Changing badges on US cars

[killer tiller]

It think we'll probably do it. The Holden front-end just looks so much better I think anyways.

Now that's the spirit

My apologies. When I hear of Holden conversions over in the states, I always think of the GTO guys, & forgot the OP said a G8.

How popular is the Holden conversion in the states? And can you guys get your hands on HSV over there?

 

[McLaren]

How popular is the Holden conversion in the states? And can you guys get your hands on HSV over there?

From my viewpoint, it's rare & I think that's because people over in the US just don't know what Holden is (yeah, we're kind of ignorant like that). And for the one I have seen in person (a GTO), it was actually done right & looked exactly like a Monaro. It was also driven by a 23 year old woman.

But G8s, I have seen none. As for HSV, no unfortunately. Believe me, I would absolutely love to have a HSV W427; that is my dream Australian car.

 

[killer tiller]

But G8s, I have seen none. As for HSV, no unfortunately. Believe me, I would absolutely love to have a HSV W427; that is my dream Australian car.

Yeah we'd all love one of them, although I'd love Holden to bring out a new monaro like this concept

 

[Famine]

It's a Pontiac. They have a spotty reputation regarding quality.

And the solution is to put VAUXHALL badges on it?


Rebadging a car is so lame it should be shot and sold for dog food and glue.

 

[Slick Rick]

Lol im about to disagree with Famine here, my opinion is ONLY if its exactly the same car as in Australia and Europe and the badges are a straight swap id to it. I mean its a simple mod and makes your car a little more quirky. Sometimes here people rebadge Vauxhalls to Opel badges which actually look pretty good...
Go for it if their the same shape, if the bumpers are different id say try and get australian spec bumpers aswell and do it properly...

 

[Famine]

Sometimes here people rebadge Vauxhalls to Opel badges which actually look pretty

... dismal.

Anyone that knows, knows that you've rebadged your car - it's right-hand drive, for crying out loud - either because you're embarrassed at having a Vauxhall or because you think Opels are foreign and thus immediately better, regardless of any other factor (whatever the EU equivalent of Fapanese is). Of course Opel have no better reputation in Europe than Vauxhall do over here - and kids in Europe actually do the same thing but the other way around for the same reasons. Anyone that doesn't know doesn't care. Either way, you've spent time, effort and money tarting up a Corsa, Astra or Vectra (most of the time - though I've seen it on Tigras, Omegas and a Calibra) - insert Joker hand clap gif here.

So it's a largely pointless exercise that makes you look really, really, really lame.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

Lol im about to disagree with Famine here, my opinion is ONLY if its exactly the same car as in Australia and Europe and the badges are a straight swap id to it.

Unfortunately, Europe never got the standard Commodore so it doesn't quite work with Vauxhall badges. The UK got both versions of the VZ Monaro and later the HSV Clubsport E1 and E2 in the form of the VXR8 (with optional Walkinshaw supercharger as seen in the Bathurst Edition), but not the Commodore SS like the G8 in America.

 

[RTSolvalou]

People putting a Chevrolet badge on the Commodore...

 

[Jacob]

... dismal.

*snip*

So it's a largely pointless exercise that makes you look really, really, really lame.

Fantastic-post Famine strikes again. I can only agree. 👍

 

[CodeRedR51]

People putting a Chevrolet badge on the Commodore...

Who said anything about that?

Fantastic-post Famine strikes again. I can only agree. 👍

Disagree. But it largely depends on the car. I wouldn't hesitate to put Honda badging on an Acura NSX or Integra. This it no different.

 

[dsgerbc]

Just de-badge and claim it's a Holden, if anyone ever cares to ask.
Personally, I'd only consider a GXP trim with a 6spd. Otherwise there are plenty of other options to chose from.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

I think it would be cool if he did that.

 

[Slick Rick]

Fantastic-post Famine strikes again.

No. Not really.

Theres no right or wrong answer its just a matter of opinion and all he did was come over all overly aggressive to make it look like I got 'told' and push his view forward which he already mentioned in a previous post.

 

[Grayfox]

We have that problem down here, people are rebadging their Holden's with chev badges.

I see this everyday.

I thought they bought a Chevrolet and thought to my self Why would you pay more for the same car and pay more because of a change in bumper and badge.

Who said anything about that?

He did.


As for my view on it, take it back home.

If it was a Commodore to start with take it back to its roots and make it one.

 

[TouringDevotee]

Rebadging. In Los Angeles, I did spot a BMW 3 Series that was rebadged as an Autobot.

 

[UnionStrike]

Badge changing is a good source for automotive funnies, not sure why anyone would be against it.

You might be pretty humorless to not laugh your ass of at such cases.

