Debadged my car today

[Dieseldoos]

... and driving to pick the other half up earlier noticed quite a few people tried to get me to race. Still, I just cruised along until they got bored and sped of looking for someone else, or sped away from the lights whilst I just drove away like normal. (Im getting old!)

I think it looks cleaner with no badges, allthough, where the S Line badges were on the front wings, looks kind of empty now.

[Guest 2]

Any pics?

[Dieseldoos]

Not yet, it was getting dark when I finished, so I am going to give it a good clean tomorrow and take some then, Its about time I uploaded some!

[Phil K]

Funny this thread has popped up just when I've been explaining to SWMBO that the a4 badge and 2.0 TDI badges have to come off!

Before and after pics would be awesome if you have anything from before!?!

[Dieseldoos]

199151991619917Not the best pictures as I took them with the Ipad. I dont have any before pictures. I saved a few from the dealers website when I brought it but I did not save any of the rear.

I know some prefer to leave things as they were, but I have pretty much debadged every car Ive owned, ever since some chav stole my Calibra Turbo badges back in the late 90s and messed all the paint up in the process! And its easier to polish! I am not removing the Audi rings though.

[Guest 2]

Looks good but I (personally) would've kept the S-Line badges on the wings - but it's your car ;)

I once saw a (misbadged) RS6 with a 2.0 TDi badge on it! :rolleyes:

[Dieseldoos]

I felt that with the wing badges after I took them off, as it looks a little bare now. I am thinking of getting some 3M tape, cleaning them up and putting them back. That said, my other half prefers it with no badges, so we shall see!

But the rear badges are not going back thats for sure!

[Dieseldoos]

A few better quality pics taken with my actual camera 19921199221992319924
19925

[Guest 2]

Agree on the rears - was gonna debadge mine but never got round to it.

I might remove the 1.9 from my A3 though and just leave the TDI like the MY2012 cars.

Looks spot on.

[113brucey]

i have also debadged rear
19927

[c.grex]

Just wondered, why do people cover there number plate in pictures?

[Danny-boy]

Just wondered, why do people cover there number plate in pictures?

19930

Been covered lots of times.

[Phil K]

Looks great DD! Will be attacking mine sooner rather than later having seen your pics! Cheers matey :)

[raiman]

de badging is definately the way to go. I debadged mine and changed the audi rings to black on the back and front, and even found some black s line badges to put on the wings.

[zollaf]

mine is debadged. i find people look at it and know not what it is. i may fit 4 rings to the front grill, also painted black, just as a matter of identification.

[DrNorthy]

Somebody took the i from mine so I have removed the TD but left the A4. There's a small mark in the paint where the scrote stole it will have to fix that. It wasn't easy to remove the residue from the stickers strong stuff.

[Dieseldoos]

Got me thinking of black audi rings now! Mind you, I want to change my front grill first to lose the chrome on it.

The sticky stuff definately felt stronger on the side badges than the rears.

[Phil K]

Ours came off just now... fairly easy to floss off and then just a bit of patients, goo gone and some gentle rubbing with a microfibre required to get the sticky pad residue off. Gave it a quick Meguires 3 stage polish/wax and its looking smoooooth :)

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e164/dubdemand/3f392beb169ad39754fc3ad192d49a7d.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e164/dubdemand/51e56e4db688a213b79da6cbab927f4d.jpg

[Dieseldoos]

Looks much better! Is that your Porsche in the reflection! I did clean up the side S line badges earlier today, and using 3m body tape, re-applied them back to the wings, the back is better but the wings just looked bare without the little badges!

i got the raised eyebrows from the other half when I put them back on!

[Phil K]

Thanks mate, not my Porsche unfortunately... in fact I have no idea who's it is but it turned up a few weeks ago and hasn't moved since. Maybe I should make a claim if no one wants it!?!

[113brucey]

here is some grills for you
http://www.bm-town.com/#/audi-a4b8-exteriors/4540056382

[MLI33D]

A very timely thread as I was wondering what the reasons were for debadging to point of considering rebadging. I bought my car with only the Audi rings at the back.

Having said that I do enjoy people attempting to guess that my car is an A6!

[Dieseldoos]

Well my reason is for me it makes the car look cleaner, and easier to clean. I think I have more or less debadged every car I have owned. (Allthough thats also because of some scumbag many years ago thieving my rear badges and making a mess of the paint in the process!)

