mac911

I think the white star one looks great.

Is the AMG one a new creation or did Mercedes have such a badge at one time?

DFWdude

To my knowledge, Mercedes-Benz has never made a factory AMG badge for the hood. Of course, the AMG bar Logo is placed on the right side rear trunk lid on cars AMG equipped.

Adopting the James Bond adage to describe a woman with died blonde hair, "provided the collars and cuffs match," I have created the AMG Flat Badge to emulate the style of the block lettering on the rear trunk.

While it is the same font style, the hood badge AMG lettering is slightly shortened horizontally to fill a larger amount of space, so that it is more visible.

DFWdude

Some of you have written to ask if my badges fit the W212 models with the solid Chrome style base mount. The short answer is YES.

In technical fact, the polished face upright hood star mount on the current E-Class cars was introduced on the S-Class (W221) in 2006, and carries an S-Class part number, #221-880-0086 (the “221” part of the number means it is for a W221 S-Class sedan). So, (technically) all current E-Class sedans have an upright hood star from the S-Class.



However, this is a simple adaptation of the Laurel Wreath Upright Star that came before (Pt# 210-880-0186), which first appeared on the W210 E-Class in 1996. You’ll notice that the diameter of both stars is the same, and the mount that is below the hood is identical for both badges.

Because I manufacture my WHITE STAR and AMG Flat Badges from the W210 upright, my badges will fit all the Mercedes sedans that use these two Upright Star styles, including your W212. Compare side by side photos of the Upright stars and their related flat badges below.

mbfoup

Would be nice to see more pictures, it is very difficult for a prospective customer to make his mind or take the risk without lots of hires pictures. You send me one free and I will be glad to take all those pix for you (if, obviously, the fit is perfect, as it seems to be the case looking at your comments)! Thanks.

DFWdude

Post #19 is the only photo I have of my work on a W212. Although I have sold nearly a dozen badges to W212 owners (both WHITE STARs and AMG Badges) apparently everyone is too bashful to share photos here, despite several requests from me. I can assure you they fit, as the single photo in post #19 shows.

DFWdude

The Sun was at the right angle and intensity today, so I took some new photos of my products...




Also, here are the installation instructions...

mbfoup

Thanks for the pic. I am still undecided between your model and the one at ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...#ht_2455wt_941).

I don't have my car yet but I suppose the existing badge at the top of the stock grille (I don't want to change that grille) seems to look like the ebay badge and therefore the theme would look duplicated (with that ebay badge) which would bother me. At least your star design seems unique, any feedback? Thanks.

DFWdude

Feel free to compare the two badges side by side. Most people say there is no comparison.

With respect to the other guy, there is more work in my WHITE STAR Flat Badge. On the other badge, the upright star is removed, leaving a raised mount and a hole, as seen in the upper image in the photo below. A (small diameter) star button is then placed over the hole to cover it. In contrast, to prep my badge for a much larger star image, I remove (mill away) the original upright mount, as shown in the closer image, so that the new WHITE STAR (or AMG) insert sits flush into the mount, not on top. More work, indeed.



The result is a "double bump" appearance in the e-Bay badge, with a smaller, interchangeable Tristar (or AMG) button plopped on top of the rest of the mount. This effect is not "flush" when viewed from the side on the hood, IMO. In contrast, my WHITE STAR sits truly flush with the rest of the mount, with the hatched background detail actually recessed below the top level for depth. I feel my WHITE STAR Flat Badge provides a larger, more visible and integrated star image, using the classic legacy tristar trademark so common among all Mercedes-Benzes prior to the mid 1990's.

On the AMG version, I tried to make the letters as large as possible so that it can actually be read as "AMG" from a distance. IMO, the decoration in the e-Bay badges are not big enough to make the BOLD, visual statement worthy of Mercedes-Benz style.





BTW, I designed my product in late 2005, and have been selling WHITE STAR Flat Badges since July, 2006, 4-years ago. This is my original idea, and each badge I make is signed and serial numbered. There are fewer than 450 WHITE STARs on the planet as I write this, fewer than 40 AMG Flat Badges. Some people buy these just to collect them.

I'm confident in leaving the choice of the prettier badge to the marketplace.

Both are better than the cheap plastic badges that slap on top of the hood, paint-fade in the Sun within a couple years, and snag a carwash towel all the time.

fromthebeginnin

Any plans to do a traditional star?

Thanks

DFWdude

With respect, my badge IS the traditional style for grille and hood badges. The current Chrome look flat badge is the newcomer on the block, first appearing as a flat badge on MB coupes in the mid 1990’s only. Prior to that, the broad White Star dominated (as the accepted flat badge) from 1926 forward, the time of the merger between Daimler AG and Benz.


After 1926, the broad white star was the standard, and most recently was found on the G-Wagon as late as 2006. Mercedes also sold a series of key fobs with the legacy (traditional) white star logo as recently as 2007 as well. So, the White Star, in terms of longevity, is by far the “traditional” and very much an OEM flat badge design. Here are a few examples…





As for the style you want, not the traditional, but the current design... I have no plans to make one. There are others already out there with this design, including the cheap plastic SLK badge found on all the coupes, short of the metal badges on the SL and CL series. Aftermarket (non-OEM) versions of this design flirt with legal issues due to the current trademark for that design. In contrast, my White Star design is technically an abandoned trademark.

fromthebeginnin

Thanks for the response and the email.

FTB

mbfoup

See pics. I am not sure yet if I want to change the grille, I am not too happy with the grilles I've seen and since I started looking it seems every other MB has an after market star-grille (sometimes cheesy looking) so I don't know yet. But I did not say anything about the swap (visor vs badge) and my wife immediately noticed how much more class the car appeared (saying it looks like a Bentley. See third picture in particular).

DFWdude

Finally starting to see some pictures of badges on the W212. Here are some from Ari.
His new grille looks awesome with the WHITE STAR Flat Badge!





And this last one, like mbfoup's previously, shows how the badge sits within the divot despite the ridge in the hood. Verdict: It fits...

hyperion667

do you have them in black?

cvinfig

Sorry, no good close-ups but there are plenty of those elsewhere in this thread.

blackbullit

White Star Badge fits nicely and looks good!

DFWdude

Thanks, Fellas. Nice to see some pictures, and even nicer to read you are satisfied with my product.

hyperion667

can I get the Gwagon badge, circa 2006? will it fit w212?
I'd like to get a flat hood badge, but having a hard time finding a black colored one.....

can you help?
anything black.....with the exception of amg insignia........

thanx

DFWdude

The G-wagon badge is too small in diameter, so it will not fit any of the sedans. Nor is the G-wagon badge black. It is a very dark blue, I'm almost certain. Haven't seen one in a while.

The blue laurel wreath on my badges come from the factory in blue, and are not changeable.

DFWdude

Christmas Delivery Notice...

Should you want to order one of my badges for the holidays (as a gift for yourself or someone else), I suggest that you contact me so that your order can be placed no later than Saturday, Dec. 18. This will ensure that your package is mailled on the 20th for delivery by Dec. 23rd.

I mail all my badges using USPS Priority Mail, in a Small Flat Rate Box, with delivery in 2-3 business days.

Each year, someone always wants to place an order at the last minute and demand overnight delivery. I can't accomodate these, as I will be travelling and out of touch after Dec. 22. Orders placed after this time will be shipped on Dec. 27.

So, if you want a badge before Christmas, please place your order sometime this coming week, please. Thanks.

DFWdude

If collector's serial numbers mean anything to you, and you:

1) want a WHITE STAR Flat Badge with a serial number at or below 450,

2) or an AMG Flat Badge with serial number at or below 50...

please contact me soon at the link in my signature below.

anjy834u

well the badge of merc has been the symbol of luxury and class.. big fan

babyjocko

Why?

The hood ornament that MB puts on the E is the best it gets. If you are going to replace it, you might as well replace it with a turd. That's what anything else looks like. In fact, a turd may look better than having two similar badges on top of one another.

I mean, if you really want a flat badge or logo grill, why didn't you just buy a CLS or a C-sport? Holy...!

DFWdude

For those with W212s who are interested...

Currently, there are 23 White Stars or AMG Badges sitting on the hoods of W212 E-Class cars. Quite exclusive, I think.

RichardB

I'm not one to add after market non-OEM items to a car, but I like the flat badge---if for no other reason than it'll keep a-wipes from stealing the star.