[Desertnate]

I was leaving a parking lot today and noticed a red e46 coupe with a //M badge on the rear. Being one who is always intrigued by an M3 (no matter how many I see) I went to take a closer look.

Almost immediately I began to note some flaws.
- no dual exhaust
- no side vets just aft of the side blinkers
- No "power bulge" in the shape of the hood
- 18" Type 78 (the ones that look light a nightmare to clean)wheels from the '02 330 sport package
- Fenders appeared to be missing that extra flared width to accomodate the larger wheels/tires

I didn't bother to look inside...I had seen enough

It was abviously a stock '02 330ci with a freakin' //M badge on the rear. :tsk:

Are there places to buy aftermarket //M badges? Will a dealer sell a //M badge to a non-//M owner? I had seen Dinan, ACS, and Hamman badges out there, but never the coveted //M. :dunno:

Sad part is the yahoo owner will probably fool most people into thinking he is driving something he isn't. To those of us who know, it is really sad...

 

[Guest]

You have to ask yourself, who the f*ck is this guy trying to impress? The BMW enthusiasts know it's fake. He bought a $10 badge and is pretending he paid $10-15K more for his car. I can only imagine what kind of person would actually be impressed by that.

 

[Ack]

TD is right. The //M badge isn't going to fool any BMW enthusiast. I have the M68 wheels (which have an //M logo and came with the sport package on my car) and the //M lighted shift knob. This is different than putting a badge on a car. The purpose of a badge on the rear of the car is to signify the type of car it is. At least that was my understanding of a badge. :dunno:

Interestingly enough, you can pick them up at Bimmer Toys for $30. Notice how they even say "sometimes people buy them for their 528e"! :tsk: So they are rather easy to come by.

 

[Patrick]

I drove behind an E36 316i last weekend that had a M badge on the rear trunk; when we both stopped at the traffic light, I looked over and gave the guy a :thumbup: and then laughed. Oh well, he probably thought that he got a few exta HP out it.

To be honest, I could care less about the M badging question. Whatever floats your boat.

Happy motoring!

Patrick

 

[JPinTO]

I saw a M3 with 328i badge on it. Not 328CI... 328i. It was an authentic E46M3.

I guess he's capitalizing on the reverse effect.... people who haven't a clue which car is which without the badging. I guess it will help thwart dumb car thieves who don't want a 328i.

 

[AF]

I drove behind an E36 316i last weekend that had a M badge on the rear trunk; when we both stopped at the traffic light, I looked over and gave the guy a :thumbup: and then laughed. Oh well, he probably thought that he got a few exta HP out it.

To be honest, I could care less about the M badging question. Whatever floats your boat.

Happy motoring!

Patrick

I'm with Patrick on this one . . . if it makes the owner of the car happier then more power to him/her.

Also, I am pretty sure the 18 inch wheels type 72's (at least in the USA)

 

[Mr. The Edge]

One other thing to note:

The largest BMW dealer in the U.S. is ///Momentum in Houston. All the cars they sell come with an ///M badge on the left side of the trunk opposite the badge. The ///M is all silver, not colored, but I bet that has caused many people to think that the driver is a poseur without knowing the real deal.

 

[Dr. Phil]

I'm with Patrick on this one . . . if it makes the owner of the car happier then more power to him/her.

Count me on that list too.

It is your car do with it what you want. I know we kid about r_ice and extreme mods and yes to the majority of people some are really over the top, but if you own it and it makes you happy:thumbup:

The insistent shoving of one's opinion down the throat of others is getting a little old. Or I should say the repetitive slamming of this product or that model. :thumbdwn:

 

[Mr. The Edge]

Count me on that list too.

