[eliphil]

After staring at Joe's pictures I am now convinced not to debadge. I really prefer the look with them and the M logo is pretty damn cool.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by DNYC1919

He also threw in the curve ball with the update tail lights that look good.

Yes, but Mike is days away from taking delivery on an LCI! So appropriate!

Good badge discussion and perspectives.

[eliphil]

thanks again Joe really appreciate the pictures

[Boosted_8]

I have already removed the M side badges and horrible Xdrive logo from the trunk lid. Somewhat tempted to remove the M550i but here in the UK they are so rare no one knows what they are anyway!

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Boosted_8

I have already removed the M side badges and horrible Xdrive logo from the trunk lid. Somewhat tempted to remove the M550i but here in the UK they are so rare no one knows what they are anyway!

I had the dealer re-badge my car after it was ordered with a badge delete. In hindsight, I "may" have skipped the x-drive, but I probably would have done what I did as I can always remove it.

M550's are not as rare here, BUT if you saw 100 G30's on the road in the Boston area in a month, 70 would be 530's, 29 540's, and only one would be an M550. I have only seen one this year on my commute. So even though the critics say BMW's are a dime a dozen and saturate the roads (they do), the M550 is a bit exclusive. Close to the M5 in terms of road population. In fact I think I see more M5's than M550's.

[reu2]

I debadged mine. Although it's a 540, not a 550. I did consider the 550, and I would have debadge it too.

I would debadge just about any car I appreciated, I even debadged my Subaru Outback. Badges mostly take away from the lines of the car, they're there to tell everybody information they don't need. And BMW certainly isn't paying me to advertise.
And why do you want them? Maybe the hybrid argument for mechanics is a good argument. But you mostly want to keep them so other drivers know you're driving a "better" Bimmer. So in that case, if you're not driving an Alpina or M5, debadge your car. Me personally, IMO, I would debadge the M5 too, those who appreciate BMWs can still tell what your driving based on tailpipes alone and your car looks better for it. If I did keep the badge on an M5, I'd add those shadowline black badges, at least they look distinguished.

[Gautam]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Hey Mike. My car was optioned with a badge delete. I had the dealer put them back on. I've seen some other models over the years look "ok" with a badge delete, but I though the G30 and M550 just looked kind of blah from the ass. Just too much paint and the big ass pre LCI lights. I think the badges break it up. Here is a shot from the dealer ad for my car and what I've done with it since.

Looking at these pics, You definitely made the right call.

[m_fife]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

I could care less what people think. A lot of people debadge to hide or mislead. Not all, but most do. When I see a debadged car I look closely for other things to see what it actually is. I can tell an M550 in seconds, especially if it has 668M's which I know can be added. Debadging is often similar to putting a fake ///M5 on a car. Not always, but can be in the same ballpark for cheesy owners. No badge can be viewed as not forthcoming and an M5 badge is just posing. Pick your poison. But it's your car so do whatever makes you happy.

I paid for it, I have the beast under the hood, and I like seeing it and knowing it is an M550 when I walk up.

I totally agree with this... how many people with an M5 running around debadged? Not many.

[Boosted_8]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

I had the dealer re-badge my car after it was ordered with a badge delete. In hindsight, I "may" have skipped the x-drive, but I probably would have done what I did as I can always remove it.

M550's are not as rare here, BUT if you saw 100 G30's on the road in the Boston area in a month, 70 would be 530's, 29 540's, and only one would be an M550. I have only seen one this year on my commute. So even though the critics say BMW's are a dime a dozen and saturate the roads (they do), the M550 is a bit exclusive. Close to the M5 in terms of road population. In fact I think I see more M5's than M550's.

33 million cars on the road in Britain right now. Only
78 of them are M550i's. You are twelve times more likely to see a Lamborghini Huracan.

[reu2]

Alfa-numeric badges are boring and add nothing to the vehicle.

I'm sure some people are trying to hide they bought a fleet bimmer. Some are trying to hide they got the 550 and not the M5. FOMO is real. If you bought a fleet 530, you likely don't care about the badges. Some could only afford a fleet and debadge, sure. Mostly I think it just comes down to preference. Not deceit. Besides, there are enough "M" logos and BMW logos to make up for the lack of "xDrive" and "540x". Shit, the "M" logos are projected on the ground when I open the doors.

I don't like gaudy designer brand clothing, I don't keep the tag on my ball-caps, I don't keep all the brand placement stickers on my laptop or other devices. I don't like how most badges look, I take them off, it takes 5 minutes and my cars look better for it.

[DNYC1919]

It's just like anything else everyone will have their own preference. Either way can't lose.
Like some people like black wheels and some hate them.
Some people get aventurine red and others would never come close to getting that color.
For me I like the badges and it seems to fit my taste and I blacked mine out instead of chrome. I think Most people that unbadge are usually not higher end luxury or sports cars. More like Honda or Altima in my opinion.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by reu2

Alfa-numeric badges are boring and add nothing to the vehicle.

I'm sure some people are trying to hide they bought a fleet bimmer. Some are trying to hide they got the 550 and not the M5. FOMO is real. If you bought a fleet 530, you likely don't care about the badges. Some could only afford a fleet and debadge, sure. Mostly I think it just comes down to preference. Not deceit. Besides, there are enough "M" logos and BMW logos to make up for the lack of "xDrive" and "540x". Shit, the "M" logos are projected on the ground when I open the doors.

I don't like gaudy designer brand clothing, I don't keep the tag on my ball-caps, I don't keep all the brand placement stickers on my laptop or other devices. I don't like how most badges look, I take them off, it takes 5 minutes and my cars look better for it.

