Advise on debadging

dubstub

Hi guys,
Any advise on debadging a car? I don't like the badges at the back of mine, think that they ruin the symmetry of the car and when you wax the car, wax gets stuck in between all the letters.
From a bit of research I've learned that all I need is a hairdryer and a bit of dental floss to ease the letters off. Does anyone know where I could pick up a decent product (similar to Goo Gone in the States) to remove the traces of glue left?
Cheers.

Eoin

This came up on another forum I frequent - seems any tar remover or meths should do the trick to remove any left over glue. Thread here.

prospect

I de-badged mine a couple of weeks ago, and only used a hairdryer on its warm setting.
I removed the letters/numbers one by one, and there wasn't a sign of glue left. Then gave the car a good wash and wax, and bingo you would never know there was a badge there.

It looks a lot cleaner, and it is easier to wash & wax....

colm_mcm

what's the car, there may be locating holes drilled in the bodywork

dubstub

It's a VW Touareg - from what I've read there's no holes, just glue.

Cheers for the tips lads.

colm_mcm

theyre a doddle to get off. ashamed of the 2.5 TDI bit?

dubstub

Not at all!

Once I debadge, everyone will think it's the V10, won't they? won't they?

Big Balls

The turned down exhaust pipes will probably blow your cover

colm_mcm

that and the pedestrian acceleration

dubstub

Yeah, of course, 174bhp and 400Nm of torque... very pedestrian... on bleedin planet Krypton maybe... :rolleyes:

Squirrel

dubstub wrote:

Yeah, of course, 174bhp and 400Nm of torque... very pedestrian... on bleedin planet Krypton maybe... :rolleyes:

Any pictures of the car? I quite like the Touareg, I was driving a black manual one in work, and a grey and silver auto and I really like them

Preset No.3

What made you buy the toureg? Is it pass or comm? Ive been toying with a number of SUV's latley and Ive got it down to the Toureg, X5, and the XC90.

dubstub

No photos yet, will try and stick some up over the weekend.

Yep, it's commercial. It's the best looking of the commercial jeeps out there imo. In fact, I think it's probably the best looking jeep out there, but that is just my opinion. The back windows are privacy glass so no unsightly metal panels covering them.
Wouldn't have been a jeep fan before it but after driving it for a while and seeing how modern SUV's handle I can see how people wouldn't switch back to a saloon.

Didn't like the X5 coz there's just too many of them on the road, and they are too popular among the soccer moms. The XC90 wouldn't be to my taste at all.

Preset No.3

Went up to Belgard and had a closer look at the Toureg. Very comfortable!! Then went to Stuarts and had a look at the discovery......NO WAY!! Very plastic for the money! If you dont mind me asking what did you pay for the Toureg in the end?

dubstub

The interior on the Discovery is horrible compared to the Touareg. Got the Touareg commerical with metallic paint, removable tow-bar and park assist for €42,000 inc VAT.
Seems to hold its value seriously well from what I've seen on the second hand sites.

prospect

dubstub wrote:

No photos yet, will try and stick some up over the weekend.

See if you can do a 'before debadging' and an 'after debadging' for the hell of it.....

whippet

I had a lend of a 3L Triptronic TDI Touareg for a while and fell in love with it, but not the price tag.

Very, very thirsty but worth it in the comfort zone. It had a few of the options on it. Personally I think it is a beautiful looking SUV against the ageing looks of the X5.

mloc123

dubstub wrote:

Yeah, of course, 174bhp and 400Nm of torque... very pedestrian... on bleedin planet Krypton maybe... :rolleyes:

Might be impresive if it wasn't in something that weighs 2.5 tonne. 69Bhp/tonne is probably in Micra league.

mloc123

Just checked parkers...I am bored and.....

2.5 TDI Touareg 0-60 is 12 Seconds

1.3 lx Micra 0-60 is 11.6 Seconds

Our man in Havana

Are there any legal issues with de-badging?

unkel

mloc123 wrote:

Just checked parkers...I am bored and.....

