View Poll Results: Do you prefer your E60 Badged or Debadged?
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Badged or Debadged ?
08-09-2004, 02:20 PM
#31
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My Ride: 2011 F10 528i - Imperial Blue, Oyster/Black, Premium, Premium 2, Cold Weather, Xenons.
Why not just leave only the 5... 
Photoshopped......
Photoshopped......
08-09-2004, 02:22 PM
#32
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My Ride: #1: 2004 545i; 6-speed manual; Sport Package; Mystic Blue with a gray leather interior and Anthracite wood; CWP; Logic 7.
#2: 2010 535xi Touring; Automatic.
Living in Germany in the mid-80s, I actually thought people de-badged just to say "You all know I could buy and sell you! You are so beneath contempt that I'm not even going to give you the pleasure of knowing exactly what just passed you!" So it was a kind of snob appeal, not hiding the cheap version of a model, but intead spreading a thin layer of mostly insincere modesty on a hot car.
Plus I had one German explain that it had nothing to do with aesthetics or broadcasting a snobby secrecy, but was simply done to prevent rust from propagating from the inevitable punctures in the metal from mounting the badges. It sounds like the badges are glued on today, so that excuse no longer works. We are left pretty much with snobby secrecy.
I never thought much about the vandalism thing. The Germans do like their Schadenfreude....
Plus I had one German explain that it had nothing to do with aesthetics or broadcasting a snobby secrecy, but was simply done to prevent rust from propagating from the inevitable punctures in the metal from mounting the badges. It sounds like the badges are glued on today, so that excuse no longer works. We are left pretty much with snobby secrecy.
I never thought much about the vandalism thing. The Germans do like their Schadenfreude....
08-09-2004, 02:33 PM
#33
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My Ride: F02 LCI Individual
Model Year: 2013
Originally Posted by tab545' date='Aug 10 2004, 12:22 AM
Living in Germany in the mid-80s, I actually thought people de-badged just to say "You all know I could buy and sell you! You are so beneath contempt that I'm not even going to give you the pleasure of knowing exactly what just passed you!"
08-09-2004, 02:38 PM
#34
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My Ride: #1: 2004 545i; 6-speed manual; Sport Package; Mystic Blue with a gray leather interior and Anthracite wood; CWP; Logic 7.
#2: 2010 535xi Touring; Automatic.
Originally Posted by Iceman' date='Aug 9 2004, 04:33 PM
When somebody knows the model designation of BMW's he will know what just passed him, because he will understand my license plate...
08-09-2004, 02:48 PM
#35
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My Ride: F02 LCI Individual
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Originally Posted by tab545' date='Aug 10 2004, 12:38 AM
What's your plate? E60 545? Whatever it is, very good planning on your part!
OK, here it is:
08-09-2004, 02:52 PM
#36
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Originally Posted by Iceman' date='Aug 9 2004, 04:48 PM
[quote name='tab545' date='Aug 10 2004, 12:38 AM'] What's your plate?? E60 545?? Whatever it is, very good planning on your part!
OK, here it is: [/quote]
Iceman..i think it's not your car that makes "them" wanna vandalize it.. it may be your plate..hahahaha
08-09-2004, 03:03 PM
#37
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I'm not sure i understand all this debadging stuff, but i figure those who know, know, and those who don't couldn't care less. I could stick "911" on the back of my 545 and my wife would think we bought a Porsche. From what I can tell badging debates occur frequently in BMW and Mercedes circles, where trim differentiation exists on top of similar platforms. Where each trim differentiation was created to appeal to a particular price point, implied functional need, or demographic, badge conciousness plays right into the marketer's hand when we begin to assign value or worth to the existence (and thus removal) of such badges. The ultimate "poser" in this sense, is the buyer who purchases a 545 on his or her 530 budget- the purchaser who's been manipulated into spending more than he or she intended. It is actually re-badging (a higher model number purchase) which is desired by the manufacturer.
Because of the similar E60 platform, I think many 545 owners look upon 525/530 buyers as not being able to afford a 545. On the contrary, I'd guess most made a concious decision to purchase their vehicle given their personal value proposition. It should be looked at the same way as my ability to have purchased a 911- i could have but chose not to. Didn't fit the budget/timing/size reqt's/whatever right now.
Serious question for you guys outside the US - do folks debadge DB7s, 355s, or 911s where you are for the clean lines? The few guys I know with CL/S 55s wouldn't dream of removing that AMG badge, no matter how easy it came off.
Because of the similar E60 platform, I think many 545 owners look upon 525/530 buyers as not being able to afford a 545. On the contrary, I'd guess most made a concious decision to purchase their vehicle given their personal value proposition. It should be looked at the same way as my ability to have purchased a 911- i could have but chose not to. Didn't fit the budget/timing/size reqt's/whatever right now.
Serious question for you guys outside the US - do folks debadge DB7s, 355s, or 911s where you are for the clean lines? The few guys I know with CL/S 55s wouldn't dream of removing that AMG badge, no matter how easy it came off.
08-09-2004, 03:11 PM
#38
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My Ride: #1: 2004 545i; 6-speed manual; Sport Package; Mystic Blue with a gray leather interior and Anthracite wood; CWP; Logic 7.
#2: 2010 535xi Touring; Automatic.
Originally Posted by Iceman' date='Aug 9 2004, 04:48 PM
Once I pass you, you'll know it...
OK, here it is:
OK, here it is:
08-09-2004, 03:14 PM
#39
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My Ride: F02 LCI Individual
Model Year: 2013
Originally Posted by tab545' date='Aug 10 2004, 01:11 AM
Thing of beauty.? The Frankfurt plate put to the best use I've ever seen.? You must know somebody in the Nummerschildzuweisungsamt.
They even offer this service on the internet. You put the license plate in you want and if it's available you can reserve it for 30 days!
Then your dealer just shows up there with the print out and you'll get it...
08-09-2004, 06:01 PM
#40
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My Ride: G30 M550i
Model Year: 2018
If you guys are able to generate your own custom plates at the dealerships, then what the heck do all your prisoners do to kill time? 