Debadging

To remove the badges from an E30 is a 15 minute job and cleans up the back end of the car in my opinion.

What you need is a piece of string or fishing wire, some rubbing compound, some polishing compound, some tar remover and some polish and rags and a kettle.

Boil the kettle and pour the hot water slowly over the badge, this softens the adhesive.

then using the string in a sawing motion get behind the badge and saw away the adhesive

now you will be left with the partial remains of the adhesive.

now using the tar remover and a damp rag begin rubbing away the adhesive, this is the hardest part of the job and i even resorted to picking away with my finger nails, but unless you are very very careful do not try to shortcut by using a stanley knife blade, keep working at it with the tar removed frequently adding more of the product and rubbing away. after 10 mins you should get rid of most of the adhesive.

5 mins

10 mins

thenonce you reach this stage apply a little rubbing compound with a damp cloth and rub away the last remains of the adhesive. Then using the polishing compound and a damp cloth polish away the different colour paint under the badge so it matches the surrounding paint - this is becasue the area under the badge will not have weathered as much as the exposed paint work but a few minutes polishing will bring it back, and finally a couple of coats of normal polish and thats it.

before

after