 

[sumbrownkid]

I drive a Geo Prizm but my engine says Toyota on it. The car pretty much is a Toyota Corolla only with Chevy badging.

Is that stupid?

 

[Famine]

No. Not really.

Theres no right or wrong answer its just a matter of opinion and all he did was come over all overly aggressive to make it look like I got 'told' and push his view forward which he already mentioned in a previous post.

There's not an aggressive word anywhere in my post. Incidentally, whose view am I supposed to argue in favour of if not my own?

People will either know that you've rebadged you car or they won't. If they don't, it's a wasted effort. If they do, they know what the car underneath is and you give off the impression that you're either embarrassed about it (which is bad) or that you think foreign = better (which is weak). So a rebadge is bad, weak or pointless.

 

[Nessy]

People will either know that you've rebadged you car or they won't. If they don't, it's a wasted effort. If they do, they know what the car underneath is and you give off the impression that you're either embarrassed about it (which is bad) or that you think foreign = better (which is weak). So a rebadge is bad, weak or pointless.

All depends on what reason you're doing it for really,... i agree that if the OP is doing it (partly) because he wants to disassociate a shoddy brand image by changing the badges... that to me does seem a little lame (in my opinion).

However, let's say (for example), that i love Vauxhall Corsa's, Astra's, Vectra's etc, and let's also imagine that i own 1 of those cars (i don't btw),.. But i really hate the Griffin logo (which i do, as it happens), I would actually swap the badges over to Opel, why?... well because i find the badge more aesthetically pleasing (prefer the simplicity compared to the griffin design)...

So, basically i'd be doing it for myself... Not to fool anybody, Not because i'm embarrassed about the badge, Not because i think in some way it's more exotic because it's a foreign badge..., screw what anybody else thinks, as i'm not actually doing it for them.. i'd be doing it because i like the other badge design more.

So if someone is doing it for that kind of reason, i really don't see it as being lame, or pointless for that matter.

 

[CodeRedR51]

If they do, they know what the car underneath is and you give off the impression that you're either embarrassed about it (which is bad) or that you think foreign = better (which is weak). So a rebadge is bad, weak or pointless.

And that's your opinion.

I see it as staying true to the original release/design of the car.

Honda Integra > Acura Integra
Honda NSX > Acura NSX
Holden Commodore > Pontiac G8
Nissan Fairlady > Nissan 350Z

See?

Of course, to do those right you would need to replace appropriate body panels as well, which is what the OP was planning on doing anyway.

 

[Famine]

All depends on what reason you're doing it for really,... i agree that if the OP is doing it (partly) because he wants to disassociate a shoddy brand image by changing the badges... that to me does seem a little lame (in my opinion).

However, let's say (for example), that i love Vauxhall Corsa's, Astra's, Vectra's etc, and let's also imagine that i own 1 of those cars (i don't btw),.. But i really hate the Griffin logo (which i do, as it happens), I would actually swap the badges over to Opel, why?... well because i find the badge more aesthetically pleasing (prefer the simplicity compared to the griffin design)...

So, basically i'd be doing it for myself... Not to fool anybody, Not because i'm embarrassed about the badge, Not because i think in some way it's more exotic because it's a foreign badge..., screw what anybody else thinks, as i'm not actually doing it for them.. i'd be doing it because i like the other badge design more.

So if someone is doing it for that kind of reason, i really don't see it as being lame, or pointless for that matter.

But you still encounter the same issue - either no-one notices or they do and think you're a foreigner-fanboy or a clod. Now if you don't care that no-one notices, that's fine, but you still have to deal with the wave of people who think less of you for doing it.

And that's your opinion.

Who else's would I express?

I see it as staying true to the original release/design of the car.

Honda Integra > Acura Integra
Honda NSX > Acura NSX
Holden Commodore > Pontiac G8
Nissan Fairlady > Nissan 350Z

See?

Nope. For a start, all of those examples are RHD models (with the exclusion of the Integra and NSX, which were both sold, in small numbers, in mainland Europe) being rebadged as LHD models or vice versa.

But you end up with the same problem as above - either no-one notices or they do and think you're a foreigner-fanboy or a clod. Anyone running an Acura Integra with Honda badges in the USA faces quite a phenomenal "JDM fanboy"/"Ricer" backlash even if they've converted all the panels, little details and the side of the car he sits on (possibly moreso - "Look at all the money that dumb ricer's wasted on his wrong-wheel drive shopping car - he could have bought a ZL1 for that!"...


Still we're butting up against either no-one noticing or those that do notice thinking ill of you. There will, of course, always be a small community of like-minded individuals who will approve, but they're quite small compared to the larger community of "people who know things about cars".

 

[CodeRedR51]

Sounds like someone has a personal issue.

Whatever, to each their own.

To OP: Do it.

