What's your opinion about people who put fake badges on their cars?

GenXer · 06-20-2019, 07:58 PM

I have friends who like cars but they love putting decals and M badge on non M BMW and re-badging Mercedes with higher end models etc.

It bothers me to see this but I didn't want to hurt their feelings so I've been keeping my mouth shut. It is their car after all.

To me, it de-values the car especially when it doesn't have the right equipment and looks to back it up.

I'm just curious who they're trying to mislead? Certainly not a car enthusiast. A casual observer won't be able to tell the difference or know what it means. There's no significance for most people.To them a BMW is a BMW or a Mercedes is a Mercedes. Most people don't know what M or AMG signify.

So, what is the motivation behind this? So why do it and why is there a huge market for this?

MmmmmM2 · 06-20-2019, 08:17 PM

They are morons who don't know anything better and just think they are being cool.

IllSic_Design · 06-20-2019, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GenXer

I have friends who like cars but they love putting decals and M badge on non M BMW and re-badging Mercedes with higher end models etc.

It bothers me to see this but I didn't want to hurt their feelings so I've been keeping my mouth shut. It is their car after all.

To me, it de-values the car especially when it doesn't have the right equipment and looks to back it up.

I'm just curious who they're trying to mislead? Certainly not a car enthusiast. A casual observer won't be able to tell the difference or know what it means. There's no significance for most people.To them a BMW is a BMW or a Mercedes is a Mercedes. Most people don't know what M or AMG signify.

So, what is the motivation behind this? So why do it and why is there a huge market for this?

Pretty much to make them selves feel better about their car. As you said, average people won't even know what those badges signify and car people would and would look down on it. So it really only serves to make themselves feel better about their car, as if they could afford a higher end model.

Commanderwiggin · 06-20-2019, 08:22 PM

This is what I see...and you should share with your friends.

Friends don't let friends put M badges on non-M cars...

swunder · 06-20-2019, 09:41 PM

We realllllly don't need another one of these threads.

For the record, its completely embarrassing.

SteveinArizona · 06-20-2019, 10:28 PM

I wouldn't do it (if anything, I tend to want to do the opposite and drive a stealth mobile) but it is not my car and to each his own.

lemans_e91 · 06-21-2019, 05:40 AM

You need to care less about their feelings and educate them on their poor life choices. Obviously, in a light-hearted way, not a complete a-hole way.

Mason Hatcher · 06-21-2019, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemans_e91

You need to care less about their feelings and educate them on their poor life choices. Obviously, in a light-hearted way, not a complete a-hole way.

Why is it yours or anyone else's business?

The0pportunist · 06-21-2019, 07:12 AM

BMW do the same thing by putting M badges on non M cars.

There must be a market for it if the manufacturers are even doing it.

allinon72 · 06-21-2019, 08:08 AM

They are to be ignored. But if we want to talk about brand dilution, it's BMW that's the biggest problem.

Soterios · 06-21-2019, 08:36 AM

I couldn't care less what someone else does to their car. It doesn't matter if I don't like something I down own.

If you want to put an M3 badge on your Kia, go nuts.

1MOREMOD · 06-21-2019, 08:38 AM

Really pisses me off when I drive to the mall in my souped up geo in all M gear and walk around and cant find one to lean on to find chicks.

New2Roundel · 06-21-2019, 09:07 AM

I wouldn't be friends with them any longer. But I'm a legit M3 owner and unsurprisingly, I don't have any friends anyway.

Efthreeoh · 06-21-2019, 09:21 AM

The term for your friends is "Roundel-hound" (e.g. Roundelhound). Definition (1) - buyer of a BMW just because of the Roundel badge on the hood, which then leads to such abhorrent behavior of re-badging their car to something it is not. (2) - buyer of a BMW (especially an SUV or "SAV" - BMW's term for SUV) just because of the Roundel on the hood, so as to impress their neighbors, and who have no appreciation of BMW's heritage as producer of magnificent small sports sedans (generally recognized as starting with the 2002 in the late 1960's). (3) - A Poser. (4) BMW corporation itself that has recently forgotten that their heritage is building small sports sedans (i.e. does not even now offer a manual transmission in the G20 3-Series for the North American market)...

Efthreeoh · 06-21-2019, 09:27 AM

Maybe the way BMW can cure this is to require proof of ownership of an M car prior to selling replacement badges; the same rules BMW has for buying replacement keys...

King Rudi · 06-21-2019, 09:57 AM

I have a friend who owns a Dodge pick up that put the gigantic Rumble Bee sticker on the bed of his truck. From what I understand the sticker wasn't cheap and he had it "installed." After years of people wanting to race him at red lights and getting his ass handed to him, not to mention the ridicule from all of his friends, he finally decided to remove it.

I have another friend that has admired my Shepherd Fairy "Obey" t-shirts but didn't know where to buy them and had someone make him a few shirts on a silk screen that have "obey" on them in the wrong font. Pretty funny.