It is your car do with it what you want. I know we kid about r_ice and extreme mods and yes to the majority of people some are really over the top, but if you own it and it makes you happy:thumbup:

The insistent shoving of one's opinion down the throat of others is getting a little old. Or I should say the repetitive slamming of this product or that model. :thumbdwn:

Wagons suck.

j/k I love wagons. Our next vehicle will prob be a 5er wagon. Perhaps a 545iT? :bigpimp:

 

[nate]

One other thing to note:

The largest BMW dealer in the U.S. is ///Momentum in Houston. All the cars they sell come with an ///M badge on the left side of the trunk opposite the badge. The ///M is all silver, not colored, but I bet that has caused many people to think that the driver is a poseur without knowing the real deal.

It also says "Momentum" right below it. It doesn't look anything like the factory badge.

Also, they put it on the left side of the trunk.

Mine had one for a long time and no one ever said anything :dunno:

 

[Dr. Phil]

Wagons suck.

j/k I love wagons. Our next vehicle will prob be a 5er wagon. Perhaps a 545iT? :bigpimp:

Like our friend Johnlew:thumbup:

Hey if you really like wagons and are tired of the gas sucking pig of a Suburban, we could swap cars for a couple days:dunno:

I know it's a Texas thing with the Suburban, everything is BIG in Texas

 

[Mr. The Edge]

It also says "Momentum" right below it. It doesn't look anything like the factory badge.

Also, they put it on the left side of the trunk.

I said it was on the left. It looks close enough.

 

[Dr. Phil]

It also says "Momentum" right below it. It doesn't look anything like the factory badge.

Also, they put it on the left side of the trunk.

But again if you don't know the real deal you wouldn't know that's the wrong side for the M.

 

[nate]

But again if you don't know the real deal you wouldn't know that's the wrong side for the M.

It is obviously not an M badge though :dunno:

hold on, I'll look for pics...

 

[Cruzer]

One other thing to note:

The largest BMW dealer in the U.S. is ///Momentum in Houston. All the cars they sell come with an ///M badge on the left side of the trunk opposite the badge

I thought the ///M badge from Momentum was highlighting the fact that they are ///Motherf*ckers. With a capital M. :thumbdwn:

 

[Jetfire]

Had I not now been told of ///Momentum's dealer badge, I definitely would've snorted at a non-M bearing one. That reminds me of people who put things like "VTEC power" on their cars. VTEC Power, ///M Momentum...see how it could get confusing? I guess the one saving grace is that it's located on the left side of the decklid, which is where you'll find a lot of dealer badges.

We don't see many cars from Houston up here, but I'll keep my eyes peeled - I'm curious to see the badge now.

 

[Dr. Phil]

It is obviously not an M badge though :dunno:

hold on, I'll look for pics...

That further supports my statement...........wrong side wrong M

 

[nate]

We don't see many cars from Houston up here, but I'll keep my eyes peeled - I'm curious to see the badge now.

Here you go http://members.roadfly.com/nate328ci/DSCN0350.JPG

I don't think it looks much like an M badge. Many (if not the majority) of new BMWs in Houston have this. I took it off a week after the picture was taken.

I mean, it is on the left side and the model name is intact on the right side. Doesn't look like an M badge :dunno:

 

[Mr. The Edge]

Here you go http://members.roadfly.com/nate328ci/DSCN0350.JPG

I don't think it looks much like an M badge. Many (if not the majority) of new BMWs in Houston have this. I took it off a week after the picture was taken.

I mean, it is on the left side and the model name is intact on the right side. Doesn't look like an M badge :dunno:

From farther away it does. You can't read/see the "Momentum" from farther away. Plus the one's I've seen were higher up, at roughly the same height as the model badge.

 

[LIL RAJA]

not that i would but I don't think there is anything wrong with the M logo on any car. If it's a 3 series and he's got a M3 then he's a poseur. But the M is okay in my opinion. I think in USA we are 2 obsessed with identity of the car etc. In europe u will see even lowly 316is with M badge. They don't get all worked up or anything.

If u ask me, I like the debadged look the best. I would even debadge a M3 if I had one. But for now I don't think I am ready to get into a M car cuz they are just more than I can handle. My brother had a M3 and it was enuff to get me in troubles.

Peace.

LIL Raja