On a rare occasion I was watching the news and came across this... Kinda made me laugh when I think of all the VTEC badges out there...
http://cbs3.com/consumer/local_story_016213245.html
(CBS 3) PHILADELPHIA What if you could turn your practical, everyday car into your dream ride, just by slapping on a sticker? More drivers are doing just that, putting on emblems from posher cars, hoping to fool and impress people. 3 On Your Side's Jim Donovan has what you should know about badging.
There's a new trend on the road: car owners trying to fake it, making it look like they're driving high performance, luxury versions of the cars they really have. It's called badging.
"They might, for instance, take a Chrysler 300 that has a V6 and put a Hemi badge on it to make it look like it's got the more expensive and more powerful V8 engine," said Jamie Kitman of Automobile Magazine.
You can buy emblems online; some dealerships even sell the stickers.
"The benefit is telegraphing other people very quickly that you have more wealth than you really have, perhaps and that you have more prestige," said Kitman.
One popular example? Mercedes owners are putting AMG badges on their cars to make it look like they bought the more expensive, fine-tuned version, which is about 20 to 30 thousand dollars more.
"It gives the person the opportunity to change their image, to create a different feeling about what they own and what they drive," said Mercedes dealer Garth Blumenthal.
Experts say it's not just luxury car owners. Dodge Chargers and Magnums are often badged along with Chryslers.
Sounds like harmless fun, right? Yes and no.
"If you're a consumer going out and buying a used vehicle and you're looking for, perhaps, a tuned vehicle like these with the bigger engines, you certainly want to be aware of what you're buying," said Robyn Eckard of Kelley Blue Book.
In other words you don't want to pay for a luxury model when it's really just a badged cheaper version.
How can you tell? Look for the vehicle identification number or VIN in the door jam of the car and then research it.
"The Vehicle Identification Number tells you exactly what that car is and what options it has on it," said Eckard.
Badges can run anywhere from about $4 to $50 or $60. If you are buying a used car through a dealership, they are legally required to let you know if a car has been rebadged.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
http://cbs3.com/consumer/local_story_016213245.html
(CBS 3) PHILADELPHIA What if you could turn your practical, everyday car into your dream ride, just by slapping on a sticker? More drivers are doing just that, putting on emblems from posher cars, hoping to fool and impress people. 3 On Your Side's Jim Donovan has what you should know about badging.
There's a new trend on the road: car owners trying to fake it, making it look like they're driving high performance, luxury versions of the cars they really have. It's called badging.
"They might, for instance, take a Chrysler 300 that has a V6 and put a Hemi badge on it to make it look like it's got the more expensive and more powerful V8 engine," said Jamie Kitman of Automobile Magazine.
You can buy emblems online; some dealerships even sell the stickers.
"The benefit is telegraphing other people very quickly that you have more wealth than you really have, perhaps and that you have more prestige," said Kitman.
One popular example? Mercedes owners are putting AMG badges on their cars to make it look like they bought the more expensive, fine-tuned version, which is about 20 to 30 thousand dollars more.
"It gives the person the opportunity to change their image, to create a different feeling about what they own and what they drive," said Mercedes dealer Garth Blumenthal.
Experts say it's not just luxury car owners. Dodge Chargers and Magnums are often badged along with Chryslers.
Sounds like harmless fun, right? Yes and no.
"If you're a consumer going out and buying a used vehicle and you're looking for, perhaps, a tuned vehicle like these with the bigger engines, you certainly want to be aware of what you're buying," said Robyn Eckard of Kelley Blue Book.
In other words you don't want to pay for a luxury model when it's really just a badged cheaper version.
How can you tell? Look for the vehicle identification number or VIN in the door jam of the car and then research it.
"The Vehicle Identification Number tells you exactly what that car is and what options it has on it," said Eckard.
Badges can run anywhere from about $4 to $50 or $60. If you are buying a used car through a dealership, they are legally required to let you know if a car has been rebadged.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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