As for badge-ing cars, I'll agree that it's to make themselves feel better about their car purchase. There is a guy here that has a IS250 that debadged it and tells everyone it's a 350. Every time I see the guy I make sure to blow the doors off him just to be an ass.

Red Bread · 06-21-2019, 10:31 AM

Just add to the pile. Stick a Nurburgring sticker on his car and a Black Series, RS and V Series badges.

twinscrolled · 06-21-2019, 10:35 AM

It's pretty dumb. Some are obviously just the owners trolling but some are not, like the bone stock E93 335i with M stripes and badges that was trying to "race" me in bumper to bumper traffic.

///M Power-Belgium · 06-21-2019, 11:13 AM

It's like fake news ...

Dog Face Pony Soldier · 06-21-2019, 11:29 PM

Confession: I have silly daydreams of replacing the Toyota badges on the new Supra with Roundels. 🤭

gatorfast · 06-22-2019, 08:39 AM

I don't understand anyone who would do this either. OP, having friends who engage in this terrible activity why don't you ask them why they do it? Personally, I would be embarrassed to have false/poser badging on my car.

hellrotm · 06-22-2019, 09:11 PM

Stopped caring when BMW starting putting M badges on non-M models.

06-20-2019, 07:58 PM	#1
GenXer Major 1394 Rep 1,031 Posts Drives: Like a bat out of hell. Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: here and there iTrader: (0) Garage List 2017 Chevrolet Volt [0.00] 2020 Chevrolet Tahoe [0.00]	What's your opinion about people who put fake badges on their cars? I have friends who like cars but they love putting decals and M badge on non M BMW and re-badging Mercedes with higher end models etc. It bothers me to see this but I didn't want to hurt their feelings so I've been keeping my mouth shut. It is their car after all. To me, it de-values the car especially when it doesn't have the right equipment and looks to back it up. I'm just curious who they're trying to mislead? Certainly not a car enthusiast. A casual observer won't be able to tell the difference or know what it means. There's no significance for most people.To them a BMW is a BMW or a Mercedes is a Mercedes. Most people don't know what M or AMG signify. So, what is the motivation behind this? So why do it and why is there a huge market for this?
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06-20-2019, 08:17 PM	#2
MmmmmM2 Colonel 2665 Rep 2,463 Posts Drives: 2021 M2C Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Claremont, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 Mazda CX-5 [0.00] 2021 BMW M2C [0.00]	They are morons who don't know anything better and just think they are being cool.
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06-20-2019, 08:22 PM	#4
Commanderwiggin Major 2184 Rep 1,261 Posts Drives: M2C - X3M - Turbo E46 M3 - 45E Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: SOCAL iTrader: (2)	This is what I see...and you should share with your friends. Friends don't let friends put M badges on non-M cars... __________________ 575RWHP F87 M2C 875AWHP F97 X3M 1000+RWHP Turbo E46 M3 ALL TUNED BY BEND CALIBRATION
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06-20-2019, 09:41 PM	#5
swunder First Lieutenant 304 Rep 301 Posts Drives: 135is, x3 m40i, V70R Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (0)	We realllllly don't need another one of these threads. For the record, its completely embarrassing.
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06-20-2019, 10:28 PM	#6
SteveinArizona Brigadier General 3099 Rep 4,210 Posts Drives: BMW 530e Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Greater Phoenix iTrader: (0)	I wouldn't do it (if anything, I tend to want to do the opposite and drive a stealth mobile) but it is not my car and to each his own.
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06-21-2019, 05:40 AM	#7
lemans_e91 Private 29 Rep 60 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW E91, 2007 BMW E86 Join Date: May 2019 Location: Hampshire, UK iTrader: (0)	You need to care less about their feelings and educate them on their poor life choices. Obviously, in a light-hearted way, not a complete a-hole way. __________________ 2006 BMW 320d Sport \| Le Mans Blue \| 18in Style 162 \| Blue Shadow / Anthracite Alcantara 2007 BMW Z4 3.0si Coupe \| Stratus Grey \| 19in Veemann V-FS33 \| BC Racing coilovers \| Oregon Black leather
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06-21-2019, 07:12 AM	#9
The0pportunist Major 480 Rep 1,271 Posts Drives: F30 335i Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: London iTrader: (0)	BMW do the same thing by putting M badges on non M cars. There must be a market for it if the manufacturers are even doing it.
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06-21-2019, 08:08 AM	#10
allinon72 Brigadier General 5058 Rep 3,859 Posts Drives: 20' M2C, 23' X1 Join Date: May 2017 Location: Indianapolis, IN iTrader: (3)	They are to be ignored. But if we want to talk about brand dilution, it's BMW that's the biggest problem.
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06-21-2019, 08:36 AM	#11
Soterios BXR 577 Rep 636 Posts Drives: 2012 135i Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: Missouri iTrader: (0)	I couldn't care less what someone else does to their car. It doesn't matter if I don't like something I down own. If you want to put an M3 badge on your Kia, go nuts. __________________ 2012 135i M Sport Alpine White
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06-21-2019, 08:38 AM	#12
