Hi Brad,
DVLA is the best site because their prices include the registration fee, but you’re right that they stick to fairly nondescript numbers. They auction off the good ones to get a better price. You can look to other companies to get more exclusive plates but that’s an expensive route, as on top of the price you have to pay £80 to put it to the car. As far as choosing your number, this isn’t possible. The first 2 letters denote the region of the UK where the car is registered, the numbers denote the year of registration (the next one is 70), and the last 3 letters are totally random. Some dealers allow you to choose from their allocated plates, some don’t, but you’ll only be able to choose from a small random amount anyway. To choose the configuration on a plate you always have to pay. If you wanted to adjust the letters on a 70 plate new car it’s normally £399, assuming you don’t want anything that actually makes a word, as they will be pricier or reserved for auction. ?