Fake BMW M5's

colm_c

What's up with all these standard BMW 5 series being kitted out with an 'M' badge?

I've seen at least 4 today in Dublin, and one was a taxi.

What's the point?

For those that don't know how to spot a fake - fake M5's only have an exhaust pipes on one side of the back of the car while a real M5 has two sets of exhaust pipes - one on each side.

copacetic

i'm not totally up on this, but can you not spec 'm sport' on a std car and get a body kit and an m badge?

Or did these guys actually have an M5 badge only on one side?

cayenne

The M5 also has air-intakes where the standard 5-series has spots, for those trying to spot the difference, pardon the pun!

colm_c

copacetic wrote:

i'm not totally up on this, but can you not spec 'm sport' on a std car and get a body kit and an m badge?

Or did these guys actually have an M5 badge only on one side?

They had the body kits and the M5 badge on one side anyway.

rebel.ranter

Was it an //M5 or just ///M? There is a Sport version of all BMWs. The ///M logo is all over the place. I have 2 Sport BMWs & the ///M logo is on the rubbing strips, wheels, door sills, steering wheel, insturment cluster, etc.
In addition anyone can buy an ///M badge & put it on their car, homage to thei dream car. It's there to keep the anoraks on their toes!

Caliden

I saw an ///Mpower badge and didn't know what to think

3ps

I was in France recently and saw a BMW 5 series diesel with an M3 badge on it!

peasant

When I was a kid, I fitted a beer mat to my bike so it would hit the spokes to make that buzzing sound so that I could pretend it was a motorbike

Some folks just don't grow up

Seth Brundle

M5 Badge (E28!)

///M Badge

Those with the ///M badge are ordinary 3 or 5 series cars with M-Technik features (suspension, steering wheek, bodykit or whatever).
The M3 or M5 is a totally different car with most components not the same as ordinary cars. Many ///M cars are badged at the factory/dealer before being bought. Some however are just ebay purchases.

Anan1

Just to add to the confusion, earlier M5s were hand-built by BMW Motorsport in a separate factory. Only 187 E28 M5s were ever built in RHD. Current cars, good and all as they are, are just standard mass-market production models.

Andrewf20

Theres a black one in the work car park here (e39) with the quad exhausts and badge, but the tax disc always gives the game away. The stance looks different also. Performance car wannabes, I dont see the point in it.

Seth Brundle

I think I know that one Andrew as it is around Leixlip a fair bit. The exhausts look wrong.
That one is a 520i IIRC.

TomMc

Says something about BMW and all the dumbing down / marketing to the masses in more recent times. You will hardly ever find a Mercedes with all the replica AMG regalia. Wheels may be, but that's about it.

Audi are heading down that road too with their S-Line and I suppose Mercedes since they acquired AMG too. Marketing hey!

Lex Luthor

who cares?

people who do this are just sad individuals...its been going on for years

you'll know a real one when you see it, even if its debadged

Dwilly

Saw someone selling an old A3 1.6 badged as a 1.8T on adverts.ie.
At he had more modest aspirations...

mcauley

This does my head in too

Most people who spot an M badge will know the other characteristics of an M5/M3 (e.g. Quad Exhausts, air intakes etc), therefore the people who do spot the M badge will know its a knock-off fairly quick?

As for the BMW's sold with 'M' spec,It seems like a ploy by BMW to convince everyone that they can have an 'M' in some shape or form,even if they cant afford the real McCoy.....

Andrewf20

kbannon wrote:

I think I know that one Andrew as it is around Leixlip a fair bit. The exhausts look wrong.
That one is a 520i IIRC.

Its in Leixlip alright, this one was a 2.5 litre though with 5 spoke BMW alloys.

Matt Simis

cayenne wrote:

The M5 also has air-intakes where the standard 5-series has spots, for those trying to spot the difference, pardon the pun!

"Spots" being Irish for Fog Lights or actual circular spots on the car?
Seen about 20 million A4 TDIs badged as RS4s too.. if I ever am in the opportunity to "talk" to one of these idiots getting out of said "RS4"..

bazz26

Matt Simis wrote:

"Spots" being Irish for Fog Lights or actual circular spots on the car?
Seen about 20 million A4 TDIs badged as RS4s too.. if I ever am in the opportunity to "talk" to one of these idiots getting out of said "RS4"..

I've seen an A4 with both the RS4 and 1.9 TDi badges on the boot. :eek: Class! :rolleyes:

Dwilly

Plus a dirty great KENWOOD sticker on the rear windshield.
I've yet to see a WHIRLPOOL one, could be unique.

commited

My 530d Sport has M badges everywhere on the interior, but not one on the exterior. It's factory standard.

PeteK*

commited wrote:

My 530d Sport has M badges everywhere on the interior, but not one on the exterior. It's factory standard.

Yeah that's because it must be an M-Tech and not M5. M5 Looks like a 5 Series but is really fast and very sporty looking.


This is an M5; 5 Litre - From €138k




This is a M-Tech 5 Series; More or less. 2 Litre - From €55k

Fey!

M5 has rounded mirrors, non-M5 have "elephant ear" square mirrors. This also applies to the interior rear view mirror. Most common thing that people forget to change.

As for the M badges and the comment that it's to make people who can't afford an M think that they have one, the M-tech suspension is worlds away from the standard suspension.

Gatster

This is a M-Tech 5 Series; More or less. 2 Litre - From €55k

No, that's a standard 5 series, this is the M pack.

commited

I was talking about an e39 model, and I'm fully aware of the differences between it and an M5.