1MOREMOD - 11818 Rep 23,186 Posts Drives: Race car-> Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: check your mirrors iTrader: (5)	Really pisses me off when I drive to the mall in my souped up geo in all M gear and walk around and cant find one to lean on to find chicks.
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06-21-2019, 09:07 AM	#13
New2Roundel Captain 469 Rep 804 Posts Drives: Some fun stuff Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Philly, PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 Jeep GC SRT [0.00] 1994 VW Corrado SLC [0.00] 2011 BMW M3 [0.00]	I wouldn't be friends with them any longer. But I'm a legit M3 owner and unsurprisingly, I don't have any friends anyway.
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06-21-2019, 09:21 AM	#14
Efthreeoh General 19020 Rep 19,641 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	The term for your friends is "Roundel-hound" (e.g. Roundelhound). Definition (1) - buyer of a BMW just because of the Roundel badge on the hood, which then leads to such abhorrent behavior of re-badging their car to something it is not. (2) - buyer of a BMW (especially an SUV or "SAV" - BMW's term for SUV) just because of the Roundel on the hood, so as to impress their neighbors, and who have no appreciation of BMW's heritage as producer of magnificent small sports sedans (generally recognized as starting with the 2002 in the late 1960's). (3) - A Poser. (4) BMW corporation itself that has recently forgotten that their heritage is building small sports sedans (i.e. does not even now offer a manual transmission in the G20 3-Series for the North American market)... __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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06-21-2019, 09:27 AM	#15
Efthreeoh General 19020 Rep 19,641 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Maybe the way BMW can cure this is to require proof of ownership of an M car prior to selling replacement badges; the same rules BMW has for buying replacement keys... __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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06-21-2019, 09:57 AM	#16
King Rudi Lieutenant Colonel 13071 Rep 1,965 Posts Drives: Meat Suit Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Planet Earth iTrader: (0)	I have a friend who owns a Dodge pick up that put the gigantic Rumble Bee sticker on the bed of his truck. From what I understand the sticker wasn't cheap and he had it "installed." After years of people wanting to race him at red lights and getting his ass handed to him, not to mention the ridicule from all of his friends, he finally decided to remove it. I have another friend that has admired my Shepherd Fairy "Obey" t-shirts but didn't know where to buy them and had someone make him a few shirts on a silk screen that have "obey" on them in the wrong font. Pretty funny. As for badge-ing cars, I'll agree that it's to make themselves feel better about their car purchase. There is a guy here that has a IS250 that debadged it and tells everyone it's a 350. Every time I see the guy I make sure to blow the doors off him just to be an ass.
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06-21-2019, 10:31 AM	#17
Red Bread Major General 4457 Rep 9,160 Posts Drives: Smog machines Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	Just add to the pile. Stick a Nurburgring sticker on his car and a Black Series, RS and V Series badges.
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06-21-2019, 10:35 AM	#18
twinscrolled Private 39 Rep 99 Posts Drives: 2011 335i Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (0)	It's pretty dumb. Some are obviously just the owners trolling but some are not, like the bone stock E93 335i with M stripes and badges that was trying to "race" me in bumper to bumper traffic.
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06-21-2019, 11:13 AM	#19
///M Power-Belgium General 70324 Rep 26,590 Posts Drives: ///M3-E92-DCT Silverstone II Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Belgium iTrader: (0)	It's like fake news ... __________________ "MAX VERSTAPPEN" IS THE 2021+2022+2023 F1 WORLD CHAMPION - #UnLeashTheLion BPM DEV-Tune & DCT Software-Tune & Servotronic & coding ///Alpine HID Angeleyes ///Oem.exhaust mod.
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06-21-2019, 11:29 PM	#20
Dog Face Pony Soldier 2006 TIME Person Of The Year 9701 Rep 6,445 Posts Drives: M Sport 335i Join Date: May 2013 Location: North Jersey iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 335i [9.74]	Confession: I have silly daydreams of replacing the Toyota badges on the new Supra with Roundels. 🤭 __________________
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06-22-2019, 08:39 AM	#21
gatorfast Major General 5076 Rep 6,883 Posts Drives: 718 Cayman Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SoFla iTrader: (4)	I don't understand anyone who would do this either. OP, having friends who engage in this terrible activity why don't you ask them why they do it? Personally, I would be embarrassed to have false/poser badging on my car.
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06-22-2019, 09:11 PM	#22
hellrotm Banned 4141 Rep 6,924 Posts Drives: F80 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: ...Location...Location iTrader: (0)	Stopped caring when BMW starting putting M badges on non-M models.
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