Full Exterior Debadge

[Kev]

So I came up with this idea to completely debadge the exterior of my new M3. As you know, there are three M3 badges on the exterior: 1 on the trunk and 2 on the side turn signals.

The one on the trunk can be easily taken off with a blow dryer and dental floss. The ones on the side turn signals are the tough ones. If you simply remove it, the sticker leaves a dimple on the side turn signals, which doesn't look good. Since I was going to do a gloss black front grille with matte black inserts. I decided to paint the side grilles as well.

With the help from Evan @ Tischer BMW (http://www.getbmwparts.com), I bought two new M3 side grilles. Then, I brought these to a trust-worthy body shop (the one that painted my old Vorsteiner trunk) to get the stickers removed, dimples filled, and the grilles painted gloss black to match the front grilles surrounds.

I was going to have the grilles installed on Wednesday, but I have to fly out to Houston to take my USMLE Step 2, so I postponed it to this coming Monday. I'll post pics of the final product afterwards.

[rzm3]

I tried the debadge on the sides but they didn't turn out good... seems like the stickers add some much needed colors... but that was when i hadnt tinted my turn signals. now i have both the sticker and tinted signals.

[eclipsisNA]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

I tried the debadge on the sides but they didn't turn out good... seems like the stickers add some much needed colors... but that was when i hadnt tinted my turn signals. now i have both the sticker and tinted signals.

That's what I did.

[doba_s]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

I tried the debadge on the sides but they didn't turn out good... seems like the stickers add some much needed colors... but that was when i hadnt tinted my turn signals. now i have both the sticker and tinted signals.

it actually looks very good ...

[spyderco10]

why would you want to debadge your car?

[Kev]

Originally Posted by rldzhao

I tried the debadge on the sides but they didn't turn out good... seems like the stickers add some much needed colors... but that was when i hadnt tinted my turn signals. now i have both the sticker and tinted signals.

Hey Richard, that looks GREAT~ I'm not just debadging the sides. I'm having the body shop fill that hole and paint the side grilles in gloss black. So it won't look awkward. I thought about the tinting the side markers, but I sorta like the contrast with the black. I have tinted my tail lights a dark cherry red color so I'll see if I should tint the side markers down the road.

Originally Posted by spyderco10

why would you want to debadge your car?

Why wouldn't I? I didn't buy an M3 to be a badge whore...... My philosophy is "People who know cars will know, people who don't know cars, I don't want them to know."

[chris s]

debadging is lame

[Kev]

Originally Posted by chris s

debadging is lame

ORLY!? Care to share your reasoning behind that?

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by Kev

ORLY!? Care to share your reasoning behind that?

its a common thing to debadge or for vehicles to come without badges in Germany (and really a good portion of Europe). still, why take off the badges that come on your car?

i guess that if you don't like the way that they look, okay...but to take them off just for the sake of not wanting to be a badge whore seems a bit silly. putting more M3 badges on your car, adding M3 license plate holders, etc. is more along the lines of being a badge whore. but going on a mission to delete every single ///M badge seems OCD.

[spyderco10]

Originally Posted by Big Windy

its a common thing to debadge or for vehicles to come without badges in Germany (and really a good portion of Europe). still, why take off the badges that come on your car?

i guess that if you don't like the way that they look, okay...but to take them off just for the sake of not wanting to be a badge whore seems a bit silly. putting more M3 badges on your car, adding M3 license plate holders, etc. is more along the lines of being a badge whore. but going on a mission to delete every single ///M badge seems OCD.

This is pretty much along the lines of what I was thinking. I don't think keeping the stock badges on your car qualifies you as a "badge whore."

[mye90]

why debadge? you don't want people to know you are driving an M3 so you can smoke them or you are ashamed? because i don't see how it can look good without the badge...

[J08M3]

Three small OEM M3 badges makes you a badge whore?? haha ok....

[daltonnnn]

IMO, they look better with them on!

[MMMorish]

Originally Posted by daltonnnn

IMO, they look better with them on!

I agree.

[Kev]

Installed the side vents today and agree with Richard that I need to tint the side markers as well. The side markers will be tinted tomorrow and installed on Thursday. I'm happy with the look of the gloss black painted, debadged side grilles. I'm keeping the trunk M3 emblem on for now.



The side marker tint will probably be not as dark as Richard's car:

[ACZakka325i]

I think de-badging is rather pimp. Maybe its just my attempt at modesty.

[Kev]

I think sleeper look is nice. I like how the fenders came out with the shaved M3 badge and the tinted side markers and painted side grilles.

[Subw00er]

anyone want to send me their removed trunk badge?

[AMPowerJ]

Originally Posted by Kev

I think sleeper look is nice. I like how the fenders came out with the shaved M3 badge and the tinted side markers and painted side grilles.

A M3 is not a sleeper and never will be. If you want a sleeper by a 335i and mod it. Then you have a sleeper. If you could order a M3 debadged that would be one thing but I don't see how this is any different than removing all the labels from your clothes because you don't want people to know you are wearing a Polo shirt or whatever.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by AMPowerJ

A M3 is not a sleeper and never will be. If you want a sleeper by a 335i and mod it. Then you have a sleeper. If you could order a M3 debadged that would be one thing but I don't see how this is any different than removing all the labels from your clothes because you don't want people to know you are wearing a Polo shirt or whatever.

I happen to came from two 335xi's, one E90 and one E92.

Let's face it. If you are not a BMW fanatic, you really can't tell the 328 / 335 from the M3. This forum has a very skewed population with a very skewed opinion.

[kmarei]

if you're not a badge whore by debadging
does that mean you should also remove the M colour stitching oh the steering wheel?
M badge in on the speedometer?
m logo on the head rests?
m door sill frame?
remove the CF roof?
replace M fenders with regular 3 series fenders
hey how about getting rid of that showy S65 and put a nice 4 cyl in there?

heck why don't you just put 128i on the trunk

[Kev]

Originally Posted by kmarei

if you're not a badge whore by debadging
does that mean you should also remove the M colour stitching oh the steering wheel?
M badge in on the speedometer?
m logo on the head rests?
m door sill frame?
remove the CF roof?
replace M fenders with regular 3 series fenders
hey how about getting rid of that showy S65 and put a nice 4 cyl in there?

heck why don't you just put 128i on the trunk

I like the exterior debadged look and it's my personal preference and you can disagree, but I'm not going to do anything about it. Now go back to bitch about the price of the LED angel eyes......

I actually thought about debadging the interior as well. I can do the BMW illuminated door sills, Performance steering wheel, and user a marker to cross out the M on the speedometer and replace the headrests. BUT THIS THREAD SPECIFICALLY READS "FULL EXTERIOR DEBADGE"...... Got it?

Why can't people just get a life instead of nit-picking on badge whoring in a thread from almost 3 months ago? M owners are SO sensitive in this department.