Spotting ///M Fakes

[kalib0y]

Has anyone ever approached and called out any owners of fake M cars with M badges?

Edit: I dont care about e36s, that's too easy to impersonate it. For instance, I saw an e60 528 with a M5 badge, and 2 e92s with M badges and no other numerics

Better yet, Has anyone ever got the confrontation on video? Reason why I ask is to know if these people are really trying to fool others or really think that they drive Ms because of mis-education.

[Roysneon]

I don't see the point wasting my time, personally. I have better things to do.

[CabbE30]

Like cars that have been made into replicas? Or cars with just m-badges on a plain 3er?

Either way it's not worht the time or effort. Grow up a bit yeah?

[10Toes]

Has anyone ever approached and called out any owners of fake M cars?

Better yet, Has anyone ever got the confrontaion on video?

Saw 3 cars sporting M badges this past week but never had the opportunity to ask the owners about it.

You mean like telling every E36 "M3" owner in the US that they don't have a real M car?


You can call yours whatever you want though, you have fixed the problem.

[PorscheH6]

There's a reason why I carry dental floss and a Bic with me at all times.

[bimmerteck]

IDK to me an e36 325i sporting an s54 is more if an "M" car then an actual US spec e36 "M".

The greatest thing an american e36 can do in it's short time here is to donate it's driveline to an e30.:twisted:

[brent5631]

I only see it as a issue if they are trying to sell it as said "M" car. Otherwise point and laugh from afar...

[Herr Faust Schinken]

There's a reason why I carry dental floss and a Bic with me at all times.

heh your m5 doesn't even have an m5 badge lol

[ak-]

I'm usually too embarrassed for the individual to call them out or tell them, "actually...".
Not only exclusive to M badges, but there have been many times where I see a nice BMW pull up to my workplace and I compliment their car to break the ice during customer transactions/service. They then see it as an open door to start blabbing how it's M this and has super features and X amount of power from this and that, and in my head I'm like "ugh, no that's all wrong, stop it!".

[goldenbb]

This seems to be more of a hobby of E36 owners rather than E30 owners. Nearly every E36 I see listed on CL has had an M3 front valance retrofit to it.

You can have some "M" parts on a car that isn't an M3--M-tech steering wheel?

[Chinampa]

This seems to be more of a hobby of E36 owners rather than E30 owners. Nearly every E36 I see listed on CL has had an M3 front valance retrofit to it.

You can have some "M" parts on a car that isn't an M3--M-tech steering wheel?

Jeez no kidding. Some guy made a LTW replica and wants 10,000 for it nearby.

[DEV0 E30]

I'm usually too embarrassed for the individual to call them out or tell them, "actually...".

Exactly, not worth it.

Don't expect just anyone to be an enthusiast even if they seem knowledgeable at first glance. Many people regardless on what they drive don't care like enthusiasts do.

When I was filling up my old M Coupe at a gas station an older gentleman came in behind me, small talk ensued. He payed some complements about my car, so I thought I'd return the favor. Starting with a "That's a very clean E38 you have there." He replied, in a correcting manner by saying, "It's a 740i... it's came with a V12."

I just smiled, and said, "Oh."

[word is bond]

Exactly, not worth it.

Don't expect just anyone to be an enthusiast even if they seem knowledgeable at first glance. Many people regardless on what they drive don't care like enthusiasts do.

When I was filling up my old M Coupe at a gas station an older gentleman came in behind me, small talk ensued. He payed some complements about my car, so I thought I'd return the favor. Starting with a "That's a very clean E38 you have there." He replied, in a correcting manner by saying, "It's a 740i... it's came with a V12."

I just smiled, and said, "Oh."

Oh, man... I might have taken him aside and quietly told him what was what, out of pity. I mean - now this guy is just gonna keep embarrassing himself!

[kalib0y]

Let me clarify my direction:

I dont care about e36s, that's too easy to impersonate it. I'm talking about M badges. For instance, I saw an e60 528 with a M5 badge, and 2 e92s with M badges and no other numerics. I really wanted to pull up to the e60 and just interview him for the hell of it.

Reason why I ask is to know if these people are really trying to fool others or really think that they drive Ms because of mis-education.

[DEV0 E30]

Oh, man... I might have taken him aside and quietly told him what was what, out of pity. I mean - now this guy is just gonna keep embarrassing himself!

I was I think 21 at the time, which means I looked 10. There's no way he would have listened, or been able to take that.

Reason why I ask is to know if these people are really trying to fool others or really think that they drive Ms because of mis-education.

I'm sure there's a large percentage who play it off that they have the M model to people who don't know any better. Some probably will guard it to the near death because their egos can't take being wrong.

I was at a dinner party once and a lady thought her 335i was an M as well. I could I have embarrassed this cares-only-about-her-status-and-dollar-signs life in front of all of her friends, but I was a plus one at said event, and I didn't want to be that guy. It would do nothing for me. If it was a guy would it be different? Maybe, but again it wouldn't do anything for me even taking him aside.

I'm sure there would probably be situations where I'd say something, but I can't really think of them.

Many people buy BMW's period because it's a status symbol, of course some of them will embellish or act like it's a more expensive model. It's wrong but that's how some people live. They want to appear more successful or rich than they really are.