First, let me commend Honda... those silly "LX" "EX" and "SE" badges have finally begun to disappear...

But dear FSM they annoy me. Who the hell needs a chrome trim-level code bolted/glued to the decklid or doors to demonstrate the awesomeness of their car? I had a GMC Sonoma that had SL badges... this is a a GM package-combo deal - the trim level pretty much means that it didn't have carpet or cruise (which could be added as a package anyway).

Then there are the engine badges. 2.2... 2.5... 4.0... 5.0... Is the engine that uninspiring that you'd say, "Well, I wouldn't get it, but I really wanted a chrome displacement indicator."

Next up, the gee-whiz gizmo/tech badges. These have gotten a bit better. I remember seeing "FUEL INJECTED" in big letters on the doors or trunk. "ABS!" TWIN-CAM! You still see them sometimes:

"HEMI!" Right... it doesn't have hemispherical heads, and if it did, who cares what it has?

DOHC/Twin Cam: Wow, it has overhead camshafts. That's so cool for 1995:



HYBRID: Besides the fact that you are spreading smug like Asian bird-flu, I sorta guessed that by the fact that your car is shaped like a VHS tape rewinder. (These tend to be bigger and more numerous the larger/more pedestrian the vehicle. I like it when they slap them on every side of an SUV, and in some cases, even emboss it in the bumper plastic! "No, it's ok, please don't make me a social pariah! I'm green, dammit! I'm green!"

FLEX-FUEL: Wow, you can gas that up in one of the two E85 stations in the US. Congratulations. Here's a badge! It has a little leaf on it.

My favorite: DOHC VTEC! This is only on the Civic SI, and I think it may be because it's still ostensibly aimed at the remaining rice-boy crowd. They put these tacky stickers in huge lettering on the lower sides of the car, announcing that (GASP!) the car has a DOHC engineand variable valve timing (OMFG! REALLY?)


(Beautiful car, marred by those horrid stickers. Those would come off the first day I owned it!)

These two amuse me: DOHC engines are pretty common these days. Hell, my first motorcycle, a Ninja 250 had one, and it was in its 20th year of production, and used a pair of carburetors. 15 years ago, GM was trying to wow the world by slapping "TWIN-CAM" on the backs of Saturns.

But VTEC... Give me a break. Even pushrod engines are being produced with VVT these days.

The only thing more lame would be to put a giant "SOHC VTEC" sticker on my Fit. I'm sure CafePress could make them.
If I didn't actually LIKE my car, I'd have a lot of fun with it... I'd get some printed, along "FUEL INJECTED" "DRIVE-BY-WIRE" "ABS" "ELECTRONICALLY-DISTRIBUTED BRAKE-FORCE" "INTERNAL COMBUSTION POWERED" "ADVANCED FOUR-WHEEL DESIGN" "MULTI-RATIO GEARBOX"

I have to give them all credit though... the manufacturer stickers pale in comparison to the stickers you used to see on the tackiest, riciest fart-can chariots 10-15 years ago: "POWERED BY HONDA!!!" You don't say! Until that moment, I had unsuccessfully narrowed it down to a Mercury Outboard, a Chrysler Slant-Four, and a Briggs and fuckin' Stratton!

That is all.


EDIT:
I do like the technologies that somehow require obnoxious stickers and badges.
Variable Valve Timing can be advanced, though often-times it's just retarded.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, some people do actually want/need that badge on the their car because they care about what other people think.

 

I guess this one is OK as you did not mention it.

 

Looks sweet.

 

Occam,

I'm curious to know how you feel about people giving their cars, motorcycles or boats a name? I mean, what is the point? If you call out their names do they come running to your side?

 

Hmmph! I like it.

 

i don't care if they come out off the assembly line with 10 badges... it's the MORONS and IDIOTS who put huge HONDA stickers on a fucking honda or NISSAN on a nissan or ACCORD on an accord etc etc... that's pissing me off!!! DUMB and STUPID I say!!!

 

At least they matched up with the car. I have never seen a Honda doing the nasty though.

I am thinking Hemi badges for the Fit next.

 

Ok we get your HONDA is a HONDA... why would you stick a HUGE HONDA STICKER on it like people don't know it's a HONDA.... only stupid would do that

 

next time I'll be leaving notes on windshields asking "IS THIS REALLY A HONDA???"

 

I would agree with this post!