//M Badge ettiquette?

[SamE30]

So whats the deal with the M badge then?

These days you see a lot of BMWs of all shapes and sizes sporting the M badge on the grill or the boot especially.
Most of the time these are 1.8 e36's with lexus lights and tsw venoms.....

Just wondering what everyones views were on vehicles that carry the badge that arent M 3/5's.

I would quite like a grille badge of some sort as I reckon they look smart but as my car is obviously not an M3 am not sure if I can bring myself to do it..

Feel free to share your opinions.......

[orangecurry]

oh dear - take cover everybody...

M means M-tech, and can be stuck on anything with an M-tech gearknob through to M-Tech suspension.
M3/M5 means M-power, and can't, on pain of death or worse.

[Greeny]

If YOU like the look of the badges on the car put them on. I personaly don't give a toss what other people think, I think the badges look good on my car so I put them on.

[SamE30]

I am aware of the difference between M tech and M3/M5............

All I was suggesting was there are a number of rubbish cars out there bearing the M Badge and I didnt want to give the wrong impression!!

What other grille badges are there out there, Alpina, Hartge?

[Taylor325i]

What other grille badges are there out there, Alpina, Hartge?

What about one of these .......

http://www.eurobadgez.com/euro_badges.html

I'm gonna go for a pair of the German flag ones.



Taylor.

[snoops]

ac schnitzer?

[Speedtouch]

Why not debadge completely and confuse traffic wardens - why advertise?

[tim-ix]

I don't like seeing M badges on the grilles of a non M-car. Just my taste. I'd always de-badge the tailgate to lose the 325i or whatever, unless I had something like Ian's 332i or a 335i where I could do something a bit different. I don't like newer badges on older cars either, but again that's just my taste, as is my hatred of those Halfords M-Power badges.

Cool grille badges? Maybe a BRDC (British Racing Drivers Club) metal badge like on Frank Sytner's cars.

[handpaper]

I'd go the AMG/Hartge/AC Schnitzner route - if you have enough of their bits, use their badge. For instance, if you have a Schnitzer bodykit and wheels, go ahead and put the badge on; if all you have is a steering wheel badge, don't bother. One of these records what you buy and will only sell you a badge if you've got enough kit to justify it.

For an M-Tech badge, I'd say M-Technik suspension, minimum. It was supposed to be a performance option; gearknobs and bodykits don't, IMHO, make enough difference.

For myself, debadge and keep 'em guessing!

[chinchilla]

im liking these badges, gonna get them when the kit is fitted!



Ive debadges the '320i'.. looks much better without it!

[munky30]

I'd go the AMG/Hartge/AC Schnitzner route - if you have enough of their bits, use their badge. For instance, if you have a Schnitzer bodykit and wheels, go ahead and put the badge on; if all you have is a steering wheel badge, don't bother. One of these records what you buy and will only sell you a badge if you've got enough kit to justify it.

For an M-Tech badge, I'd say M-Technik suspension, minimum. It was supposed to be a performance option; gearknobs and bodykits don't, IMHO, make enough difference.

For myself, debadge and keep 'em guessing!

Well said. an Mtech steering wheel doesnt warrant an mtech badge.

Mtech running gear/performance does, mtech styling alone... its a fine line.. i wouldnt. I personally think if the car didnt come with a badge, it shouldnt have one, ever.

I'm keeping the 316i badge on my 325 (soon(ish) to be 328). Just for sh*ts and giggles.

[OllieB]

I think if it came out of the stealer sporting one then leave it on (As long as whoever specced the car when new didn't ask for one on their poverty spec 316i.)

For instance, I think the only E30 which came out of the dealer with one besides the actual M-power cars were the sports so in that case it is justified. Of course if you are hiding big power under your bonnet then I don't see any problems if you want to advertise......

[fuzzy]

be careful for fear of the badge police coming for you should you have the audacity to use a badge not intended for your car

[StuBeeDoo]

///M badges should only be on MPower cars. Just because a car has a bodykit, c/r gearbox and LSD doesn't make it an M car.

[SamE30]

ahaa some varying views........intruiging!

[he30]

If you like them, wear them!!

What does it matter what other people think, it's your car dude.

