Valvestud

Hi All,

I'm on a pre-move visit to Dusseldorf. With the exception of one C63, and a few other non-AMGs that I've spotted, the vast majority of other MBs are de-badged. I'm curious as to why? Is it for security, or embarrassment if the car is entry level, or ???

Thanks,

Joe

BLKROKT

Germans tend to debadge pretty much everything above a base car. 1) they don't like to show off or flaunt nice things, and Europeans in general tend to look down on success; and 2) to deter theft.

Valvestud

I see. Makes sense about the lack of flaunting. It's much different here than in the States.

Thanks!

Celicasaur

lol funny this thread is up.

I've had the rear of my car de-badged as well, even to the extent of having the Mercedes emblem removed, holes filled and the rear section resprayed.

My reasoning was as part of a clean bad-*** look. I just need another 100hp to finish it off.

medamullet

I haven't de-badged my MB yet, but in the past all my cars were. I agree with the above statement. I think the car just looks cleaner without badges. I don't even like license frames with stupid advertisements or sayings. Don't care your kids is an honor student, don't care about your political views, don't care that you and your family are zombies.


No stickers and no badges.

otakki

+1 LOL about the "Don't care's"
Unfortunately, I don't buy license frames and the free ones always come with advertisements.
Yes, flaunting wealth seems to be a major part of the American culture. Personally, I like to stay low and fly under the radar.

sventastic82

WTF?!?
The only reason why you see so many debadged cars in Germany. Is that it looks cleaner and not so busy. It's actually an option on new cars from the dealer.
If a thief can't tell the difference between a c63 and a c300 besides the badging then The thief will not be a thief for long.

And yes Europeans tend to look down on success. Almost everyone in Europe has a brick in their pocket in case you walk by a nicer car than yours so you can throw it into the windshield.

Besides that Americans tend to put a fancy name or a badge on anything even on your ****ty dodge.
Give a car a cool name and it makes it better.
Wold series champion but don't play against anyone else in the world.

INS1GNIA

Someone had some stale doughnuts this morning lol.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C5MxERBxJGc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

sventastic82

That video is damn funny.
See that guy had a brick and wanted to be a thief and thought is was a c63.

I know what I'm going to do. I'll put a c180 badge on my c63 to keep thief away.

BLKROKT

No. You're wrong. It's largely cultural. Sure some just like the cleaner look, but that doesn't account for pretty much all cars being debadged. In my humble experience, Germans are a modest bunch and think badges are vulgar or ostentatious. Don't believe me ask the NYTimes, not that an ugly fat stupid American newspaper would know any better of course. (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/au...DGES.html?_r=0)


Deters the stupid ones. You're smart though, you could be their king thief if you wanted.


That sounds about right. I lived in France, and it's almost their national pastime to burn and loot cars, or to key up exotics and other cars of the bourgeoisie. Germans are more respectful for sure, but their porous borders butt right up against countries that have little to no respect for other peoples property or are some of the premier destinations for stolen cars in the world.


Um, ok.


Have many friends?

sventastic82

Have many friends?[/QUOTE]
Many, they are the guys who saved me from the situation of buy the stolen car.
Just read on.

Really? I thought you would have caught on going by my gramma.
I'm German move to the US when I was 24 in 2006.
The debadging is just for the looks. Anyone can tell the difference between the cars even w/o the badge.
And the New York time doesn't know it better but their story sounds more interesting.
The reason I say that is that 80% of the owners debadge their cars over in Germany not for the fear of getting their c180 or c200 stolen. Even Taxi's/ yellow cabs and police cars are debadged and they are not afraid of getting their cars stolen.

Now you compare France with Germany? I'm not going to compare Mexico with the U.S. Which is the same cultural difference.

The reason for the stolen cars are the east European countries that is where most of the stolen cars go and get turned around to be sold in the same county there were stolen from.
I know that because I almost bought a stolen car and the seller and his little gang tried to force me to buy the car after I found out that it was stolen.

AMG3.2

I like America.

AMGPower88

x63

Celicasaur

Because I'm nice, here's a couple shots of mine debadged....not the best angles, I know and my Renntech spoiler isn't fitted here (the car had just come back from the body shop at the point of taking the pics)

hyperion667

embarrassment?? really dude? are you that vain and shallow? some people like the smooth look on the rear.....and DON'T feel the need to show the badge to the world


entry level?? LOL!!!!!

Celicasaur

To be fair, a lot of folks in the UK do tend to debadge the lower models and put replica kits of the premium ones and silently drive around to give the impression that it's a better car than it actually is.

The BMW 3 series has always been plagued by this for years. You get so many M3 replica's driving around, but without the final badge at the end.

lol ironically i've been asked a few times if my car is an actual AMG since I debadged it...I mean...one guy even thought I went to the lengths of putting genuine discs/calipers in addition to the 'bodykit', exhaust etc .....i just said yeah it's an E350 sport...and I drove off really quietly to try and replicate the E350 levels of refinement

Valvestud

Completely inappropriate response. Just sayin. But thanks for all your effort to put it together.

hyperion667

yes, completely inappropriate.....but thinking someone debadges because of an 'entry level' car is


carry on

MTV10

WOW!
Looks so clean... nicely done.

I debadged my whole car.
The rear and the side emblems are all shaved. Much cleaner look IMO... sleeper to the vast majority of the population.

Iridium222

IMO it's fascinating how each part of the world has its own differences.

Fudge Monkey

The MB star is admired the world over and generally associated with status.
Europeans are big on symbolism. That's why MB places a giant star on the hood of their cars. And honor flags with bright bold colours. There's no mistaking one thing for another. It's pride. It's in your face and doesn't apologize.

My first rolex was my dirty little secret. I wanted a quality timepiece but the attention it drew made me feel vulnerable. So I chiseled the crown off the dial. Then I took pleasure in flaunting it it because nobody noticed it.

otakki

Should have gotten a Tudor instead.

pbaylog

I also like the clean, Debadged look...especially if lets more Magno show through. Just love the color and sheen of it.

I was worried at first that there might be some residual "ghosting" from where the badges were, but nothing - nice and clean.