Originally Posted by bimmerguy288' post='426910' date='May 21 2007, 04:56 PM

Well, with due respect, that car (330d) the poster was refering to was in Europe somewhere, NOT in U.S.A. So much for "bad taste of the American people.

Originally Posted by hinckley' post='426922' date='May 21 2007, 11:26 PM

Well said.

When I was younger, I lived and worked in Europe for several years. I came back to the States as a complete Europhile, feeling quite smug and sophisticated. Then I grew up and realized that entrepreneurship and very hard work can really pay off here in a way that it just does not or cannot in Europe. I still consider myself a Europhile, but I'm also a proud American capitalist.

And while it's easy to critique the PT Barnum-ism bad taste of the American public, while in Europe I can't help but notice the crowds in every Starbuck's in Germany and the wild profits of McDonald's in France (although I've never met a Frenchman who eats there - strange).

I don't criticize either culture. I just recognize the best of each of them. So although I agree that those who upwardly badge are "wankers" (a great expression that we don't have here), those who keep their big V8 badges because they're proud of their achievement are not braggarts.

Originally Posted by ressla' post='426955' date='May 22 2007, 12:47 AM

Then again combined the wrong way we could end up with a Loudmouth know-it-all dickbrain with Mr Bean incompetence.........

Originally Posted by kscarrol' post='426941' date='May 21 2007, 07:21 PM

Beat me to it! But I'm sure we have more than our fair share as well...

Originally Posted by ressla' post='426955' date='May 21 2007, 07:47 PM

If only we could combine the 2 cultures.By that I mean combining the entrepreneurship (and more importantly the RESPECT for entrepeneurs) of Americans with the preferred self effacing modesty of Brit / European culture. Less arrogance and more success.Wahey !!
Then again combined the wrong way we could end up with a Loudmouth know-it-all dickbrain with Mr Bean incompetence.........

Originally Posted by hinckley' post='426970' date='May 21 2007, 05:24 PM

Reminds me of that old saying about Canada . . . a country that had the possibility of combining French culture, British government and American ingenuity, instead ended up with American culture, French government and British ingenuity!!

Please, it's just a joke . . . no offense to the Americans, French, British or Canadians!!!!

Originally Posted by Wiu-Bimmer' post='427301' date='May 22 2007, 02:42 PM

Not sure if this thread has come to the attention of this other thread:
http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=40306

For those who say that you would never de-badge a 550i, there it is.... Check out the location too
Much better looking, gotta love her clean rear

Originally Posted by kscarrol' post='426888' date='May 21 2007, 05:10 PM

While I generally agree with you, how much is truly a desire to be modest versus how much is to avoid being being cursed by others as you cited above? There is a difference between a genuine desire to be modest and low key about things and the desire to avoid the reaction of others (and not get your car keyed!).

While you are correct that we Americans reward achievment and tend toward excess, I still firmly believe that most Americans simply accept the badges because that is the way they come from the factory. Most, if the cars came debaged, would not be asking to have a badge put on. As I pointed out much earlier in this thread, almost all dealers in the states put badges or decals on the rear of the car with their name as a form of advertising. They are usually quite unattractive but the vast majority of drivers simply leave them on here in the states, just like the badges.