STAND by for the last annual rush for a new registration car on August 1. S registration is being introduced as usual, while T registrations start in March 1999.

It heralds a major change in registration numbers as we approach the Millennium and car letter year registrations run out.

The current sequence expires in August 2001. Number plates will then be based on the first three letters with a number as an age indentifer, changing every six months, while the last two letters will indicate where the vehicle is registered.

So a plate would look like this: ABC 12 DE.

This year's S reg is something special both for the motor industry.

The motor industry, generally, welcomes the change, as it does away with the big rush in August. Dealers in the Wirral area, we spoke to, agree but are quite sentimental about the traditional annual change in registrations.

They are used to the hype and enjoy meeting repeat and new customers buying a brand new car.

For owners being one of the very first people to have the new registration in August, still gives a lot of pleasure - and to young car spotters too!

For those in the market for a new S reg car, now is the time to do the deal giving enough time to choose make, model and colour while agreeing a part exchange deal, and or/finance.

All the dealers in this feature are geared up to meet your needs.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.