2.5 TDI Touareg 0-60 is 12 Seconds

1.3 lx Micra 0-60 is 11.6 Seconds

There is no current 1.3l Micra and some superminis are only 1.0l and a good bit slower than the current 1.2l Micra but comparing that Micra with the 2.5 TDI Touareg for 0-100km/h only:

Cheapest Nissan Micra 1.2 : 13.5s
2.5 TDI Touareg: 12.4s (tiptronic 12.9s)

Both are sluggish based on that figure alone. But the Touareg has loads of torque, which matters much more in real life

For anyone in the market for a D4 tractor, a Touareg will be just fine. I still struggle with the very concept of that sort of car never leaving the city centre apart from trips on motorways or national roads, but image-wise, a VW might not cut the mustard and one is to have at least a Range Rover Sport or a Porsche Cayenne to out-do the next-door neighbours, unless they own an X5 or an XC-90, which will still be fine until the 07D plates roll-over of course

When I first set foot in this country, not that much more than a decade ago, 8 out of 10 cars on the roads were bangers. The average car was about 15 years old then as opposed to about 1.5 years old now. Amazing stuff

mloc123

Not knocking the Touareg at all just disputed the comment about it not being slow at all. The torque isn't all that high per tonne either, 299lb/ft of torque (its 400nm) works out around 116 a tonne I think and the micra about 96 a tonne...

I do like Touaregs tho'

Sonnenblumen

unkel wrote:

There is no current 1.3l Micra and some superminis are only 1.0l and a good bit slower than the current 1.2l Micra but comparing that Micra with the 2.5 TDI Touareg for 0-100km/h only:

Cheapest Nissan Micra 1.2 : 13.5s
2.5 TDI Touareg: 12.4s (tiptronic 12.9s)

Both are sluggish based on that figure alone. But the Touareg has loads of torque, which matters much more in real life

For anyone in the market for a D4 tractor, a Touareg will be just fine. I still struggle with the very concept of that sort of car never leaving the city centre apart from trips on motorways or national roads, but image-wise, a VW might not cut the mustard and one is to have at least a Range Rover Sport or a Porsche Cayenne to out-do the next-door neighbours, unless they own an X5 or an XC-90, which will still be fine until the 07D plates roll-over of course

When I first set foot in this country, not that much more than a decade ago, 8 out of 10 cars on the roads were bangers. The average car was about 15 years old then as opposed to about 1.5 years old now. Amazing stuff

Since when does SUV comfort have to match saloon car performance? I mean there isn't an SUV to match Subarau Impreza nor would I expect it, similarly there are no saloon to match SUV comfort levels?

All sound svery petty to me? Fewer bangers out there but still plenty of ex-banger drivers!! Sounds like Ex-Banger drivers rule OK?

PS-OP use the hairdryer method to debadge, works a treat!

colm_mcm

dubstub wrote:

Yeah, of course, 174bhp and 400Nm of torque... very pedestrian... on bleedin planet Krypton maybe... :rolleyes:

Ah don't worry, I'm only winding you up. It's no slower than a Land Cruiser or Pajero.

prospect

Sonnenblumen wrote:

similarly there are no saloon to match SUV comfort levels

I have driven alot of different SUVs, and only the MOST comfortable have been better (in comfort terms) than some particularly bad saloon cars.

On average, a saloon car is far more comfortable than an SUV.....

You must drive some real junk.

Matt Simis

Sonnenblumen wrote:

Since when does SUV comfort have to match saloon car performance? I mean there isn't an SUV to match Subarau Impreza nor would I expect it, similarly there are no saloon to match SUV comfort levels?

I dunno, the V10 Touareg 0-60 is 7.8seconds, thats impressive IMO. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo (4.8l Bi-Turbo) is about 5.5seconds...



