It seems to me that folks who debadge are probably embarassed by what they're driving. I can't think of another good reason.

I have always debadged my Mercedes. I used to be a Sales manager at a Mercedes dealership in the UK. NOT unusual for a customer to request debadge option and then go to the parts dept and order a model up number. Bear in mind you can buy a S280 in the UK, yet there are more S500 "badged" cars on the road! Same with E class starting at E200 ........Thank goodness MB use only numbers too. We can give our cars names that fit the cars personality. My 300CE is Daisey.

I also remove any dealer names immediately.

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88 300CE 300,000kms
Black Pearl, Burgandy Leather
Euro Lights.
Its for sale. Its SOLD

I like the no badge look. I just wasnt sure why other did it.

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1993 Benz-190E-2.6 liter

The de-badged look is almost universal in the Fatherland. The cars in the brochures are almost always de-badged; in the UK the badge is often poorly photoshoped back on. People seem to de-badge their cars for one of three reasons:

(1) they drive the base model and don't want anyone to know;
(2) they drive the top model and don't want anyone to know;
(3) they like the clean look.

My SL500 is de-badged. Partly because I don't want anyone to know I've lashed out on a 5litre motor and partly because I don't like the badges on the boot lid.

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

Ok the badge came off real well with a hair dryer and dental flosse. Now I did leave a lot of hard glue on the car. What is the best way to remove the hard glue? Somebody said wd-40. Is that safe for the paint? By the way I might look around and see if anyone sells black badges. For somereason I like the black badges better than the silver that came on my car. Thanks in advance!

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1993 Benz-190E-2.6 liter

WD 40 and your finger or if you are careful HOT WATER...

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88 300CE 300,000kms
Black Pearl, Burgandy Leather
Euro Lights.
Its for sale. Its SOLD

Careful not to hurt the paint or my fingers with the hot water. I dont worry about my hands. I do worry about the paint, lol

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1993 Benz-190E-2.6 liter

I've always used cleaner wax to remove the glue. It takes ages but I can't see it damaging the paint.

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

The glue I'm talking about is the big thick kind that might have been part of the badge for all I know. Ill try to get a bit more off with glue. I was able to get the previous owners air plane sticker off with no remnants last night using a blow dryer.

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1993 Benz-190E-2.6 liter

Both of my MB cars are debagged ... my 1990 190E 2.6 and 1992 500E.

I did it for the following reasons:

190E - IMHO, this is THE best looking sedan (saloon) MB has ever produced in the 80's or 90's. I love the clean lines and that includes removing the badges ... I know what it is - I don't need to tell the guy/gal next to me that it has the 'big' (LOL) six cylinder engine. So for me, it's a cosmetic issue ... ah, la bella machina!

500E - Now, this is a different issuse why I have debagged the 500E ... security and being covert. W124 cars are sooooo plentiful here in California, that I didn't what the 500E to stand out via the badge. The car is in 9/10 condition and I don't want some Yahoo interested in stealing it from me.

Now the covert part ... it is a kick in the pants to surprise other marques on the road ... it truely gives one permagrin!

The true automotive enthusist knows what it is ... I was at a rally on New Years Day and I had a guy come up to me and properly ID'd the car.

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To remove the badges on the above cars, I used dental floss, hair dryer and to remove excess remains of the adhesive tape, I used 3M Adhesive Remover .

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1992 500E (Daily Driver)
2004 Porsche RUF 955 Dakara 550

Or not !
Proud as I am of my car, I'll give you some reasons for debadging it:
1. Don't like working around the badges everytime I wax the car ( 4 or 5 times a year ).
2. I think it looks a lot better.
3. Don't see the need to advertise for anybody.

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2007 C 230 Sport.

My 92 SEL is a "Garage Queen", the MB body shop said the fading was minimal if any, HA-HA! I pulled off one letter and after removing the adhesive attempted to polish it out. The letter is back on, and I use an old tooth brush to get into the letters. By the way the car is the 040 non metallic Black!
Try it if there is fading, put it back you can get double sided tape, from the body shop and auto stores.

I used clay bar and it worked better. I'm going to machine buff my car. If that works well I will leave the badge off permanently.

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1993 Benz-190E-2.6 liter

Peter

I got tired of the toothbrush thing.
By the time you do every little crevice on the car, it seemed like I was spending more time " brushing ", than waxing & polishing.

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2007 C 230 Sport.

peter what auto stores sell that tape? Do you think the white tape is better or the black tape?

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1993 Benz-190E-2.6 liter