So I'm torn... should I let the dealer put their badge on my car?

Click here to see the badge Badge

It is a black circle with the checkered flag and wreath around it.

It's a very MINI appropriate badge... but it's still the local dealer badge.

Advice??

 

I insisted that the dealer was NOT going to advertise for free on MY car. They got my money, and I tell people who ask that they are there.

 

My vote? NO.

Aside from the obvious "Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges..." I see no reason why you need to turn your car into a rolling advertisement for your dealer. No matter how small and appropriate the badge is. At least they seem to be giving you a choice. Most of the dealers that still do this sort of thing slap 'em on w/o asking.

 

If it's just the emblem (minus the "WHERE WINNERS BUY&quot, and if you honestly like it, then I guess it's not too bad. But would you put it on the car yourself? Do you feel like you owe them free advertising? You can get much nicer checkered flag-type badging for your car. I have a great union jack/checkered flag metal badge that I can track down the source of if you're interested. I need to upload a photo if it to MCO.

 

I wouldn't. badging, on car is kinda like tatooing. once its on there, it's a major pain to get off. so before you put one on you kinda want one you chose, that reflects your personality. not something someone arbitrarily gave you which probably many others have. (its the dealer and all)

 

The "badge" on my MCS was vinyl, so I peeled it off. Came off quite easy actually.

David
-V--V-

 

Picked up my MCS six months ago and made it clear to my service advisor that no dealer names or badges would be placed on the car. So what did they do? Used their trim piece to mount my license plate instead of the one that came with the car. Of course it had the dealer name at the top. Replaced it as soon as I got home. Don’t need to advertise for them! My vote - NO BADGES Charles

 

Tell the dealer your Mini Will Wear the badge for 17 cents per mile. See what they say. I bet they will stare at you in utter moronity.

Assael asked why I removed their License Plate Card... and I told them I would gladly replace it if I were compensated... Idiots just stared like migrant workers taking an English Literature test...

 

I'd keep the flag, maybe... but i'm not one who's all 'forget them for advertising on my car'... The sheer fact that my dealer is the only one around for quite a distance makes the fact that i'm just driving the darn thing an advert, if their name is on it or not!..

Rocketboy_X

 

Badges?!? We don't need no stinking BADGES!!!

 

the flag is cool, but you could find something cooler

 

Do you where a MINI t-shirt? How 'bout Aberchrombie and Fitch? Do you have shoes with a swish (Nike)? A wrist watch? A ball cap? I thought so. Your life is one big bill-board. So why try to raise some hell with the local dealer? Its not like you're gonna throw out the baby with the bath water. If advertising so offends you, chuck it all and move to the wilderness, where you can make your own clothing, kill your own food and renounce your modern ways. Dealer badges are only there to show some pride that the dealer has in offering the MINI to the public. Who knows it may be viewed on your car by a traveler who needs to find a MINI service center, you could be doing a public and private service by having one on your vehicle. Cut the hypocracy people, or move to the Alaskan forests.

 

I told my dealership if they installed the badge, I would be getting my deposit back and they could keep the car. I will inspect the rear of the car before I actually sign to make sure they did not apply the badge, then remove it. I am very particular about dealer badging for specialty cars.

Cabbage

 

>>Do you where a MINI t-shirt?
Nope

>>How 'bout Aberchrombie and Fitch?
who?

>>Do you have shoes with a swish (Nike)?
nope

>>A wrist watch?
yeah but you can't tell the brand.

>>A ball cap
Sometimes...not even ***-backwards. Generally, I wear a kind of large-brimmed hat suitable for PHX weather.

Badges: don't need 'em/don't want em. I got over wearing status symbols years ago but unfortunately, to your point, there are items that I can't avoid like the MINI.

:smile:

 

I say NO, not from the persepctive that free advertising is necessarily wrong, but rather that it detracts from the look of the car. The checkered flag badge isn't horrible, but I don't think it adds anything to the car. Leave it off.

 

>> So why try to raise some hell with the local dealer? Its not like you're gonna throw out the baby with the bath water.

because driving the car is enough of an ad.. we don't need license plate frames and exterior badging to tell other people where we got it. i personally do not like when dealers put badges on their cars. i wouldn't even let my dealer put their license plate frames on.
(and asking a dealer to not badge the car isn't rasing hell )

 

When dealers begin selling below MSRP then maybe badges could be considered... until then NO!

 

>>Dealer badges are only there to show some pride that the dealer has in offering the MINI to the public.<<

Oh come on now. MGCMAN. This is really a bit much. I think there's quite a bit of advertising motive behind the dealer badges. Regardless of whether or not it helps them sell a MINI (doubtful), it increases the visibility and recognizability of their name.