I have put the S line badges back on the front wings though as it looked to bare without them.

[Guest 2]

No badges mean its easier to clay/de-tar/polish and wax too ;)

[Phil K]

I agree with what has been said. It massively de-clutters/cleans up the rear end and makes it easier to clean.

The fact you can order de-badged from the factory shows its not just a few people that share this opinion - it must have been requested often enough for them to make it an option!

[eob]

A timely thread indeed.
I want to remove my TDi badge when I eventually get a weather window to clay.
What are you all using to remove the sticky stuff after flossing? Will WD40 do the trick?

[Phil K]

A timely thread indeed.
I want to remove my TDi badge when I eventually get a weather window to clay.
What are you all using to remove the sticky stuff after flossing? Will WD40 do the trick?

WD40 might work but I can't speak from experience. It works for just about anything else though so I don't see why not lol

I used 'sticky stuff remover' as its all we had under the kitchen sink and I have used white spirit in the past... The most important thing is to re-wax the area underneath to protect the freshly revealed paint.

[Dieseldoos]

Will WD40 do the trick?

I use Loctite 7063 cleaner spray, but things like tar spot remover also work well. WD40 does work, but tends to leave an oily residue, which you then also need to clean off before waxing.

[eob]

I use Loctite 7063 cleaner spray, but things like tar spot remover also work well. WD40 does work, but tends to leave an oily residue, which you then also need to clean off before waxing.

Im going to try it before flaying and waxing anyway so it should be ok.
now, just need to decide whether to keep the A4 badge or loose it too.:confused:

[Boy]

Lose it! Much better without any badges.

[Phil K]

I say lose it... I did take off the TDI badge first but thought it looked unbalanced with just the A4 on the last hand side.

[eob]

Well I did it today.
got a bit over zealous with my finger nail and made a bit of a mess.
I've clayed and polished the car but the Carlack is non abrasive so it didn't buff it out.
i also managed to put a few light scratches in while claying, must not have been folding the clay often enough. Maybe it's time to invest in that rotary polisher.
anyway, it's looking much better without the designation.

[Guest 2]

Use a Dual Action polisher - not a rotary unless you're experienced as its far far far easier to burn the paint with a rotary and near impossible with a DA.

[eob]

Use a Dual Action polisher - not a rotary unless you're experienced as its far far far easier to burn the paint with a rotary and near impossible with a DA.

Not wanting to go off topic, I thought DAs just didn't have the performance of a rotary? Or would I really only need that level for a proper paint correction?

anyway, here's a shot of my debadged arrrs end.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v203/eob_/eob_cars/20130406_171911_zps4aad1893.jpg

[Guest 2]

From my limited knowledge - a rotary is only needed on very poor paintwork and restoring it back to showroom.

The DA will still provide excellent results but professionals prefer a rotary for some reason.

I have a Megs DA sitting out in the garage which I will crack out during the summer.

[Igloo]

Rotaries are quicker. Allowing you to work faster. They cut quicker.

A da will be fine :)

[eob]

Just an update on this:
I bought a DA and Scholl concepts S17+ polish and the marks have gone.
Annoyingly there is a stone chip where the TDI was but it's not massive.

[Redcar01]

Hi A6 Chris wrote " I might remove the 1.9 from my A3 though and just leave the TDI like the MY2012 cars. " what's MY2012 cars ? Sorry I keep asking questions that seem daft. Regards

[Dieseldoos]

The new face lifted Audis

[Guest 2]

Hi A6 Chris wrote " I might remove the 1.9 from my A3 though and just leave the TDI like the MY2012 cars. " what's MY2012 cars ? Sorry I keep asking questions that seem daft. Regards

Model Year - no question is daft, don't worry about that :)

Most 2011 onwards Audi's just have TDI minus the engine size.

[Redcar01]

Thanks.. wondered why mine just says TDI

[wicked677]

2154621547

[DrNorthy]

2154621547


But you are planning to put the plate back on right?

[wicked677]

Of course, I got a new plate holder so decided to take the plate off at the same time... why would I not put it back on :S

Got a few blisters on the tips, so I would recommend if you wear rubber gloves, particularly if you have soft hands..