///M badge on non-M cars...

8648 Views 62 Replies 31 Participants Last post by E55AMG, Jun 28, 2005

IWantOne

Discussion Starter · Jun 15, 2005

I think it's truly amazing how many people think that every BMW with an M-badge has a powerful engine under the hood...
Why would you stick it to your car anyway, I think it's like putting a sock in your underpants because you want to show what a... (well you all know what I mean here). Really, I absolutely can't stand it and although they always want to race me at the stoplights, I just give them an angry look and refuse to race that sort of people ... I'm not wasting petrol and a real Motorsport engine to them...

Selling ///M badges should be prohibited to people who want to stick it on their 318 diesel (nothing against diesel though I adore the d3

)

21 - 40 of 63 Posts

Philip

· #21 · Jun 15, 2005

Lscman,

BTW, from reading your posts your obviously a big modifier, and I thank you for all the helpful and informative information that you constantly give out.

Philip

Stickman

· #22 · Jun 15, 2005

Philip said:
Putting an 'M' badge on your non-M BMW is what loosers do to impress others (not themselves).

Boy, "I Want One" seems to have hit a nerve here!! Let's all take a deep breath - and maybe something else...cherrsagai

As owners of the real thing, you hate to see the imposters. But in a way, it is a compliment.

I think that people that do this do it because they like what the M stands for and wish they had one. They may think it just looks cool; they may think it is a joke (like putting a Porsche badge on a Volkswagen); or they may want to fool people into thinking they have more under the hood than they do. Of course, when someone opens the hood or when they accelerate - the truth comes out.

At the end of the day, I recommend we just enjoy what we have and leave the imitators in our dust! :M5launch: That is the best reward!!

Gustav

· #23 · Jun 15, 2005

Imitiation is the most sincere from of flattery.

IWantOne

Discussion Starter · #24 · Jun 15, 2005 (Edited)

I didn't mean superior to express that I feel better than them because I drive (in my opinion) a great car (which indeed isn't really cheap) or for that matter have another job or even another skin colour. You'll NEVER hear me criticize one's choice of transportation (hey I've driven my share of cheaper cars too), I just don't like it that people want an M-car and thus stick M-badges on their car. You said that BMW promoted that sort of changes to cars with less power, hey I don't like that either

. I do not praise everything that is said or decisions made by BMW. Indeed, you have a point that a lot of people buy one just for showing off (maybe a bit more with Ferraris and Porsches than BMW's), and to be truly honest I don't drive constantly like my pants are on fire but it's nice to know that I can whenever I want to...

I propose we close this discussion, I'll try to remember Gustavs remark when a 'faker' (sorry couldn't leave it

) is revving his engine so I'd bust him at the stoplights...
As a final remark this just slightly bothers me it's not something that I lie awake of (life's too short for that

) at night.

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billrM5

· #25 · Jun 15, 2005

OK OK, I'll confess.

Before I got my M5, I had a 1999 528i. Probably 2 minutes after i got the 528, I wanted an M5 but could not afford it at that time. My 528 was a sport though, and did have ///M's on the shifter and steering wheel. I debadged about a year after I had the 528 and left it debadged for another year. About 6 months ago, I seriously started my quest for the Beast and yes...I put a plain ///M badge on the back of my 528 for about a month and then removed it.

I didn't do it to impress anyone. I did it because I ilke the way it looked, but after driving around with it for a while, I knew it was wrong and re-de-badged. I'm not sure if it bothers me as much as some, although I did see a 745 in a parking lot with an M badge on the far left side of the trunk. That one didn't seem to make much sense, but whatever. I do know that I would never de-badge my M5.

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Lscman

· #26 · Jun 15, 2005 (Edited)

Philip said:
For me it is NOT acceptable to put an M5 badge on a car that is not an M5. That is the only issue I'm commenting on, so please don't extrapolate more from it.

Philip,

Your blanket statement implies that a totally "correct" M5 replicar (aside from chassis VIN) is not acceptable to you, even if it is clearly presented by the owner as a non-OEM design replicar.

If such modifications are totally objectionable under any conditions, I must assume you have formed negative opinion about the person who owns such a car. You tell me...is this extrapolation, miscommunication or lack of information?

Maybe you really only object to a rebadged, stock 6 cyl car where the owner is verbally insisting the car is an M?

For me, it is totally acceptable to modify or rebadge any car. If it's presented as such, I don't care....no exceptions. IMO, each car owner has the right & privilege to alter their vehicle as their heart desires. I will not criticize them in any fashion.

