I can't speak for anyone else, but personally, I HATE badges on cars (especially dealer badges), but factory ones as well.

I'm into the 'clean' look, to appreciate the cars for its lines, and don't want my view to be interrupted by a shiny metalic object.

So, I got to thinking: I really want my RX8 debaged, but I'm not willing to fill and repaint the front bumper and rear-end to do this. What could be done?

... Then I started thinking about my S2000... You see, IMHO, no car should have a front license-plate, and for the S2000 you have the option of putting the plate on, or placing these very small plastic 'plugs' which are painted the same color of the car into the holes where the screws would go for the license-plate.

Now, I would imagine it wouldn't be hard to find very flat round plugs to go where the holes are for the badges, and of course, painted the same color as your vehicle.

What do you guys think? Decent idea, or crazyness? I'm not sure the holes are 'aligned' horizontally/vertically (it would look weird to have plugs in random places), but if they are, it might be a nice way of getting that 'clean' look.

-- Aaron

If you can't tell they are there, fine. If you can see the plugs, it's rice. I'm pretty sure you are going to see the plugs...

amartin, if you do get a chance to do it to your 8 then please post some photos, i would love to debadge my 8 but i think $500 for the repaint is excessive just to debadge the car.

my bodyshop was tellin me how stupid it was for the mazda badge these days to be mounted with holes, there is no justification for them (except to stop ppl debadgin their cars i suppose). however the rx8 badge is held on without holes.

Actually, the RX8 badge does appear to have holes.

I took dental-floss and am able to go round the badge except in 2 places-- and I tried going back-n-forth on the floss after heating the badge w/a hair dryer..it just broke the floss over and over-- I'm 99% sure there's posts under the badge.

Oh..and FWIW, the 'plugs' on the S2000 look PERFECTLY fine-- very acceptable, thats why I'm thinking it would work for the rx8. As long as the paint is a near-perfect match and they are very low-profile.

I know for a fact that the front bumper has 3 holes in it. Two are aligned with each other but the other is off to the side. I don't know if your idea will work as well as you would like. I have to disagree with the body shop that dislikes the holes in the cars. I find it MUCH easier to instal the emblems and moldings when they have guide holes so you can never put them on crooked . It would be a pain in the butt to eyeball the emblem on the front bumper and get it perfectly in the correct place.

Why not just fill the holes with some material (liquid plastic/metal/epoxy) and then paint the holes with touchup paint. Couldn't look any worse than plugs, could it?

on a slightly related topic, did anyone here debadge their 8 AFTER they installed the 3m clear bra??
my order for one came in and going to install it next week... but now I'm thinking of debadging as well..

Originally posted by CelticFan
I know for a fact that the front bumper has 3 holes in it. Two are aligned with each other but the other is off to the side. I don't know if your idea will work as well as you would like. I have to disagree with the body shop that dislikes the holes in the cars. I find it MUCH easier to instal the emblems and moldings when they have guide holes so you can never put them on crooked . It would be a pain in the butt to eyeball the emblem on the front bumper and get it perfectly in the correct place.

Actually i doubt they put the emblem/badge on by hand, its all done with machines nowaday, no eyeballing required :cool: , same with how the drill the holes, done by machines, alignment isnt a problem.

Is it consensus that $500 is what debadging should cost? I know brothervoodoo was quoted $500 as his best offer. What have others paid?

yeah, there are 3 holes in the front ( I know from taking mine off before I found out)....there were NO posts on the back of the factory emblem which I removed (and broke in the process, scratching the paint)....but after deciding NOT TO FOREGO the $250 to repaint the front bumper I broke down and bought a new emblem from my dealer $12.20 and IT DID HAVE 3 posts in it. Guess the ones at the factory dont need them because they are put on by machine; but the ones going out for aftermarket (bodyshop) need them to align them by hand.

hate them too but DEALING right now cause I dont want to spend the $$$.

Originally posted by DViOuS
Actually i doubt they put the emblem/badge on by hand, its all done with machines nowaday, no eyeballing required :cool: , same with how the drill the holes, done by machines, alignment isnt a problem.

If I'm correct he is talking about puttimg different aftermarket emblems on himself.

Originally posted by Horse
If I'm correct he is talking about puttimg different aftermarket emblems on himself.

nope, original thread is about plugin holes after debadging the 8. unless he is talkin about puttin back on the badge for the bodyshop after fixing the car?!?!... but stil thats is ridicolous to have holes just for that purpose.

BTW, wot aftermarket emblem would you put on an 8? I dont think there is any aftermarket emblems out there that wouldnt make the car look rice.

Originally posted by amartin
Actually, the RX8 badge does appear to have holes.

I took dental-floss and am able to go round the badge except in 2 places-- and I tried going back-n-forth on the floss after heating the badge w/a hair dryer..it just broke the floss over and over-- I'm 99% sure there's posts under the badge.

hey martin, are you sure bout the holes on the rx8 badge?