Sounds like you should take all the BMW Roundels off your 540 too given your disdain for badging, promoting, bling, etc.

I don't know, as I said, it is a pride in ownership seeing the M550 just as it is seeing the 540i on the back of my E39, which is an M-Sport and has ///M sills that I love seeing. I am not an ///M hater and think the ///M brand is pretty cool. But it has to be OEM and the way BMW built it and not some shit on the car like ///M grill stripes. I like it, always thought M branding was cool and my cars were ALWAYS more sportier than non ///M cars...suspension, bumpers, brakes, shadow line trim, wheels, etc. Having an ///M branded BMW gets you something. And by "you" mean me, not to show off to other people. Let's not forget, we are our own little group here. 99% of the people out there don't know or give a shit what any of the badging means.

[reu2]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Sounds like you should take all the BMW Roundels off your 540 too given your disdain for badging, promoting, bling, etc.

I don't know, as I said, it is a pride in ownership seeing the M550 just as it is seeing the 540i on the back of my E39, which is an M-Sport and has ///M sills that I love seeing. I am not an ///M hater and think the ///M brand is pretty cool. But it has to be OEM and the way BMW built it and not some shit on the car like ///M grill stripes. I like it, always though M branding was cool and my cars were ALWAYS more sport than non ///M Sport cars...suspension, shadow line trim, wheels, etc. Having an ///M branded BMW gets you something. And by "you" mean me, not to show off to other people. Let's not forget, we are our own little group here. 99% of the people out there don't know or give a shit what any of the badging means.

I would, if the car's design wasn't molded for them. It's about the general look and feel of the car. Obvious missing logos makes it look like something is missing. Debadging the boot lid doesn't leave anything wanting.

If BMW designers didn't want us debadging their cars, they'd put more effort into the badges design. I do like the ///M Logos on the brakes and steering wheel though. They were well thought out. If I got an M5, I might pause for second before taking the badges off, I'd still do it. Of course I'd get a 7 series before I bought an M5. I need a daily commuter, an M5 is a second car, not a daily driver.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by reu2

I would, if the car's design wasn't molded for them. It's about the general look and feel of the car. Obvious missing logos makes it look like something is missing. Debadging the boot lid doesn't leave anything wanting.

Paint them body color if you were really serious. But you are right, something would be missing, the Brand!!! I would disagree about the boot. I feel like it is missing something debadged, but it is all subjective.

[reu2]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Paint them body color if you were really serious. But you are right, something would be missing, the Brand!!! I would disagree about the boot. I feel like it is missing something debadged, but it is all subjective.

Haha, yep. Be honest though, Brand logos are different than the badging on the boot, and the only reason you miss it is because it's different than what you expect. How many early concept renders have those badges? Few, if any. IMO they're a corporate afterthought, not part the designers vision. It's one of the reasons I don't run a front plate. I love BMWs, I love the design and engineering.

I do understand what you're saying, but you get used to those badges not being there pretty quick as there isn't a trace of them when they're gone. I also like the idea of body colored badges, it shows respect to the model and the design. I'd almost reconsider... almost.

[m_fife]

Originally Posted by reu2

I would, if the car's design wasn't molded for them. It's about the general look and feel of the car. Obvious missing logos makes it look like something is missing. Debadging the boot lid doesn't leave anything wanting.

If BMW designers didn't want us debadging their cars, they'd put more effort into the badges design. I do like the ///M Logos on the brakes and steering wheel though. They were well thought out. If I got an M5, I might pause for second before taking the badges off, I'd still do it. Of course I'd get a 7 series before I bought an M5. I need a daily commuter, an M5 is a second car, not a daily driver.

Wrong.

An M5 is a fantastic daily!

[Cabbage]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Hey Mark, they were not technically deleted. No US cars come with them, but every other market including Canada the M550 has them. I added them. Dealer had them in stock. Just be sure to get the ones trimmed in Cerium Gray and not chrome.

Could you send me the part number please? Also, did the dealer put them on for you? If so, was it free or did they charge for it?

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Cabbage

Could you send me the part number please? Also, did the dealer put them on for you? If so, was it free or did they charge for it?

51148068584

I did it myself with measurements supplied to me by the non us members here. Search here for my posts on it. Pretty sure I did a schematic and posted it. Very easy.

[BrewsterGreenM550]

Originally Posted by eliphil

Has any debadged their M550I or any 5 series, if so cusrious if you are happy with the result? I debdadged my Audi and loved the result not sure on this car which I am waiting on? If you have a pic pls send.

I've always just removed the xdrive badge from the rear, it's not a particularly attractive design and who cares if anyone knows you've got AWD or not.

The model desig however I think needs to stay, lest people think you might just be ashamed of your 2.0L

[eliphil]

I hear ya but I think it looks more symmetrical if you leave it on a badge left center and right. You still have that ford GT?

[choppedliver]

Originally Posted by Boosted_8

33 million cars on the road in Britain right now. Only
78 of them are M550i's. You are twelve times more likely to see a Lamborghini Huracan.

I wish I could find the numbers for Australia but I reckon it would be pretty low. I live in Sydney and have seen one other M550i. Very few 5 series at all except for 530d’s the police drive. Even the local dealer hasn’t seen another M550i.

Plenty of E series Mercs of all sorts and M5s/E63s but they cost double my car.

[eliphil]

Originally Posted by str8face

Yes sir!

You are a lucky man that is a magnificent car. Do u drive it often?