There's a big difference between wearing shoes with a Nike swoosh and having an ugly badge slapped onto my brand new $20,000 otherwise-flawless car. I am one of those people that cringes every time I see someone wearing a T-shirt advertising Abercrombie or Tommy Hilfiger or B.U.M. Equipment or whatever, and I tend to go to what a lot of people would consider extremes to remove badging from various things I own, especially clothing. So, having it on my car would REALLY bother me. License plate frame, fine - I can remove that (and mightyMiniz, I can't believe they asked WHY you did! ), but an adhesive badge on the paint - no way. Some people don't care, but for those of us that do, I don't think it's too much to ask for it to not be added to the car.

 

These badges can typically be removed quite easily with the use of a heat gun or hair drier. Sliding dental floss behind the badge after its been heated a bit will usually remove it without damaging the paint. Obviously if you choose a heat gun then use a low heat setting.

 

Of course its a bit much. Call it poetic license. The point was to get the point, and I think y'all got it. Like it or not, our MINIs have become something of a cause celebre fashion statement of sorts. Lets just try to keep a level head about the whole thing.

p.s. I think my dealer put its name on those license plate brackets that you get when they put on the temporary tags. I use 'em because I'm too cheap to spring for some nicer ones.

 

Chrisnl - They were in shock at my immediate removal of their advertising.


and to addressMGCMAN

---Do you where a MINI t-shirt?
No

---How 'bout Aberchrombie and Fitch?
Nope, but there are other's I do wear... due to quality not to advertising, and some even support Teams, are from films I was part of, or are fashionable. A dealer badge is not a fashionable accessory.

----Do you have shoes with a swish (Nike)?
this shoe analogy is silly. But I'll play.
I have Oakley Sandals and Cole Hahn Nike's, and more - They are "Swoosh-less"But I have them because I can afford them... and the quality is better than Keds...
and by the way, it is SWOOSH not SWISH... Swish is what you'd find in West LA.

A wrist watch?
I earned it, have you? it was an investment. Is a DealerBadge an investment? Not for the one who's MINI it's on, but it's a good investment for the Dealer.

A ball cap?
Sometimes, and yes there is a logo on many of them, many also have logos from the films I work on. Sometimes a logo on a cap can express a personality... for example, a guy wearing a plain khaky ball cap is probably boring. (no offence to the dullards wearing plain caps) And a guy wearing an Orange SPYOPTICS Cap is probably Funloving and Happy.

I thought so. Your life is one big bill-board.
Really??? A billboard's use is leased. That would make more sense now that a dealer should pay to have a badge applied to your boot

Now that our eyes are opened up about this Guerilla Marketing... do you/we feel used?

A Badge placed on the car by a dealer is unwelcomed. The FACT that it SAYS MINI on it is Advertising ENOUGH. Especially the amounts we pay to own the Littel Rolling Billboard.
Why would anyone want to support a DEALERSHIP without some sort of kickback?
So What if they sold it to you and you are happy. They made a lot of money off that sale, off of you. AND they HOPE to make more $$ off of you in the future... with all the additional branding.


What if a MINI Dealership asked you if you would kindly paint your house with a huge ad for their company, they'll do the painting... I mean, you are a customer, why not? Maybe some wayward traveller will see that ad and then know where he can get help or buy a Mini!

 

Absolutely not!
In fact of all the Mini's I have seen so far, I haven't seen a single one that carried the dealer badge.
If the dealer wants to place his name on your car, and you fell uncomfortable to tell him not to, why don't you suggest that he give you one of those license plate frames with the dealers name on it, that way you can remove it at a later date.
If he won't give you a license plate frame, than:

JUST SAY NO!

 

I had no idea this thread would illicit such a passionate response. Hmm... I am pretty much totally against dealer badges myself, not because of advertising for them for free, etc, but because I believe the 99% of dealer badges detract from the appearance of the vehicle they are on. Licence plate surround all you want...They are removable. I guess all badges are as well, it's just not exactly easy... definitly not convienient to do so.

Let's shift the thread to more of a... "Is this dealer badge a detractor to the looks of the boot of my MINI?" It reminds me of this item for sale on minicooperparts.com.

Cooper Decal

 

Since you are asking .... I vote no and I do wear a mini hat / t shirt / watch but they do not have a dealer logo on them. I'm just funny that way.

Peace Out

 

>>Absolutely not!
>>In fact of all the Mini's I have seen so far, I haven't seen a single one that carried the dealer badge.
>>If the dealer wants to place his name on your car, and you fell uncomfortable to tell him not to, why don't you suggest that he give you one of those license plate frames with the dealers name on it, that way you can remove it at a later date.
>>If he won't give you a license plate frame, than:
>>
>>JUST SAY NO!

I don't like dealer badges for the sheer asthetics of it. I don't mind if they want to give me a free license plate frame however. When I find something I want to replace it with I will and it doesn't hurt the car at all. I don't resent my dealers, but I don't want them to damage my car for their own advertising.

I'll even take a shirt or cap from a dealer. I don't care. Just dont glue anything metal or stick anything on my car.