 

[Nessy]

But you still encounter the same issue - either no-one notices or they do and think you're a foreigner-fanboy or a clod. Now if you don't care that no-one notices, that's fine, but you still have to deal with the wave of people who think less of you for doing it.

You're right... but only if the individual cares for it to be an issue to them, if it were me, and i'd changed my Vauxhall badges for Opel ones, and other people had a problem with me doing so... well that's their problem, that's their issue.. not mine, as i haven't done it for them, i've done it because it appeals to me, if people like it.. then Great, if people don't like it.. not a problem, afterall it's not their car... i bought the car, why do i have to conform to what others feel is acceptable?... Answer, i don't, and if people want to mock me for it, then really.. they're probably the ones being lame and somewhat childish even.

 

[CodeRedR51]

You're right... but only if the individual cares for it to be an issue to them, if it were me, and i'd changed my Vauxhall badges for Opel ones, and other people had a problem with me doing so... well that's their problem, that's their issue.. not mine, as i haven't done it for them, i've done it because it appeals to me, if people like it.. then Great, if people don't like it.. not a problem, afterall it's not their car... i bought the car, why do i have to conform to what others feel is acceptable?... Answer, i don't, and if people want to mock me for it, then really.. they're probably the ones being lame and somewhat childish even.

👍

 

[Famine]

Sounds like someone has a personal issue.

Only if it's helpful to characterise them as such so you can personally justify ignoring what they're saying...

You're right... but only if the individual cares for it to be an issue to them, if it were me, and i'd changed my Vauxhall badges for Opel ones, and other people had a problem with me doing so... well that's their problem, that's their issue.. not mine, as i haven't done it for them, i've done it because it appeals to me, if people like it.. then Great, if people don't like it.. not a problem, afterall it's not their car... i bought the car, why do i have to conform to what others feel is acceptable?... Answer, i don't, and if people want to mock me for it, then really.. they're probably the ones being lame and somewhat childish even.

Yes, indeed they are. But this is somewhat the point - the general population is made up of childish imbeciles.

It's not about "conforming" (nor being different for the sake of being different, which is often the same thing). In fact it's nothing to do with what you're doing at all. It's about an action that only ever has a negative response (and there are varying levels of negative response) if it generates a response at all - and driving about in a RHD "Opel" does exactly that.


The bigger question is... why would it appeal to you to drive around in a RHD "Opel"?

 

[killer tiller]

The bigger question is... why would it appeal to you to drive around in a RHD "Opel"?

Does it matter why? If that's something that he/she wants to do then that's their choice. Personally I wouldn't do it and have been known to make comments about badge swaps but hey it's their car and they can do what they want with it. As long as they are ok doing it then who cares what other people think

 

[Famine]

Does it matter why? If that's something that he/she wants to do then that's their choice.

If you're confident enough to express your opinion, you should have no issues with it being questioned and no problem justifying it. It should matter enough to yourself for you to do it in the first place...

Introspection is good for the mind.

As long as they are ok doing it then who cares what other people think

As it turns out, they often do.

If you want to get on someone's bad side really quickly, pass a negative comment about their car or what they've done to it. It seems that people are not all that often secure enough in their decisions in these matters to not care what other people think and they find it quite difficult to differentiate negative comments about their vehicle from insults about their person...

 

[killer tiller]

Are you a psychology student? You go pretty in depth with your responses lol

 

[Famine]

No, but as an admin on Barryboys, I've seen this exact thing played out a few thousand times.

I literally don't care what you say about my cars - even with regards to modifications I have made (or have had someone else make and pretend it was me). I will explain to you the good points and I'll remark on the bad points, but ultimately if you don't agree it doesn't matter. In any case it's just a mode of transport that's always a few tenths of a second away from a scrapyard, regardless of how attached I am to it. Saying my car is or looks crap is an expression of aesthetics and not a personal denigration.

People take the Pulp Fiction quote - "Never 🤬 with another man's car" - too literally (it's about vandalism, not expression). They see their car as an extension of themselves and any attack on it is an attack on them as a result. It isn't.


Ultimately if you're happy doing something, you've justified it to at least yourself - and if it's good enough to satisfy your own internal burden of proof it's good enough to express to others (unless you distrust your own internal burden of proof). It should also be robust enough to resist external examination.

 

[Nessy]

It's about an action that only ever has a negative response.

How can this be true?, where does it state, that changing a badge on a car, only ever has a negative reaction?... i think you're taking your own opinion on the matter and concluding.. "well, if i think that, then everybody else does", which simply isn't true.

And to answer your question, (not that i need to, as you can clearly see iv'e already made it clear), regarding driving a RHD Opel... i prefer the look of the Opel badge compared to the Vauxhall Griffin design, simple as that really.