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17135&highlight=debadging

brothervoodoo did it to his car and cleanly removed the rx8 badge. its the mazda badge that has the holes. scroll down to somewhere in the middle of that thread, he mentions it there... you may wanna try again...

Originally posted by MEGAREDS
Is it consensus that $500 is what debadging should cost? I know brothervoodoo was quoted $500 as his best offer. What have others paid? mikeb mentioned that he could get it done for $350, a steal in my opinion if done right!!!

I'm sure $350 is a great price for the labor involved in debadging the car, but it galls me to have to pay so much to remove advertising. I'm thinking that the MP3 or MiniDisc player, Tint or the Appearance Pkg would be higher on my priority list. In fact, the thing that is highest on my list right now is fuel... the VISA bills are beginning to depress me... as is all this *#&$ snow and cold weather. I thought the plugs amartin suggested might be a reasonable way to cut down on the costs of debadging.

As I've said before BV, I think your car looks terrific... so much so that I may actually pony up the money to have it done. it shows a lot of the same creativity and enthusiasm of what Whealy's been doing with his car, only yours is more in keeping with my old-man Titanium Gray taste -- and your ideas won't require me to spend so many hours in my freezing cold garage or washing the blue paint from my hands. I've really enjoyed following the evolution of both your car and his... and watching you guys costs me nothing, so there's a double bonus! Please keep the pics coming.

Originally posted by DViOuS
nope, original thread is about plugin holes after debadging the 8. unless he is talkin about puttin back on the badge for the bodyshop after fixing the car?!?!... but stil thats is ridicolous to have holes just for that purpose.

BTW, wot aftermarket emblem would you put on an 8? I dont think there is any aftermarket emblems out there that wouldnt make the car look rice.

I am talking about the hole being an extreme help to installing the emblems on cars. That's why they drill holes in some cars doors and fenders to put moldings on. It's also why they put holes in bumpers to line up the emblems. I'm glad they do because I don't want to measure and work all day to put emblems on when I only get paid less than $5.00 or less for that. I could make lot's more money doing something else for that time. I don't know if you guys pull off parts like these on cars but I have to do it every day and I would say 2 out of 5 bumpers have their paint pull off with the tape when you take an emblem off. So you would have to repaint it anyway. I would suggest doing it on a hot day or use a hairdryer to warm up the thing before you pull on it. Just don't get it too warm or your ******.

Originally posted by sable
there were NO posts on the back of the factory emblem which I removed (and broke in the process, scratching the paint)....

The winged "M" logo is attached by adhesive, no pins?

I know for a fact the word "Mazda" has pins. I just looked at them tonight - I removed the inside trunk "cover" to take a look. But, to be honest, I didn't bother to look at the "M."

Someone previously posted that the front 'M' has NO pins -
BUT there ARE pin-holes, to aid in fitting a replacement!
.
.
.
doc

what's wrong with badges??

I think debadging is a stupid idea, but whatever floats your boat I guess.. I mean do what you want with your car..I'm all for self-expression.

Badges = advertisements? perhaps, but there's nothing wrong with logos, imo. They are designs, just like the car is a design.. Now logo-'types' are a different story, because they are just text. I don't mind seeing logotypes get removed.. they are annoying.. Like "no sh*t it's an RX-8" It's like people walking around with nametags.. heh..

But consider this thought.. for those of you who would debadge the logo from your car, if you had a Ferrari, would you debadge that?? I think not.

I like the post Idea. I hope I can find somthing that will work. Personally I don't like the flying M design and I want to remove ti from front and rear. It is just too big. So, hopefully I can find somthing to fill the holes. I also asked the diameter of the posts in another thread but havent checked to see if I got an answer yet. Feel free to answer here too if you know.

-JiM

I'd like to remove the word "Mazda" and the "RX-8." Bummer, though, the Mazda has pins... :mad:

I don't get why everyone wants to take off their emblems. I do agree that the M badge on the front bumper is a little too big but other than that I see no point to this. I'm a Mazda nut and want all these uninformed people to know what kind of make and model this beautiful car is. I still to this day have people ask me "what kind of car is that" for my 1990 Miata! If you don't know what a Miata is then you've been under a rock for 14 years. But whatever floats your boat people, I just don't get it.

I think the car just looks clean with all the emblems removed

solution

put a stiker on the hols

Originally posted by Need For Speed
put a stiker on the hols

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking about to cover the "Mazda" holes in the back.

I'm leaving the "M" on the front and back.

If you have a black one, mask and paint it black...........
It'll look sweet

I have a silver 8.

What's so f*cked up with Mazda is the "Mazda" on the truck is held by three pins. Here's the kicker: the left one sits about .5" higher than the middle one and right one. So, unless you have an emblem that is about 1" wide, there is NO way to cover up all three holes with an emblem. How amazing is that? Instead of all three being aligned with each other, one of them sits higher.

:mad: :mad: :mad: