From digest.v7.n1206 Fri Feb 27 13:30:10 1998
From: "SMC" <smcastle_at_worldnet.att.net>
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 09:55:40 -0500
Subject: Model designations on trunk lid

Duane says:

>Having just taken my car outta the body shop, I told 'em to not put the
///M3 emblem on the rear deck lid after the re-paint.

I know this topic has been covered before, but it's worth mentioning again. We here in the States seem to be the most fixated on model desiginations of any country. In Europe, elimination of the model designation is a standard option offered by the factory. When I visited Munich a couple of years ago, I'd say well over half of the BMW's I say on the streets were sans model designation. This included 7's, 5's, and 3's. Didn't bother me a bit. But instead of down playing your car's potential with smaller engined badges of other BMW cars, why not really fool them and use badges from other manufacturers? How about a seven series with a "NSX" on it, or a five with "Carrera" on the trunk lid? Or Roadster with an "XKE" on the trunk. The possibilties are endless, and the public gullible . . . . . so here are the -

Top ten reasons to remove your car's model designation:

10. Your car already has a rear Roundel on it already identifying you as one of those "damn BMW driving yuppies" - who cares which model? 9. You have a better chance of selling your car as a "M" car, telling your prospective purchaser that you had to take the ///M off because everyone always wanted to race you.
8. When you take your car to your dealer for service, you will force your service writer to actually have to use the car's VIN - which gives you a better than 50% chance of getting the right parts installed on the first try.
7. No point deductions at your local concours for that mpossible to clean dirt which accumulates in those little crevices of the numbers like 0, 3, 5, 6, and 8.
6. When the valet pulls your car up, you can tell the hot babe you've just picked by telling her you drive a M3, that your 318 really is a M3 - without the badges for stealth purposes. 5. If you live in an apartment, the model numbers can be mixed and matched to make a great apartment number sign for your entrance door to your apartment.
4, You have just a smidgen of gasoline left in a jar and are trying to find a use for it - you look in your factory shop manual and see it recommends using gasoline to clean off the adhesive remaining after sawing off the model designation with soap soaked nylon string. 3. Everytime you wax your and buff it with a towel, a damn string get snagged on a corner of one of the those model numbers - you''l show it! 2. You want to use the "d" from a 524td, the 6 with the top nipped off, and the "0" from 320, to make an "obd" label in official BMW script to stick on Jim C.'s new OBD II gizmo.

1. Your'e a serious racer and damn it - every ounce of weight reduction helps you go faster!

Respectfully submitted,

Steve C.