JDBKLYN89

Hey guys,
Had the E parked down on the shore in Long Branch, NJ today. Came back to the car after a few hours and noticed right away that some loser snapped off my hood ornament. Always heard the stories from my parents about how back in the day kids would steal the benz ornaments and wear them around their necks, always kinda thought it was a joke! Not even upset as it's a cheap fix just thought it was funny that this is a real thing lol.....but may God help those punk kids if I ever catch them touching my girl again!!! I've attached a pic of my "stump"

WEBSRFR

Just be glad they did not key the car, as mine was at a Whole Foods parking lot of all places!

As far as vandalism goes, this is really the cheapest to fix. I just hope the idiots did not damage the paintwork around the hood ornament. If they did not damage the paintwork just consider yourself lucky. I know this is no help, but at least try to take some solace from the fact that the lowlifes could have done much more damage.

I used to be paranoid where I park but after the keying incident I am even more careful where I park but at some point you just need to get on with enjoying your life and your car and I hope nothing remotely like this happens to you again. On the pus side I think the hood ornament is a relatively inexpensive part to buy and an easy DIY fix...

BenzV12

Sorry for what happened . I have heard of jerks snapping off Jaguar leapers but for MB logo it's the 1st ever time I have read on the forums

BM2BZ

sorry to hear your story but glad to see you didn't take it seriously . time to get a flat badge instead ?

K-A

Damn, that sucks! Sorry to hear that. I can't believe people still do that.

I guess it's a sign of the times.... with M-B putting the Star grille and flat badge as the generic/corporate setup on all their models now, the hood Star is becoming a rarer/hotter commodity!

hyperion667

they're just jealous........kids have zero idea of value......

sorry cousin, let us know how much a replacement is

DJTALLMO

Yeah, I am sorry this happened to you. I am with BM2BZ on this one, you took it a lot better than most with this act-hats off to you.

I went to a flat badge as well-easy install. Good luck.

JDBKLYN89

Thanks for the support guys! Sadly, things like this are just a part of life these days. Some people don't realize that a lot of us work pretty damn hard to have these cars and we take pride in them. I've been debating doing the flat badge replacement but I just can't do without watching that emblem sail through the air, gets my every time! Actually thinking if I do end up switching the to cabriolet doing a starless grill and traditional hood emblem instead of flat badge and star grill. Might just be crazy enough to look good! I have to see if its even possible however.

OAG

Have not lost one but being a bit paranoid about the hood "gun sight" ornament I actually have two - one flat and one OEM. Depending on where I go and where I have to park I switch them. Actually exceptionally easy to install or remove them.

dcjwlee

Damn, Jersey really is filled with a bunch of losers.

The sad part is, the hoodlums were probably like, "Daaaamn, look at that sick (nice) car" before proceeding to vandalize it.

This is why I have zero hope in humanity.

LOVE MB

Really sorry to hear that! I’m always afraid that one of them punks will damage more than the emblem. I do believe in karma and hope those “mother truckers” get what's coming to them and THEN some.

ferrariyellow44

Back in the 90's I had the hood cat stolen off of my Jag 4 times! Each time it was $180 to replace them. Consider yourself lucky, the 3 pointed star is cheap in comparison. Back in the 80's Jag used to bolt the leaping cat to the hood (today its spring loaded to a bracket) and occasionally when kids would try to steal it, it would leave a hole in the hood! Now thats an expensive fix...

TheXenochrist

I have always worried about this happening to my car. So far I have been lucky. But I do have a flat badge stored somewhere.

I heard people would sharpen the bottom of the logo so when people try to pull them off, they get a nice surprise!

hyperion667

THAT is nuts!!
I would have had to find a flat badge......or at least a middle finger leaper for the next thief to sneak by......

that sux!

hyperion667

I like the way you think

NardoNZ

haha tip of the year! everyone should do this! post pics if there is blood on your star/bonnet!!

El Cid

Sorry to hear about it. Interestingly, M-B used to advertise about how popular it was to steal the hood ornamnents. Most often replaced part or something to that effect. Think someone finally realized that was not a good advertising concept.

RNBRAD

I don't know if it's any consolation or not, but that's the best looking "stump" I've ever seen. A stump on any other model just isn't the same.

telemakhos

Not quite the same but many years ago the star on the trunk of my car was twisted off. Haven't heard of it really being a problem though.

02Drunkenup

everyone is a little angrier in jerseyland.. i know, ive been living there my whole life

thought it was alright until just a few days ago i witnessed a man literally dumpster dive a parked A4 cabriolet with its roof down for every worthy possession lying in its consoles and boxes... and judging by his clothing you could tell it wasn't his car

if i find anyone trying to tear the star off my car ill shove them in my trunk and take them to rural Pennsylvania but then tel them they're in canada. luckily, the release button from inside my trunk is no longer functional.

Benz-o-matic

I find the pine barrens to be much more effective

dcjwlee

Yeah, stick em in the pines in the middle of winter with a few packets of ketchup. Give only enough ketchup so they have to fight over it to survive.

Edit: That is a really nice stump. No lie.

K-A

I agree about the star. I don't know why some people take it off! Not only is it unique and "special", IMO, but it truly gives a cool and bespoke sight when you drive the car, feels "naked" without it.

dcjwlee

I agree. But for some reason, my C just doesn't seem to look right with it. Maybe because of the elephant ear sized star in the grille...

The first Mercedes I had a flat badge on was the ML500. Boy was it weird getting out of my E class into that.

I won't lie. When I get a luxury model as a loaner, I really liked pointing that star where I wanted to go. But it looks better from the inside than out on the C classes.

K-A

Yeah it looks best on the larger "stately" models indeed. It does seem like it would be out of place on some other models (the C indeed looks better with the flat hood and grille star). IMO it adds a premium aura and "Luxury touch" to a Benz that's appropriated for it.

Idk, it just looks bad@ss to me.

And yeah it definitely is way too much going on mixed with the elephant sized grille star.