I hear negative opinion is being expressed about replication & rebadging, which in turn, reflects negatively upon the owners. I see this as sterotypical denigration. You seem to dismiss this conclusion as extrapolation, but I can't see how. Are you somehow disliking these rebadged cars without forming opinion about the owner?

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Lscman

· #27 · Jun 15, 2005

billrM5 said:
OK OK, I'll confess.

Before I got my M5, I had a 1999 528i. Probably 2 minutes after i got the 528, I wanted an M5 but could not afford it at that time. My 528 was a sport though, and did have ///M's on the shifter and steering wheel. I debadged about a year after I had the 528 and left it debadged for another year. About 6 months ago, I seriously started my quest for the Beast and yes...I put a plain ///M badge on the back of my 528 for about a month and then removed it.

I didn't do it to impress anyone. I did it because I ilke the way it looked, but after driving around with it for a while, I knew it was wrong and re-de-badged. I'm not sure if it bothers me as much as some, although I did see a 745 in a parking lot with an M badge on the far left side of the trunk. That one didn't seem to make much sense, but whatever. I do know that I would never de-badge my M5.

Bad boy...reformed.

Lscman

· #28 · Jun 15, 2005

This is a multi-faceted topic. Reproduction is indeed a form of flattery, so it indeed can be taken in a positive fashion.

Owning an original car has many pros and cons. A major "con" is that most folks can not afford to drive it like they stole it, so it becomes a waxer queen. This makes many exotics and premium performance cars difficult to use as intended....for track, spirited street and other venues where risk is involved.

In some cases, tasteful reproduction with rebadging allows folks to show off and/or display rare designs on the street. Driving the "real deal" is often cost prohibitive, so originals oft sit in a climate-controlled garage queen environment.

In other cases, rebadging is an effort to get the look at low cost. This option is popular with younger owners.

Generally folks choose the route they can afford.

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billrM5

· #29 · Jun 15, 2005

it really is amazing how many emotions are brought to the surface by this topic. in the end, all i really care about is that i do have an M5 and I love it. Anyone who wants to badge a non-M5 feel free, but as posted earlier in this thread, let's just line up at the red light and let the real ///M badged car step forward. :M5launch::byebye:

Ronin M5

· #30 · Jun 15, 2005

I just saw a ///M3 license plate frame on an e46 330i sedan.

I mean, at least put it on something that exists...

Some people have no clue. Whatever makes em happy. Just gives those in the know, something to laugh about.

JEM

· #31 · Jun 15, 2005

billrM5 said:
it really is amazing how many emotions are brought to the surface by this topic. in the end, all i really care about is that i do have an M5 and I love it. Anyone who wants to badge a non-M5 feel free, but as posted earlier in this thread, let's just line up at the red light and let the real ///M badged car step forward. :M5launch::byebye:

I ordered my car debadged (it was a factory option in '00) - actually bought a 523i badge for it at the Munich dealership when we picked the car up, but never gotten around to putting it on. My view has always been that anyone who I'd want to know what my car is ought to be able to identify it without the labels.

Driving around Europe back then what you noticed was that (a) the vast majority of E39s weren't badged, because neither the folks with the cheap hardware nor the guys with the expensive hardware really want you to know what's in there and (b) most of the 5ers with //M badges stuck on were really 520s and 523s and the occasional 525td.

Philip

· #32 · Jun 15, 2005

Lscman said:
Philip,

Your blanket statement implies that a totally "correct" M5 replicar (aside from chassis VIN) is not acceptable to you, even if it is clearly presented by the owner as a non-OEM design replicar.
QUOTE]

You are correct. Only BMW builds the M5. You can mod a non-M all you want, and it's still not an M. And it won't be recognized as one by BMW, a court of law, the highway patrol, the DMV, a future purchaser of your car, the insurance agency. etc.....The VIN number is the ultimate legal identification of the true identity of the car, and you are not allowed to change it (maybe the legal folks were thinking of possers when they mandated this?).

IWantOne

Discussion Starter · #33 · Jun 15, 2005 (Edited)

I'd say having a badge or not is like playing poker...
If you have a non-M BMW and you place a badge you're bluffing
An M with a badge : you're just playing it honest, no bluffing etc.
If you have an M and you de-badge it you're just going for that one stupid person that thought his cards were higher (or his engine bigger) and didn't recognize your Beast

PS: There are probably terms for that in the English poker-lexicon, but I'm not a native English speaker ...

