i agree

Definately a personal choice - stealth vs pride
The one I tried off a dealer's lot was stealth one to me because of its champagne color, even with the badge on the trunk...

I would rather leave the badge on if it were my car. It just shows what it is, it is not like the cars came with 500E badges plastered all over the car. Debadging to me is like trying too hard to be stealthy, the fenders give away the game!

Agree though about one thing: definately apply the badge when it's time to sell.

A VERY covetable ride. Used prices so reflect. Definately worth considering for anyone wanting a handbuilt engineered not to a price point but to the highest standard. I can't think of anything to compare with it.

Back in the '90s in Europe and elsewhere debadging was a MB option, roughly referred to as the "anti-terrorist/highjacking" option, often ordered for the new S class especially.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

You can always play the angle:

Person who is intrigued by car: "nice mercedes...has it been modified?"

You: "yep"

Intrigued Person: "by whom?"

You: "Porsche"



Leave it debadged and see what you think of it for awhile...its much easier to add it later than to take it back off.

Just my pair of cents...

My old E420 with the E500 suspension was de-badged. It is fun to kick Corvette butt on an on-ramp and have them wonder what the H@#^ is under the hood.

It is also "very European" to debadge the higher spec E-classes and 5-series BMW's.

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Charles Cleaver
1975 350SE + 1992 300CE-24 SportLine 5-speed + 2002 SLK320 6-speed + 1974 W114 280
1986 190E 2.3-16 (Decomm rear self-leveling suspension; Euro-code headlamps) sold
2004 Audi S4 6-spd - sold
1969 (2) and 1980 Porsche 911T, S, and SC - alas gone
1987 300SDL - Graf Spee; Euro-code headlamps; 16-inch 8-hole wheels - sold
1994 E420+(E500 suspension/E-code headlamps/PAD chip) sold
1968 250SE 4-speed (NICE car) - long gone
1962 220S 4-speed/column mount - long gone

I am geting my 92 500E back on the road after sitiing in my garage for 4 + years. When I purchased it used it had the gold finish treatment on some of the trim including the 500E badge. I have a brand new one in the correct silver/chrome and have changed out all other pieces. I will not be placing the badge back immediately. The lines of the car look great without it but as others have said in this thread it does make the unintiated scratch their heads They can not figure out why this car looks so much more aggressive and yet understated. Then when you ease through traffic with some ooomph!
they are totaly lost. Either way.

Alan

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92 500E Silver 66k
82 Porsche 911SC 84K
68 Cadillac ( Gone Now )
03 Suburban Z71 200K
85 300SD 217k From Original Owner ( Dad )

My 750 is factory debadged and people always assume its a 730. The 750 is a really rare car over here. they are amazed when I tell them its got a 5.0 V12 under the hood. Its nice to just obliterate all of the rice boys (we call them boy racers here) and they havent got a clue why my car is so fast.

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Ben

'85 500 SEL
'85 928S2
'88 560 SEC
'90 750i