Will you debadge your M3?

[Mr Tonka]

YES. Before mile 10.

[Bdez]

Originally Posted by URBAN LEGEND

I did not see the badge being an option when I ordered mine.

Nice thread bump btw.

In some markets you can - known as "Model designation deletion".

[armyav8tor]

Originally Posted by bdh2009

In some markets you can - known as "Model designation deletion".

Yup, ordered it with that option on my 335i. Kept the badge on the M3.

[likestogofast]

Keep the badges... I thought the vent on the fender was to reduce wheel well preasure that is built up at high speeds. I notice when I blow the water out of my wheel wells, that I can see it exit through that vent, not allot but some.

[southlight]

Originally Posted by Voltigeur

I want to know whether I can order mine debadged straight off the 'line - or is this something I have to do once I take possession?

It's interesting how many prestige care are debadged in Germany ...

BTW, I once saw a in Deutschland that had a 750 badge: guess the driver did not want to appear too "swanky" (wanky )

In Germany and many other countries you can have the car debadged off the line, but that badge deletion is not offered in the US. So you have to do it yourself.


Best regards, south

[Paddy]

Originally Posted by southlight

The purpose of debadging is that at least 6 out of 10 people imo will never ever recognize a M3 as what it is without the badge. It's all about understatement. Here in Europe a lot of people have M3 badges on their 320i/325i (or whatever). So having a car debadged is pretty cool. I personally don't need to much attraction for driving an M. The M is only for me, not for other people's staring.

Best regards, south

People are gonna see the quad pipes a lot sooner than the M badge on the rear. Plenty of folk stick M badges on non-M cars so the badges are always taken with a pinch of salt. The quad-pipes on the other hand are very M distinct. So you gonna take the pipes off?

[southlight]

Originally Posted by Paddy

People are gonna see the quad pipes a lot sooner than the M badge on the rear. Plenty of folk stick M badges on non-M cars so the badges are always taken with a pinch of salt. The quad-pipes on the other hand are very M distinct. So you gonna take the pipes off?

I don't have to do that. Most people don't know that an M car has quad-pipes, so that gives away nothing.


Best regards, south

[Kev]

I deleted the side M3 badges and will put a matte black badge on the back. I might ended up with the full debadged look though, no definitive answers yet.

[Paddy]

Originally Posted by southlight

I don't have to do that. Most people don't know that an M car has quad-pipes, so that gives away nothing.


Best regards, south

I'd counter that if people can't recognize an M from the quad pipes, then they don't know what an M is in the first place, so why bother taking off the M?

There are 2 categories of people in your classification..
a) People who don't know that an M has quad pipes (say 80%)
and
b) People that do know an M has quad pipes (say 20%)

The 80% don't really know what an M is and don't care about your badge
The 20% know what an M is and wonder why you took the badge off.

Originally Posted by southlight

I personally don't need to much attraction for driving an M. The M is only for me, not for other people's staring.

I've had people turn their heads and track me purely because of the sound of the exhaust.

In short I really doubt that removal of a small badge about 50mm*25mm on the trunk is going to stop people looking/recognizing at your car. The aggressive styling, power dome, hood and side vents and exhaust note are an instant giveaway.

[southlight]

Originally Posted by Paddy

I'd counter that if people can't recognize an M from the quad pipes, then they don't know what an M is in the first place, so why bother taking off the M?

There are 2 categories of people in your classification..
a) People who don't know that an M has quad pipes (say 80%)
and
b) People that do know an M has quad pipes (say 20%)

The 80% don't really know what an M is and don't care about your badge
The 20% know what an M is and wonder why you took the badge off.

I don't know what's so surprising about. I met several people who didn't know what model it is but when they heard it's an M3 they were like . I never met anybody wondering why there's no badge (it's a factory option here, might indicate it's quite common unlike in the US ).

I've had people turn their heads and track me purely because of the sound of the exhaust.

In short I really doubt that removal of a small badge about 50mm*25mm on the trunk is going to stop people looking/recognizing at your car. The aggressive styling, power dome, hood and side vents and exhaust note are an instant giveaway.

Somebody who's into BMWs knows this, but I don't have to show off for these who don't. Plain simple.


Best regards, south

[BIGNTASTIE]

hell no.