Edit: I just noticed the picture of my M3 is approved, sorry for the bit crappy picture, but a friend of mine saw it in the city and sent me this one ... Next investment : a decent camera

kiwi M & M

· #34 · Jun 15, 2005

IMHO, a non-abusing way to use the ///M badge for modified BMW's is to stick it in front of the model number (i.e ///M325is, or ///M520d) which some dealerships in Asian markets do to their slightly modded bmw's with some M parts. Just my .02

-Jay

Lscman

· #35 · Jun 15, 2005 (Edited)

Philip said:
You are correct. Only BMW builds the M5. You can mod a non-M all you want, and it's still not an M. And it won't be recognized as one by BMW, a court of law, the highway patrol, the DMV, a future purchaser of your car, the insurance agency. etc.....The VIN number is the ultimate legal identification of the true identity of the car, and you are not allowed to change it (maybe the legal folks were thinking of possers when they mandated this?).

You are also 100% correct, if I may so boldly state.

But......who here ever claimed that a visually accurate or tasteful "reproduction" is, in any way, original? This seems to be an ongoing sticking point.

Reproductions are available in crafts, paintings, furniture, cars, books, home fixtures, clothing etc. Properly-represented reproductions & copies are accepted at face value by most collectors, without protest or objection. How many personal collections, public libraries & museums contain copies, prints, models or other "poser assets", as you might classify them? Is it only cars that are a problem?

Why should individuals be discouraged or inhibited from developing reproductions while aftermarket companies openly exploit such opportunities? I applaud the fellow that builds a nice repro car at 1/3 the price.....correct VIN or not. Maybe he's a Ford enthusiast, turning a rusty $3K Mustang basket case ready for the crusher into a pretty repro GT350. Maybe a BMW owner blows $5K for bolt-ons to transform a $15K 540i to look like a $40K M5. These personal creations are treated better, in most cases. Maybe a 1999 M5 owner wants the later angel eyes or 16x9 NAV...let's object to that too, since it's model year misrepresentation? In these examples, owners are obtaining the Shelby or M5 look they desire with some sweat equity instead of repeated trade-in's with help from a fat checkbook. I give plenty creedance to the fellow who upgrades/mods using his own hands & skill.

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Taipan

· #36 · Jun 15, 2005

kiwi M & M said:
IMHO, a non-abusing way to use the ///M badge for modified BMW's is to stick it in front of the model number (i.e ///M325is, or ///M520d) which some dealerships in Asian markets do to their slightly modded bmw's with some M parts. Just my .02

-Jay

what a funny thread.. my feeling is.. never put a M3/5 badge if it is not.. that is not cool and it really easy to see through.,.

however the //M badge in a a car with say a 530d which has factory sports stuff and springs etc (available atleast here for most bigger engined models) is ok.. Because those factory add ons are maybe/probably designed by M anyways and the owner has payed cash for those.. ok.. the //M badge only says it has as in the past Mtec stuff..

to put a badge on a regular not anything done is just stupid, and if I had some other modifications, why not use that manufacturers brand.. say dinan or kelleners or AcS or Hartge..

just my 0.02c in the midlle of the night :typing:

Kin Mak

· #37 · Jun 15, 2005

An M basde is suppose to just symbolise that the car has an M sport pakage on it. This can include uprated suspension, bodykit... etc.

I think most people do know that the only cars that have "M Power" are the ones holding the M5, M6 or M3 badge.

Saying that though my bro got a 330cic and it had the full M kit on it, pretty much everything except the engine and had a M badge on it. Within a week i convinced him that it would look better without and with the help of a little dental floss it came off immedately.

- Kin

Mrs_Struth

· #38 · Jun 15, 2005

billrM5 said:
. . . although I did see a 745 in a parking lot with an M badge on the far left side of the trunk.

I may have mentioned this before, but I've seen an "M7" here in Chicago! and a "V8 M5"! (the latter had also replaced the hood rondel with an Alipina badge. . . )

BmwNut

· #39 · Jun 15, 2005 (Edited)

Putting an M badge on an E36 clunker with 200k miles is about as bad as putting an SS badge on an old rustbucket 6cyl Camaro, or a Type R badge on an 85 Civic. They can do what they want, and that's fine, but what I hate the most is when they feel the need to defend their car as the real deal. I have fun across many an "M5," talked to the owner and had them claim through and through that is was a real one, just that is was a special model...hiha If you want the body kit etc go for it, and I guess if having the $5 badge helps you sleep or get ladies more power to you. It's just tacky and annoying in my book.
Once again, I love this pic and it seems applicable to this thread.

:cheers:

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IWantOne

Discussion Starter · #40 · Jun 16, 2005

Haha that must be the funniest Jetta I have EVER seen, if you want to place a badge as a joke, it's all fine to me. But on BMW's, just leave the M badges where they belong, on cars designed and built by the Motorsport division of the 'Bayerische Motoren Werke'.

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