Rebadging as a "316" --- Will I Get Hassled?

[bmwman91]

So I am about to order up an unholy amount of cash on seals, trim, plugs, fasteners, etc for the complete respray that I am doing on my car. It is a 318iS with a 2.1L M42 built by Metric Mechanic, so while it is no S5x conversion, it is far from being a slouch. Since I will pull the badges prior to painting, I have the opportunity to have some fun by putting a "316" or maybe a "316d" badge on it (the 316d would be ideal since most E30 enthusiasts know that there was no such thing...does anyone know if the E39 badge letters match the E30 ones? There is no "d" in RealOEM for the E30, but there is for the E39.).

Anyway, given that cops are routinely running any and all plates as they drive around, is this a stupid idea? The car is registered with California as a 318iS, so if this little joke will get me hassled then I will just put stock badges back on.

[e30davie]

Just for posting this question you are already on one of their lists, probably highlighted red. If I were you I would lock your doors immediately and DO NOT ANSWER THE PHONE.

[K0nArtist]

People know the 318is is slow as shit anyways you'll be alright with stock emblems.

[bmwman91]

Just for posting this question you are already on one of their lists, probably highlighted red. If I were you I would lock your doors immediately and DO NOT ANSWER THE PHONE.

No worries, I was wearing my tinfoil hat when I posted it, and I put tinfoil on my door knobs to prevent data leakage.

People know the 318is is slow as shit anyways you'll be alright with stock emblems.

HA, this is true. Yet, the 316 is slower. Considering how many asshats around here roll with gutted cats, no badges at all, duct-taped broken windows and various other shit, I may very well be the most neurotic law-abiding car owner ever.

[Ludwig]

Why would it get you hassled if it comes up as a stronger car than it's badged?


There's - if any - a higher risk to get pulled over if your car seems to have more hp than it comes up with. Like showing up as 316, but you're going 155 in the left lane.

[jasonbk]

You should be absolutely fine and will not get into any trouble (all the M badged non-m should get pulled over), however it seems that there's little connection to make it ironic enough (like, your car has mustang 5.0 swap which translates to roughly 316 cubic inch, or your car was originally 316).

[e30strokr]

You should be absolutely fine and will not get into any trouble (all the M badged non-m should get pulled over), however it seems that there's little connection to make it ironic enough (like, your car has mustang 5.0 swap which translates to roughly 316 cubic inch, or your car was originally 316).

like he said no hassle.. I always thought about putting a 2.7I in mine myself.....

[MR E30 325is]

It would most likely be an inside joke, with very very few people ever making the connection. Unless you go to E30 meets every week.

I left the '318is' on my S52 swapped E30, even when it was supercharged, so I've been there. But I wouldn't go out of my way to badge it as an even lesser version.

But to each their own.

[Jaker]

Here's the badge for my latest build:

[DBShiznit]

Why not just put a 2.slow from a vw LOL

[bmwman91]

Fair points. The 318iS already screams "slow" so I am being silly here. It would really be more for entertainment at the few meets that I go to every once in a while. I may just leave the numbers off now that I think about it...it is a cleaner look. Considering the dumb stuff people do to their cars and I actually wish the police would get them for, this is the least of their worries lol.

Anyway, I can't believe I even thought about this enough to ask. I am turning into a boring old man!

[varg]

Nobody cares about it in my experience. You might get a comment at a vintage bmw meet, might. But cops? A trunk badge doesn't have any legal consequence, they won't care. I've only had two comments on my car being faster than the 318is badge suggests in the years I have been boosting around, and I left it there on purpose so my car would look slower than it is.

[bmwman91]

Yeah. Given the sort of recent overzealousness with the local PD regarding street racing and a huge rash of organized car thefts, my thought was mainly that if the plate did not match the model, I might get pulled over and questioned about the mismatch. But I think that r3v has duly convinced me that I am being neurotic about it all.

[Danny]

Cop here.

Wouldn’t care.

[kyleconstantine]

ive been pulled over 5 times since i painted my car black. only one cop noticed the registration said red and he didnt care. im guessing youll be good.