhat educational for people who dont know a xj from a yj from a syzygy or whatever jeeps are called.
Rob is here for fun weekend content to keep us entertained. He isn’t trying to revolutionize the industry.
Exactly!
All I’m here to do is provide some laughs. I did, but it seems like it passed over you. I imagine you must own a YJ in New York and are unhappy I took the plate before you. Sorry not sorry….
While that is true, it is also a problem. I don’t need more news of union strikes or Tesla rants, I need automotive fun. This if fun. Taillights are fun. Rust is fun. Even kittens are fun.
You just gave me a great idea for the personalized plate on my e46. Wonder what would be the most fun? “E30”? “E38”? Or maybe I should go with something later just so people don’t think I kept plates from an (even) older car – so maybe go with “E91” (mine’s a coupe)? Or maybe switch marques and do “W203”?
FOX BODY
VOLVO480
W203 is perfect, the target demographic for that joke is micro-specific.
I have a feeling most of the people who would get the joke are already on this thread, but it would still be pretty funny.
Omg, you have to do W203 please. Send me pictures if you do.
GMT800
That’s maybe a little too random? If I saw that plate on an e46, I would think it had something to do with Greenwich Mean Time. My mind would never connect to your intention. Maybe better on a G-wagon or Cayenne?
Eh, it’s just as random to me as slapping a FOXBODY plate on there. But I see your point, it could be *too* random.
OH!!! I know now, GMT800 is perfect for the Ford truck owner out there. lol
Oh yeah, slap that on an Excursion ftw.
Get E36 in solidarity with the unloved masses.
Much respect for the e36, but I just can’t go there…
Rob, I can’t say for certain, but I’d bet that most of the negative responses have come from places like Florida, Texas, Tennessee, etc. where the folks in those states do not take kindly to anyone changing Xs into Ys or vice versa. In fact, they’ve passed laws to prosecute anyone who facilitates such a change. Luckily you’re in New York where no such paranoia prevails.
Nice.
You win
Maybe the clerical error was just a hanging chad.
Glad you are back again Rob. Always great stuff. As to the plates, well fuck em if they can’t take a bit of a joke? Life is too short my amigo. Enjoy yours and best of luck. Thanks for your excellent postings.
Thanks for the support!