Three ways to black-out the badges on your 4WD

It’s common practice for owners to black-out their car badges, and there are a number of reasons people do so.

The majority of people who black-out their car’s badges do so purely for aesthetic reasons, as it can create a cleaner, sportier and – if desired – more aggressive style. You’ll also tend to notice disguised badges on vehicles with further modifications, as it often will correlate to a certain style of personalisation.

Reducing brand visibility is another reason for the practice, and it could as a result transform the vehicle with a unique appearance. This could, in theory, also reduce the risk of theft and vandalism.

It’s also a cost-effective way to temporarily individualise a vehicle, as it’s often performed using vinyl wraps, plastic covers and paint – and it’s quite an easy DIY job, but there are professionals who will do it for you if you want to be guaranteed a clean finish. A quick entry into Google, and you’ll find the closest vinyl and panel wrap specialists to you.

1: Vinyl wrap

A vinyl wrap is probably the easiest way to eliminate a badge, and you can even do it from home. As it’s an easily reversible method, it’s a popular tactic to rid one’s car of a badge … without actually removing it.

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2: Plasti Dip or spray paint

Spray coating with a Plasti Dip spray can is also effective as a semi-permanent option – just remember to tape around the badge so that you don’t end up with paint on the body of the vehicle. For a more permanent solution, you can instead use matte, satin or gloss automotive spray paint.

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3: Plastic cover

You’ll be able to find a plastic cover for most vehicle models, just with a quick search on the web. You’ll need to ensure it firmly sticks to the badge with superior adhesion, as it will be exposed to the elements – whether the plastic covers will fit, be durable and look great is the risk you’ll have to take.

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You can also remove the badge entirely and replace it with a blank badge. In fact, you can pretty much buy badges online with all sorts of logos and images. Removing a badge is a permanent change, and it can reduce your car’s resale value. It’s for this reason we’d always recommend temporary solutions.