Cyrus

most of the bmw ms you see are 3 or 5 series with 1.8 or 2 litre engines and the m pack fitted (about 6-7k when new i think) if the car is the m pack ive no problem with an m badge which is different than an m3 or m5 badge.

and chatmaster that 520 you posted isnt an mtec 520 its bog std, you'll find the 520 mtec looks remarkably like the m5 above it save the side grills and quad exhaust

Cyrus

bazz26 wrote:

I've seen an A4 with both the RS4 and 1.9 TDi badges on the boot. :eek: Class! :rolleyes:

was probably the red t red d and red i tho, so just about as fast

bazz26

Cyrus wrote:

was probably the red t red d and red i tho, so just about as fast

And still gives 90mpg too...

Stephen

Pulls like a train as well, apparently...

Lex Luthor

and stings like a beemer...!!!!!:D

Andrewf20

Talk of the devil...

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=741278

siralfalot

a girl in the office next door has an Quattro kitted A4 with an "S4" badge on one side of the bootlid and "1.9TDI" on the other :rolleyes:

although I also know a guy who drives an Alfa 156 with the 3.8l V6 conversion done, and he has "1.6 T-Spark" badges on the back :cool:

unkel

siralfalot wrote:

I also know a guy who drives an Alfa 156 with the 3.8l V6 conversion done, and he has "1.6 T-Spark" badges on the back :cool:

He's got class

LarWright

..... I saw this in traffic recently and laughed my ass off!!!



Sorry for the dodgy quality but it was the rain on my windscreen (god bless Irish weather)....

Why do people insist on putting badges on their cars that have NO relevance!??

I suppose this is one of a kind.... Can't ever remember seeing an "M Power, Turbo V6, Fiat Punto SX" before... lol


**The reg plate has been blanked out, but I really think this idiot should be named and shamed!

tc20

If you've bought a BM with the M-tech kit thats fine, but like other posters here, i dont get the whole fake "M5/M3" badging mullarkey. There a young fella round these parts driving a mid 90s 3 series (dunno the model classification Exx?) with the side vents from the outgoing M3 cut and pasted into his front wings...

why,o why,o why...

Kalashnikov_Kid

Theres one I often see with the badge and even with a prebooked 07 XX 55 reg
Aside from the other tell-tale signs, a quick check on cartell reveals its a 520

Fey!

Andrewf20 wrote:

Talk of the devil...

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=741278

€11,500 for a 1996 LHD 528???? Nuts!

I can't see the interior rear view mirror; is it rectangular or oval?

Andrewf20

Fey! wrote:

€11,500 for a 1996 LHD 528???? Nuts!

I can't see the interior rear view mirror; is it rectangular or oval?

Could be riddled with Nikasil issues as well!

richie_rvf

Andrewf20 wrote:

Could be riddled with Nikasil issues as well!

Too right and it is not an M5 interior, plus, it's an auto :rolleyes:

You would have thought he would have closed the full ashtray for the photo

Richie.

Andrewf20

Heres another with the M3 wing vents (3 series this time):

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=729386

That fake M5 on carzone also has 136,000 miles on it!

wet-paint

Matt Simis wrote:

"Spots" being Irish for Fog Lights or actual circular spots on the car?
Seen about 20 million A4 TDIs badged as RS4s too.. if I ever am in the opportunity to "talk" to one of these idiots getting out of said "RS4"..

Took the words right out of my... hands.Saw one today with the badge, and a big diesel roar out of it. Muttered spa, as I cycled past. Think he heard me too, which is always good.

ciarsd

siralfalot wrote:

a girl in the office next door has an Quattro kitted A4 with an "S4" badge on one side of the bootlid and "1.9TDI" on the other :rolleyes:

although I also know a guy who drives an Alfa 156 with the 3.8l V6 conversion done, and he has "1.6 T-Spark" badges on the back :cool:

Haha, class act - is it a red one with a bit of AD 3.7 treatment? :cool:

While we're on the subject, how about a BMW 316i CSL

bazz26

ciarsd wrote:

While we're on the subject, how about a BMW 316i CSL

You'd think after going to the trouble of getting a CLS rear boot that he would have not bothered putting the 316i badge back on.

colm_mcm

is it actually a 316, or is the owner being modest?

unkel

I'd pay money for a genuine looking 718i badge

Seth Brundle

I know of someone who had an E34 M5 and put on a 520i badge after his previous E34 M5 was robbed and dumped on the M50.

ciarsd

bazz26 wrote:

You'd think after going to the trouble of getting a CLS rear boot that he would have not bothered putting the 316i badge back on.

colm_mcm wrote:

is it actually a 316, or is the owner being modest?

It's a genuine CSL Stumbled across the photo on an M3 forum when doing some reading a few weeks back :cool:

ciarsd

unkel wrote:

I'd pay money for a genuine looking 718i badge

Could you make one up using parts of a 3er badge? could be fun

unkel

ciarsd wrote:

Could you make one up using parts of a 3er badge? could be fun

Probably could. I could buy this and this on fleabay and get my 718i combination

bazz26

Might be easier to make up a 718i badge from a 118i though.

Hey why do things by half measures, how about a 716i //M Alpina?

unkel

bazz26 wrote:

Might be easier to make up a 718i badge from a 118i though

It looks like the letters come separately so any combination will do, although the fonts might be slightly different?

bazz26 wrote:

Hey why do things by half measures, how about a 716i //M Alpina?

I don't particularly like //M or Alpina badges and 716 is just taking the mickey. Maybe 720i would be best. Or is 720d more credible?