[griffith_500]

Why would I need a badge? It's ugly and without it the car looks much cleaner. I didn't buy the M3 for posing and it's still the same car without the badge... You might want to ask yourself if you bought the car to impress other people or just to have fun for yourself... I really don't care at all whether other people notice that it is an M3...

P.S. My guess is that about 80% of M3's are ordered without badge in Switzerland as most people don't see the point of having a plastic thingy attached to the bootlid.

[Paddy]

Originally Posted by griffith_500

Why would I need a badge? It's ugly and without it the car looks much cleaner. I didn't buy the M3 for posing and it's still the same car without the badge... You might want to ask yourself if you bought the car to impress other people or just to have fun for yourself... I really don't care at all whether other people notice that it is an M3...

P.S. My guess is that about 80% of M3's are ordered without badge in Switzerland as most people don't see the point of having a plastic thingy attached to the bootlid.

But you pay money to get the care de-badged, it's a delete option not an add option. So the badge is part and package of the car. There are a total of 7 M badges on the outside of the M3, do you remove them all?

I understand the opinion that not having the M on the trunk looks cleaner and balanced an if that is something that "floats your boat" then I say go for it.
What I don't understand is the idea that the M badge on the trunk is there to impress people or that somehow the presence of that little piece of plastic magically transforms the car and buyer into a poser.

For me I just take the car as it is and simply enjoy it. As the OP to my original responses states the car is for him to enjoy, then why does he even care what other people think.

[FStop7]

If/when I do a CSL style lid the badge isn't going on. Just the roundel.

[griffith_500]

Originally Posted by Paddy

But you pay money to get the care de-badged, it's a delete option not an add option. So the badge is part and package of the car. There are a total of 7 M badges on the outside of the M3, do you remove them all?

I understand the opinion that not having the M on the trunk looks cleaner and balanced an if that is something that "floats your boat" then I say go for it.
What I don't understand is the idea that the M badge on the trunk is there to impress people or that somehow the presence of that little piece of plastic magically transforms the car and buyer into a poser.

For me I just take the car as it is and simply enjoy it. As the OP to my original responses states the car is for him to enjoy, then why does he even care what other people think.

Fair points. I'm not saying that everyone with a badge is a poser, but even in this thread there are a few comments of people that are afraid that their car might be mistaken for a "regular" 3-series without the badge.

BTW, the debadge option is a no-cost option where available.

[Canyon Junkie]

I'm with south. If they care about cars then they don't need a badge to know what it is. If they need a badge to know then who cares if they know what it is.


Here's the real question:

Who has re-badged the car as a lower model?

[Voltigeur]

Originally Posted by bdh2009

In some markets you can - known as "Model designation deletion".

What I thought but not for US - though we do get rear spoiler delete Such a simple thing to add ...

[Voltigeur]

Originally Posted by southlight

Somebody who's into BMWs knows this, but I don't have to show off for these who don't. Plain simple.

Best regards, south

Works for me: it's nice to pique the Bimmerphiles' appreciation, much less so some poseurs - the 1st day a co-worker had some young gun riding his arse (the car's that is) in a 200SX or something like it then pulled alongside indicating that he wanted to 'have a go'. I can do without that shit once I get my car ...

[CraZee M3]

people taking off the badge on a m3 are crazy! and so are people putting on m3 badges on a non m model 3 series LOL

[MWorldorder]

Not a chance! What a disgrace! It would be like stripping a decorated officer. The M badge demands respect!

[david @ eas]

Originally Posted by CraZee M3

people taking off the badge on a m3 are crazy! and so are people putting on m3 badges on a non m model 3 series LOL

Originally Posted by ///MWorld

Not a chance! What a disgrace! It would be like stripping a decorated officer. The M badge demands respect!

Double agreed. If anything, you should change over to a different style if you wanted, but the M3 badge should stick on a M3 and take it off all the non-M cars.

Something like this will suffice for most of the M cars out there

[SS32]

Originally Posted by ///MWorld

Not a chance! What a disgrace! It would be like stripping a decorated officer. The M badge demands respect!

The badge doesn't make it an M...

My badge lasted about 3 hours - the time it took to drive from the dealer to my house. I couldn't care less if anyone knows what kind of car it is and the rear looks 10x cleaner without it. It looks unbalanced with a badge on one side and nothing on the other.