2010 front license plate bracket question.

[SHINEDOWN]

Hello, I am new to this forum and soon to be an owner of a 2010 Grand Touring CX-9. The car I put a down payment on is coming from another dealers lot so I don't know if it already has a front plate bracket. Does the 2010 model have a different setup for a front plate mount than previous models? From what I can tell the earlier models have the mount drilled into the black plastic strip in the lower grill. But now the restyled lower grill only has a thin chome strip without any obvious place to put a bracket. If anyone has knowledge of this please help me out, as I do not need a front plate and am worried that they have already somehow attached a bracket.

 

[ohmboy]

I can't speak for how your car will come from the dealer, but our 2010 came with the front plate kit uninstalled and still in the package. Because I live in a state where front plates are not required, I've not really paid any attention to how they actually attach. I'd be willing to bet that the bracket won't be attached unless you were to actually need it. Enjoy your new purchase.

 

[SHINEDOWN]

Thanks for the reply! Anybody else have experience with this?

 

[SHINEDOWN]

Thanks. But not very helpful.

 

[SHINEDOWN]

How is that not helpful.
In your original reply you said "probably" and I was looking for some definitive info.Your last post was more descriptive and helpful, thank you for your response. Anyway, I will find out today when I go to look at the vehicle and finalize the deal if there is a front bracket on. In Massachusetts the newer plate registrations need to have front and rear tags. I still am hanging on to my older tags to avoid this. The car I will be getting is a managers demo so I
am afraid they may have put one on the front already. So this is why I was wondering how the front plate bracket attached.

 

[SeCX-9]

I'm in Massachusetts.

Both my CX-9 and CX-7 came with an additional plastic bracket that mounts the license plate on the front of the car. When I picked-up both cars, the dealer installed the bracket and plate for me.

 

[SHINEDOWN]

Thanks for the info!

 

[jrtouareg]

From what I can tell the earlier models have the mount drilled into the black plastic strip in the lower grill. But now the restyled lower grill only has a thin chome strip without any obvious place to put a bracket. If anyone has knowledge of this please help me out, as I do not need a front plate and am worried that they have already somehow attached a bracket.

It installs with three screws kind of hidden within the grill mesh area, one in the center above the chrome strip and two below the chrome strip. My wife wanted her Alumni college license plate on so I had to install the bracket. I removed the bracket after putting the scew holes in and you have to look very hard to notice the screw holes are there so its a lot better than the earlier CX-9s. The 3 holes are very obviuos on that model because the holes are right on the surface of the bumper. IMO, the license plate bracket makes the 2010 look better as it breaks up the big black mesh. I still like the look of the older CX-9s.

 

[SHINEDOWN]

Thanks for all the responses!...But I am NOW the proud owner of a 2010 BB/Black int. loaded w Nav package and everything else. I am loving the CX-9
it's interior is beautiful. Also it rides very smooth and is very quiet. I am waiting to take some pics so I can post them, but here in MA with all the snow it is impossible to keep it clean. And by the way there was no front plate bracket on it!(2thumbs)