[fuzzy]

What other grille badges are there out there, Alpina, Hartge?

cosworth

[WillG]

///M badges should only be on MPower cars. Just because a car has a bodykit, c/r gearbox and LSD doesn't make it an M car.

thats all sports/motorsports had and lots of the later ones came from the dealer with them on, i think just an m badge on a sport is ok

[CHRISP]

///M for Mpower car only . That gets my vote

[m3ben05]

M badges are for M cars in the same way a ferrari badge is for a ferrari

Fake M cars look stupid and devalue the brand

[Cotty]

Im in the "if YOU like them stick them on" camp.

But then again I have Hartge stripes on my non Hartge touring Ill fit he Hartge grill badge when I find one as well (old style one)

[PeterS]

I think BMW themselves have devalued the ///M brand/badegs by offering 'M Sport' versions of everything from a 116i to a 550i . All of these come as standard with a minium of 'M' badged wheels & steering wheels...

However, I'm still of the opinion that only 'M' cars (and I don't include M Sport in that) should wear the badges...

Just my thoughts...

Peter

[m3ben05]

However, I'm still of the opinion that only 'M' cars (and I don't include M Sport in that) should wear the badges...

Definately, some boggo turd that happens to have an m tec gear knob or something equally as trivial has no right having one!

[lukescott]

I think BMW themselves have devalued the ///M brand/badegs by offering 'M Sport' versions of everything from a 116i to a 550i . All of these come as standard with a minium of 'M' badged wheels & steering wheels...

However, I'm still of the opinion that only 'M' cars (and I don't include M Sport in that) should wear the badges...


Peter

I agree with you. I had a big row the other day with my 19 yr old daughter when I gave out about two chavs in a e36 316i with lexus lights and m badge on the rear. She called me a badge snob (I am) .

[gareth]

i removed my ///M badges soon after buying my touring. when i fitted a new tailgate it had 316i badges on which were amusing but mainly do to the poor condition, i removed them too. sleeper is where it is at.

maybe a ///M30 badge to confuse people?

[Jhonno]

This is an example of what should be illegal..



Yes its a 318i.. and giving e36 owners the bad name that always gets brought up on here!

[SamE30]

Thats the kind of thing I was origionally talking about......

[Templ8e30]

My 325i Touring came with an ///M badge on. It's got sports interior, an lsd and m-tech suspenders as standard but will soon have a monster 2.7 under the bonnet so I'm leaving the badge on.

Cheers,

Iain T

[gareth]

mine had m-tech shocks, sport interior (factory), LSD, m-tech wheel and gearknob but i took mine off! and it will stay off the whole time i have a M30 and am still breathing!

[fuzzy]

if you put a fake 'm' badge on a non 'm' car you will soon be found out and made to look very silly as your beaten away from the lights by a saxo whereas the saxo driver will then be under the impression that his saxo is a genuine 'm' beater who will then be ridiculed by the world when he posts up his heroics on his owners forum. everyone loses.

[munky30]

paxo owner gets ridiculed....

Sounds like the ridiculers are the winners there.... so not everyone loses

[fuzzy]

paxo owner gets ridiculed....

Sounds like the ridiculers are the winners there.... so not everyone loses

but the saxo owner will go through puberty then life genuinely believing saxo's are quicker than 'm' cars and will forever looking down on the 'm' range. all because someone stuck a fake badge on the back of their car.is it really worth it i ask myself. can you live with that guilt?

[Speedtouch]

I'm gonna put one on the front grille of my latest acquisition, an E34 535iSE; after all it is a *M*anual with ///M30 engine, already has 'M' stripes on its leather seats and my first name begins with M.

Actually, I intended to fit the badge on my ///Miller ///MAF-equipped 325iSE but someone bought the car before I had the chance to!

[215m3]

///M badges for M variants only regardless of what M tec parts have been added to a none ///M. Would M tec suspension added as an extra from the factory be the exactly same as on an ///M model. Me thinks not as the ratings/spec would be different.

I'm in the section of if it aint an M Powered Factory model the badge should go. If you want an ///M badge get an ///M car all other cars are not worthy IMO.

[delboye30]

'M' Badges should only be put on 'M' Power cars! When I see a 'M' badge on a car like a 316i i always PMSL. I have a 'M' badge on my 325i sport but thats definitely gonna come off and be replaced with the 325i badge. Anyway thats just my
opinion, sorry if that sound harsh but with every tom/dick and harry having one on their car takes the right p***.