Debadging...how to?

[grue]

As soon as I get my MSP, I plan on taking off the Mazdaspeed and Protege badges. On my VW, all this required was a hair dryer and a length of dental floss, same deal here?

 

[jroof]

I'm not flaming, more just wondering why...why would you (as in anyone) debadge? What's the point?

 

[JasonH]

No. There are holes in the trunk that would need to be filled. It seems to be not worth the effort.

 

[JasonH]

I'm not flaming, more just wondering why...why would you (as in anyone) debadge? What's the point?

Why do any external appearance mods? To individualize your car. Make it different than the other ones.

 

[Dexter]

I'm not flaming, more just wondering why...why would you (as in anyone) debadge? What's the point?

it makes the car look so generic

 

[grue]

I'm not flaming, more just wondering why...why would you (as in anyone) debadge? What's the point?

I expected that topic to come up, heh.

I'm more of a European car guy, really, but the MSP really just can't be ignored for a sporty car.

Debadging is big with euro tuning groups for any number of reasons, the most practical of which is that it makes waxing and washing the car that much easier, and tends to present a "cleaner" look. I have the same opinion of the wing, I'd probably take it off if I didn't know full well it's bolted down.

On the other side of things, it lets those with higher trim lines hide what they're running to make it a little more challenging for others to know what's under the hood. Granted, the people with a lower trim line can do it to REALLY make people wonder, too

It also has the advantage of setting the owner of the car apart from the non-enthusiasts. I won't be modded the MSP much, probably just tint, actually, but it's always nice to "flash your sign", or lack of, so to speak.

Quick before and after, with my other car:

 

[grue]

No. There are holes in the trunk that would need to be filled. It seems to be not worth the effort.

Drat. Not the answer I was hoping for, but an answer nonetheless. Does that apply to both the Protege badge and the Mazdaspeed badge? I'd leave the actual mazda badge on, if that were the only one..

 

[Dexter]

meh, like i said, it makes the car look more generic.

 

[grue]

meh, like i said, it makes the car look more generic.

Fair enough. Just my state of mind, I guess.... Heck, I might end up with the only euro-styled(and no, altezzas are not euro style, I don't care what APC says) Mazda out there, you never know

"Japanese body, Euro state of mind"..... hey, I'm gonna put that in my signature


edit: I can't spell "care"

 

[Dexter]

Fair enough. Just my state of mind, I guess.... Heck, I might end up with the only euro-styled(and no, altezzas are not euro style, I don't are what APC says) Mazda out there, you never know

"Japanese body, Euro state of mind"..... hey, I'm gonna put that in my signature

lol APC.

yay no altezzas. thank u! lol

 

[andr3w]

A friend with a mod'ed Passat debagded and people end up saying "WTF is that." I think MSP owners would certainly get this sort of benefit since to most people on the road they would not know it as a Protege.

 

[jroof]

Yeah, but they'll say that regardless of badges. How many people do you think actually know what Mazdaspeed is? Only people who are actually into cars and diligently read magazines.

 

[Newf]

I could tell people my car has 300 HP and AWD, and they'd believe me.

It's a Suby Sti


People just don't know

 

[grue]

Well, my main reason to do it is the "cleaner" look, and the ease of washing and waxing when I don't have to work around a badge, more than anything else. If they're drilled in, then I'll just leave 'em, oh well. Maybe some day down the line I'll take off the spoiler and badges and get the holes filled.

 

[Rogue]

it's funny...in the first picture you white out your tag, but in the second...your numbers are there

 

[enry]

Bah, I personally fail to realize what "look" debadging is to accomplish. But if I were to look at things purely from a statistical point of view, most debadged cars I've noticed are low end civics (you can tell from other trims), and one could think the only purpose was to hide the model of the car, and not to achieve some kind of "style". That's really just me.

Although in your case, with the tints, and no spoiler, it does give a sense of continuity.

 

[grue]

it's funny...in the first picture you white out your tag, but in the second...your numbers are there

Actually, heh, I didn't do it. I had a friend hosting the first one originally

 

[grue]

Bah, I personally fail to realize what "look" debadging is to accomplish. But if I were to look at things purely from a statistical point of view, most debadged cars I've noticed are low end civics (you can tell from other trims), and one could think the only purpose was to hide the model of the car, and not to achieve some kind of "style". That's really just me.

Although in your case, with the tints, and no spoiler, it does give a sense of continuity.

Yeah, I can see where you're coming from. I "grew up" so to speak in the euro community, where badge-engineering has become so hated we'd rather just take the badges off altogether, and keep people guessing.

Out in my new area(just moved), the local "modded" cars are all ricers with no sense of actually making the car faster, just slapping on an exhaust which takes away what little torque they have and a set of wiper nozzle LEDs, so I figure I'm going to stay really subtle just to avoid being associated with them....

that having been said, are smoked tails like on my Jetta available? I think they'd look pretty nice on that titanium grey....

 

[GXL]

I'm with you here, Grue! I too grew up around European cars, and it's hard not to try to make the car look European!

One of the first things I did when I got home with my brand new P5, was to remove the roof racks, then the rear badges. But my mod was short lived Mazdas have holes where the badges go (unlike VWs) so I had to put the badges back on:mad:

My GTi is completly de-badged and I love it!

I was thinking of painting the badges black just like the car, but I"m afraid that it would look rice...


I totally agree with your signature!

 

[grue]

I was thinking of painting the badges black just like the car, but I"m afraid that it would look rice...


I totally agree with your signature! [/B]

Actually, I'm planning on doing the following, in the long run:

Get the Titanium grey.

Take off the Mazdaspeed and Protege badges, get a body shop to fill the holes.

Paint the badges gloss black with about 102932109 coats of clearcoat

Smoked tails

Tint

Basically the same mods as the Jetta, except I didn't paint the Jetta's badges.