Matt

JHMEG

The Toureg will be able to pull reallly really big trailers. Maybe ones with loads of cattle instead of just the one.

A Micra would never manage that...

G Luxel

Bond-007 wrote:

Are there any legal issues with de-badging?

There are some second-hand Japanese Import Toyota models rebadged as Lexus? Is this legal?
And Why? It looks like snobbery to me.

bennyx_o

I can't see why it wouldn't be legal. The make is still displaed on your tax disk anyway, so it's not like you're trying to hide anything.

mike65

Apart from the fact you drive a 1.2 L!

Mike.

Spitfire666

there is nothing illegal about debadging. most new cars come without badges aswell as with badges from new. also ya see alot of a4's/a6's with rs kits and rs4/rs6 badges. thats not illegal either.

Spitfire666

there is nothing illegal about debadging. most new cars come without badges aswell as with badges from new. also ya see alot of a4's/a6's with rs kits and rs4/rs6 badges. thats not illegal either.

Sonnenblumen

prospect wrote:

I have driven alot of different SUVs, and only the MOST comfortable have been better (in comfort terms) than some particularly bad saloon cars.

On average, a saloon car is far more comfortable than an SUV.....

You must drive some real junk.

Well if you sit on your brains, perhaps SUV's might be cumbersome. What SUV's are you referring to. Ignorance is a killer! I've plenty of driving behind me but more in front, so far I've driven VW, Mercedes, BMW, but currently Subaru. BTW all cars were new, I hope my experience doesn't cause you piles!

Volvoboy

think that when you buy a new merc you're given a choice weater you want the model no. on the left hand side of the boot e.g if you want a E200 badge on the rear of the car, also they charge ya!

Spitfire666

its the sme with all VAG group cars Volvoboy and more makes aswell.

Big Balls

VAG group (and I'm sure every other manufacturer out there) do not charge you for not putting badges on the back of your car :rolleyes:

Do-more

G Luxel wrote:

There are some second-hand Japanese Import Toyota models rebadged as Lexus? Is this legal?
And Why? It looks like snobbery to me.

Nothing illegal in changing the badges, but it is illegal to sell a car without stating it's true origin. There was a case taken five or six years ago by a customer who bought an imported Toyota Soarer which was described as a "Lexus Coupe" the name which the model is sold as in the USA. The customer was sucessful in getting damages from the garage. (The garage in question was selling with huge mark ups and the customer had suffered diabolical depreciation, the reason I remember this is that I imported a Soarer myself about the time of the original sale which cost me ir£11,200 and I think the customer in question had paid something like ir£22,000 for his!)

colm_mcm

Do-more wrote:

Nothing illegal in changing the badges, but it is illegal to sell a car without stating it's true origin. There was a case taken five or six years ago by a customer who bought an imported Toyota Soarer which was described as a "Lexus Coupe" the name which the model is sold as in the USA. The customer was sucessful in getting damages from the garage. (The garage in question was selling with huge mark ups and the customer had suffered diabolical depreciation, the reason I remember this is that I imported a Soarer myself about the time of the original sale which cost me ir£11,200 and I think the customer in question had paid something like ir£22,000 for his!)

I can't believe buyers didn't twig that the Soarers they were buying were right-hand drive, and that they weren't available in Europe...........

More common were Toyota Celcior Altezza and Harrier models being rebadged, but it's easy to spot the kilometre clocks and different spec

Do-more

Found this report in the Indo about the case, sorry it's a bit long, but good for a few laughs!

TOYOTA Soarer 2.5 litre turbo coupes are being wrongly traded in Ireland as Lexus cars which they are not, the Circuit Civil Court has been told.

Judge Joseph Matthews heard that the Soarer is not sold anywhere else in the world as a Lexus, but unfortunately in Ireland it was being wrongly traded as such.

This evidence emerged in a case in which former Government Press Officer Eoin Neeson is suing Aston Cars Ltd and Brian Tobin for up to £30,000 damages for alleged misrepresentation.

