Black Badging or No Badging??

STLBT · 01-14-2025, 09:53 AM

I keep going back and forth between my black badging and debadging. The debadge looks clean but I don't want to give off the vibes of me trying to pass for an M550i. I know this is all just personal preference but want some opinions.

Thoughts?

Perplexitivity · 01-17-2025, 08:21 AM

Off, looks way cleaner in my opinion

Luke G31 · 01-21-2025, 01:45 AM

Badges off, there is no mistaking for M550i. People who know these cars won't mistake them, people who don't know will not care :-)

AP · 01-21-2025, 04:05 AM

Put a 520d badge on the back?

Seriously either works but black does look nice on a light coloured car

Alscoob · 01-23-2025, 03:53 AM

Mine is Tanzanite blue and as the car came from the factory the only chrome bits were the badges.

I've changed the small 'M' front wing badges to OEM black and changed the 540i on the tailgate to black (need to find a better badge than ebay version). The X-drive badge is bloody awful badge so just took it off.

Black works well on the blue (when it's clean!) and to me finishes it off being visible, but subtle. If I had chrome trim then would have left the badges as chrome too.

When I had my Impreza some years ago the truk lid came cluttered with 'Subaru' / WRX / Impreza / STi / AWD badges as standard, removed them all and just left the red STi looked clean and purposeful. The black on white of your car does the same.

BWilson263 · 01-24-2025, 10:04 AM

Black badges on a white car looks good, but I prefer no badges. It has a nice clean look.

STLBT · 01-24-2025, 10:20 AM

Thanks everyone. Still very torn, but leaning toward black badges. Agree that no badges are the cleanest.

Chappers 71 · 01-24-2025, 11:07 AM

No rear badges for me, my G31 came debadged from factory.

All the other BMW’s I’ve owned the first jobs take the badges off….even the E34 M5

Joe-BMW33 · 02-19-2025, 12:14 PM

My car came with a badge delete from factory. Took one look and had the dealer put them back on. Some BMW's look good debadged. I just think there is too much blank space on the G30 where it just looks odd debadged. I think the G31 looks good debadged as the window and the wiper are right there and the area is smaller.

Maxx Power · 02-19-2025, 09:42 PM

Ditto... Mine came with "S320 - Deleted, model lettering", but after the third time someone pointed to a 3-series and said "look, same as your car", I promptly added the badge at the back

To be honest, the 5 series does look a lot like the 3 series from the back which I reckon is one of it's weak spots. Been wanting to put quad pipes on for a while...

View Poll Results: Black Badging or Debadge?
Black Badging	7	53.85%
No Badging	6	46.15%
Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll

01-14-2025, 09:53 AM	#1
STLBT Private 60 Rep 84 Posts Drives: 2023 BMW 540i xDrive M Sport Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: St. Louis, MO, USA iTrader: (0)	Black Badging or No Badging?? I keep going back and forth between my black badging and debadging. The debadge looks clean but I don't want to give off the vibes of me trying to pass for an M550i. I know this is all just personal preference but want some opinions. Thoughts? Attached Images
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01-17-2025, 08:21 AM	#2
Perplexitivity Enlisted Member 77 Rep 45 Posts Drives: BMW G31 540i xDrive Join Date: Nov 2023 Location: next to Munich iTrader: (0)	Off, looks way cleaner in my opinion __________________ BMW G31 540i xDrive Eibach Pro-Kit // M Performance Kidney Grille // M Performance CF Mirror Caps M Performance Carbon Fiber Front Lip // M Performance Side Skirt Extensions // M664 & M786-Wheels
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01-21-2025, 01:45 AM	#3
Luke G31 New Member 18 Rep 25 Posts Drives: BMW 530xD G31 Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: CZE iTrader: (0)	Badges off, there is no mistaking for M550i. People who know these cars won't mistake them, people who don't know will not care :-)
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01-21-2025, 04:05 AM	#4
AP Major General 3274 Rep 5,537 Posts Drives: G30 M550 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Put a 520d badge on the back? Seriously either works but black does look nice on a light coloured car
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01-23-2025, 03:53 AM	#5
Alscoob Brigadier General 2654 Rep 3,523 Posts Drives: G31 540i M Sport Edition Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Mine is Tanzanite blue and as the car came from the factory the only chrome bits were the badges. I've changed the small 'M' front wing badges to OEM black and changed the 540i on the tailgate to black (need to find a better badge than ebay version). The X-drive badge is bloody awful badge so just took it off. Black works well on the blue (when it's clean!) and to me finishes it off being visible, but subtle. If I had chrome trim then would have left the badges as chrome too. When I had my Impreza some years ago the truk lid came cluttered with 'Subaru' / WRX / Impreza / STi / AWD badges as standard, removed them all and just left the red STi looked clean and purposeful. The black on white of your car does the same.
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01-24-2025, 10:04 AM	#6
BWilson263 Lieutenant 270 Rep 465 Posts Drives: 2019 540i - 2020 X5 40i Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: NJ iTrader: (1)	Black badges on a white car looks good, but I prefer no badges. It has a nice clean look.
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01-24-2025, 10:20 AM	#7
STLBT Private 60 Rep 84 Posts Drives: 2023 BMW 540i xDrive M Sport Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: St. Louis, MO, USA iTrader: (0)	Thanks everyone. Still very torn, but leaning toward black badges. Agree that no badges are the cleanest.
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01-24-2025, 11:07 AM	#8
Chappers 71 Major General 6264 Rep 5,886 Posts Drives: Beige G31 540ix m sport Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Kent, The Garden of England iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 G31 xdrive 40i ... [7.67] 2006 E92 335i SE [9.50]	No rear badges for me, my G31 came debadged from factory. All the other BMW’s I’ve owned the first jobs take the badges off….even the E34 M5 Attached Images __________________ G31 40ix M Sport E92 335i. E36 328is coupe E39 540i V8 6SP manual E34 3.6 M5. E34 525i sport. VW Jetta Mk2 GTI 16v. 1679cc 1967 resto-cal beetle
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02-19-2025, 12:14 PM	#9
Joe-BMW33 Major General 9467 Rep 8,317 Posts Drives: '18 M550i\|'21 X5\|'03 540i Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Boston iTrader: (1) Garage List 2013 VW Tiguan [0.00] 2015 Infiniti QX60 [0.00] 2021 BMW X5 [0.00] 2003 BMW 540i [10.00] 2018 BMW M550 [10.00]	My car came with a badge delete from factory. Took one look and had the dealer put them back on. Some BMW's look good debadged. I just think there is too much blank space on the G30 where it just looks odd debadged. I think the G31 looks good debadged as the window and the wiper are right there and the area is smaller. __________________ 2018 M550ix\|Carbon Black\|Dinan Modifications\|2003 540i\|Jet Black\|M-Sport\|2021 X5 Mineral White Prior BMW's: 1987 325e\|1993 740i\|1998 740il\|2001 530i\|2002 745li\|2007 750li\|2006 750li\|2001 530i\|2012 535xi\|
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02-19-2025, 09:42 PM	#10
Maxx Power Member 66 Rep 74 Posts Drives: 2019 BMW 530d g30 Join Date: Jul 2022 Location: Queensland iTrader: (0)	Ditto... Mine came with "S320 - Deleted, model lettering", but after the third time someone pointed to a 3-series and said "look, same as your car", I promptly added the badge at the back To be honest, the 5 series does look a lot like the 3 series from the back which I reckon is one of it's weak spots. Been wanting to put quad pipes on for a while...
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