Taping the area around the insignia on the hood to safeguard the paint while removing it is optional. Using a cloth under the pry tool to prevent scratches is another option for protection. To make the removal process simpler, choosing the appropriate pry tool is essential. To fit beneath the symbol, the tip must be extremely thin. To prevent scratching your paint, we advise sealing the tip of a thin flat head screwdriver with masking tape. For further information, see the images below.
Pry up the old insignia first, then work your way around it until it begins to lift up evenly. Simply grip and pull after it has been raised high enough for you to pick it up with your fingers.
Two mounting tabs on the underside fit into plastic grommets on the underside. Along with the symbol, these two grommets should be replaced. The grommets will become loose as a result of drying out and cracking. While driving, a loose hood emblem could cause the emblem to fly off.
Use needle tip pliers to pry out the plastic grommets to remove them. Now that the hood emblem and both grommets have been removed, the hood may be cleaned. It’s possible that the old symbol had salt, sand, or dirt trapped underneath it from normal driving conditions.
After cleaning the hood, start placing the new grommets into position. Align the tabs of the new BMW hood emblem with the grommets now. The margins of the emblem should fit snugly with no gaps between them and the hood. The installation is now finished.
In This Article...
How to Replace the BMW Hood Decals (aka Roundel Emblem)
The roundel emblems on the hood and trunk of a BMW are one of its distinguishing characteristics. When you initially buy a new car, these decorations are attractive. However, with continued exposure to the sun’s UV rays, they may eventually deteriorate, possibly cracking and fading. A replacement emblem can be purchased for $5 to $35 on eBay and other internet retailers, making it more inexpensive than many other auto components. Once you have a fresh symbol in your possession, you may swap out the old one for the new one in a matter of 10 to 15 minutes.
Even though an 82mm ornament diameter is the norm, BMWs DON’T always have the same size ornament. To confirm the part you require, you can use a tool like RealOEM. Take off the current emblem and check the rear for the OEM part number as a last resort if you can’t figure out what part you need. In this manner, you will be aware of what you require whether you buy an OEM or aftermarket part.
Both the emblem and two mounting grommets must be purchased. You are prepared to start this BMW repair once you have the necessary parts and tools.
Tools:
- Sharp-nosed pliers
- tape masking
- razor-sharp flat-head screwdriver
- a plastic pry bar
Step 1: Tape the area around the BMW symbol to protect the paint as you remove it from the vehicle. Placing a towel beneath the pry tool while you work will also prevent scratches on your car. Make sure to use a pry tool that is as thin as possible because it will have a significant impact on how easy the replacement process is. Masking tape must also be applied on a flat-head screwdriver if you choose to use one to prevent scratching the paint.
Step 2: Use the prying tool to start removing the ornament that is currently attached to your car once you have all of your tools nearby and everything is secure. As you loosen the symbol, move it around so that it remains comparatively flat. Once you’ve mostly freed it, you can use your fingers to complete the removal.
3. Mount the ornament by inserting the tabs on the back of it into grommets. When replacing the emblem, it is a good idea to go ahead and install new grommets. The plastic grommets, which naturally begin to wear and split with time, endanger the stability of the ornament and may even cause it to come loose from the car while you are driving (which is dangerous, although not as bad as a poorly secured tree flying off it).
Step 4: Remove your BMW’s grommets using your needle nose pliers. The grommets and decoration should have been taken off by this stage. Cleaning is best done now because it’s likely that over time, dirt or other debris have gotten caught under the emblem.
Step 5: Now that everything has been put away, you can simply press your replacement grommets into place. Align the symbol so that you may attach the grommets with its tabs. Make sure there is no space between the hood and the decoration at all.
Has BMW’s logo changed?
The thick outer ring’s transparency, which means it takes on the color of the background, is the major modification to the logo.
For the first time in 23 years, BMW has altered its emblem, but the company said in a statement that the change won’t be made to its automobiles.
The company described the makeover as being “better-suited to the digital age” and stating that it is for “online and offline communication purposes.”
The circular logo’s thick outer ring, which was previously solid black, is now transparent, which is the most noticeable modification. Therefore, whichever color the logo is set against will show up there.
In addition, the design was simplified and made flatter as opposed to the former logo’s somewhat rounded appearance, which gave it a more three-dimensional appearance.
The automaker adopts a flatter style for digital media purposes, following other companies like Volkswagen.