The court heard that an allegedly re-badged Toyota Soarer "Lexus'' Neeson had bought from Aston Cars lost 50pc in depreciation in a year.

Motor assessor Frank Maguire said such a depreciation for a real Lexus would be enormous. Lexus cars would depreciate by about 20pc in a year.

He said the only Lexus models traded in Ireland were the 200, 300 and 400 models. There was no 2.5 litre Lexus retailed in Ireland. It was sold as a Toyota and not a Lexus. Nowhere in the world did the Toyota motor company sell a Toyota 2.5 as a Lexus.

Mr Maguire said Toyota Soarers were secondhand imports into Ireland and, while he was aware that they were being re-badged as Lexus cars, he did not know who was re-badging them. Such cars should be sold as the much cheaper Toyota Soarer.

There was no Lexus properly retailed in Ireland which looked remotely like a Soarer. He said there had been a marked drop in the value of large Japanese cars imported to Ireland.

He would not buy a Toyota Soarer unless he was forced to because of the large drop in value when it came to selling it again. People only bought a Toyota Soarer once, due to the huge drop in value they would experience on trading it in again.

Neeson (73), of Cuanog, Stradbrook, Blackrock, Co Dublin, said he had wanted a Lexus and when he saw an advertisement in The Irish Times for a Lexus coupe in 1998 he phoned Aston Cars and spoke to Mr Tobin.

Tobin had told him he had a beautiful 1994 car and drove it to his Blackrock home, where they did a deal on a trade-in involving his 1991 Mercedes coupe along with a payment of £8,450 for what he believed was a Lexus.

Tobin had told him it was one of the first coupes to be imported to Ireland. He had been told by Tobin it was a Lexus and he assumed it was.

The car bore the names Lexus and Soarer with a symbol which he did not realise until later was the Toyota symbol. When he questioned Tobin about that, he had told him both Lexus and Toyotas were built by the same company and he had not got around to changing the badge, which he later did.

Neeson said Tobin wanted £29,700 for the car and they eventually agreed on a £21,000 trade-in for his Mercedes, along with £8,450 cash. He did not understand why the receipt he received showed the overall deal for £24,450 showing a trade-in allowance of£17,000 and £8,450 cash.

When Judge Matthews intimated he had a personal experience of a similar nature relating to a car purchase receipt, Ronan Murphy, counsel for Aston Cars, and Barra Faughnan, counsel for Neeson, indicated there would be a major issue on credibility relating to evidence of the actual deal.

Judge Matthews agreed with submissions by both counsel that the case should proceed anew before another judge on another date.

By RAY MANAGH

unkel

Yeah I remember the Toyota Soarer / Lexus rebadging alright

Do-more wrote:

his 1991 Mercedes coupe along with a payment of £8,450 for what he believed was a Lexus

What a complete eejit that buyer! He should have received at least £8,450 for downgrading from his Merc to the Toyota

prospect

Sonnenblumen wrote:

Well if you sit on your brains......... Ignorance is a killer!................. I hope my experience doesn't cause you piles!

Sonnenblumen wrote:

What SUV's are you referring to.

Anyway,
Nissan Patrol, Terrano, X-Trail
Toyota Landcruiser, RAV 4
Volvo XC90
Hyundai Santa Fe
Mazda Tribute
Kia Sportage, Sorrento
Range Rover (previous version to current)
Volkswagon Touareg
Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Shogun
BMW X5

And I cant be bothered listing the cars.
However I did own a MK1 1.6 petrol Toyota Carina (in the early 90's), and it was (without any doubt) more comfortable than all of the above, on the straight, in town and especially on the twist back roads. Its all about centre of gravity.

Do-more

Never mind de-badging, what about re-badging! Now that Audi have the A8 and Q7 in the model line-up, I can predict lots of Kuwati's driving around in Audi Q8's !:D