To de-badge or not

My 06 Sport currently has all factory emblems / badging, but the hatch emblems are in bad shape and one of the door emblems was applied poorly and looks like crap (door was repainted at some point). I’d like to just remove them but on a 20 year old 4runner in Galactic Gray, it’s probably going to shadow, which would force me to apply new OEM, find something else, or live with it. I’d like black badges but no one has 4th gen and I don’t want to Plastidip. How cheesy is it going to look if I say used a 3rd gen 4Runner badge on the hatch (same size as 4th gen, just a different style), and black Sport 4wd emblems on the doors over where the old badging was (same style as the 3rd gen 4Runner badge)? I may just end up going back with OEM, at least they’d be new and not pitted / corroded.

 

I always campaign for debadging. People know what they are seeing.

 

A de-badged vehicle makes me wonder what other custom personal touches are lurking underneath.

 

Both good and bad…

 

I debadged my 2004 lift gate last year... granted, my 4runner is white so probably doesn't show the paint differences as much. But i still used polishing compound and then a good wax afterwards. Can't tell a difference where the badges were.

 

I debadged my columns and had some shadowing. Some 3m rubbing compound and a cheapo buffer did the job. Can’t even tell it was there.

 

Did the debadge today, the doors came out great, no shadow and just a tiny bit of border buildup that should easily buff out (I can tell both doors had been repainted sometime in the past). The tailgate, not as good… if I can’t get the shadowing out I’ll just put new badges on, the old ones were in bad shape anyway.

 

Only debadge if you don’t have a pro cuz it’s embarrassing driving an sr5

 

Then make sure they are replaced with pro badges.

 

Leave it like that. You might start a "ghost badging" trend. I think it's kind of cool.

 

I have "TRD PRO" tattooed on my forehead.

 

Ah yes, the elusive 4th gen TRD Pro... [in my best David Attenborough voice] Hardly ever spotted in the wild!

 

I've always thought of debadging as something you'd do with a sports car, or something rare or special.

These are 4Runners. There's one on every block.

Edit: if you just prefer a clean look, that's fine. Just sharing my opinion. You know what people say about those...

 

I would only debadge a PRO because its embarrassing to drive a PRO.