“In terms of relationships, BMW is evolving. The new communication mark represents transparency and lucidity “BMW’s head of brand management, Jens Thiemer, said. According to him, the upgrade is “geared to the benefits and difficulties of digitization for brands.”
We are preparing for the wide range of communication contact points at which BMW will be present in the future by using aesthetic restraint and graphic adaptability.
The central blue-and-white checkerboard motif is retained in the new logo. The colors of the brand’s home state of Bavaria in Germany are blue and white. According to the BMW website, the logo was depicted as a spinning propellor in a 1929 advertisement, which led to people mistaking it for years. But the website claims that this interpretation is a myth.
On its electric automobile Concept i4, BMW debuted its new logo. The carmaker claims that in addition to its current emblem, the badge will be worn. Production cars won’t have it, and neither will the exterior and interior labeling of our dealerships.
As is frequently the case when companies alter their logos, design experts are dissecting every every feature of the new look.
Editor of the website Brand New, which evaluates company redesigns, Armit Vit, is not a fan. He lamented the removal of the black background in a post, “which, in my opinion, added a rich contrast to the white and blue and is what made the BMW so recognizable and exquisite. It truly appears as though something is missing from the new logo without the black and the idea of transparency.”
According to The Verge, the design is “flatter and does away with the very antiquated 3D features.” However, the website—which focuses on technology, science, art, and culture—disapproved of the transparent appearance, saying it makes it appear “as though someone on the creative team was lazy and accidentally removed the backdrop on the Photoshop file before they exported it.”
However, the art design and inspiration website Creative Bloq was more upbeat, writing, “We like the newly transparent look. Its simplicity suggests that it has been updated with the digital age in mind, but it also recognizes the 103-year history of the brand, making it a strong example of both traditional and contemporary logo design.”
How much does a new BMW emblem cost?
BMW features two distinct emblems, one that adheres to itself and the other that is more conventional and utilizes grommets and pins. The cost of both insignia is the same, or about $43. Add another $2 or so for the additional grommets needed for the classic badge.
There are several aftermarket alternatives available online if you desire an emblem with a little more distinctive design. They range from $20 for inexpensive eBay replacements to $200 for Swarovski crystal-encrusted roundels.
Why was the BMW logo changed?
2020 was a big deal for many different reasons. Among other things, it turned out to be the year of the new automobile emblem, with manufacturers ranging from Nissan to Rolls-Royce announcing new designs that are nearly all characterized by the word “flat.” But a year ago this month, the first one to be shown was arguably the greatest of the group.
BMW’s new logo, which was unveiled in March of last year, is a translucent, flat reworking of its once metallic insignia. To achieve a clean, modern appearance, the traditional outer black ring has been eliminated and replaced with pure transparency. Both the circle pattern and the Bavarian state colors of white and blue are still present.
The straightforward design has a lot of appeal to us. Its simplicity suggests that it has been updated with digital use in mind, but it also recognizes the 103-year history of the brand, making it a strong example of both traditional and modern logo design. While there was some initial skepticism online, it quickly became apparent that the transparent design is perfect for both physical and digital uses, like the entertaining reveal video above.
BMW is evolving into a relationship brand, according to senior vice president of customer and brand Jens Thiemer. additionally intended to “radiate more openness and clarity,” the transparent logo.
Since then, BMW has added the 2020 design to its history of the logo page (opens in new tab). The boldness of this redesign becomes more apparent when viewed in context (below), where the elimination of the black ring seems to be the most significant alteration to the emblem since 1917.
We were especially intrigued in the article’s clarification of the widespread myth that the emblem itself symbolizes a propeller when BMW initially published it in 2019 (opens in new tab). This was inspired by a 1929 advertisement (below), which included the logo inside a moving airplane propeller to advertise a new aviation engine BMW was developing.
According to the report, “sticking to the story that the BMW is a propeller would not be altogether inaccurate” because BMW “for a long time made little effort to refute the myth that the BMW insignia is a propeller.” It’s refreshing to hear a company say that its logo may be whatever you want it to be in a world of bureaucracy and impossible-to-follow rules.
Considering that Renault quietly unveiled a new design just last week, it appears that the flat vehicle logo trend will persist beyond 2021. The unveiling of Kia’s new logo may have been the silliest ever, with the company’s spectacular ceremony outdoing even the most lavish New Year’s celebrations.