# Is it legal to change a Toyota emblem to a BMW emblem? Ethical? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [May 20, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535 "2012-05-20T02:55:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/41 "2012-05-24T02:28:41Z")
Here’s another: ![](http://www.bagofnothing.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/carscoop_mr2_360f_1.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![bscar2](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar2/32/2468_2.png) [@bscar2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar2)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/42 "2012-05-24T03:03:32Z")
lets not forget the Mustang truck. [![](https://nfox.ru/upfiles/images/2011-07/1311327193_1818.jpeg) ](https://nfox.ru/upfiles/images/2011-07/1311327193_1818.jpeg) [http://mustang1.net/data/media/73/Mustang\_truck\_.JPG](http://mustang1.net/data/media/73/Mustang_truck_.JPG) [http://mustang1.net/mustang-truck-pictures-73.htm](http://mustang1.net/mustang-truck-pictures-73.htm) edit: [![](http://www.damnlol.com/i/1199f57f1a0e46fd02b1f21d2dbca261.jpg) ](http://www.damnlol.com/i/1199f57f1a0e46fd02b1f21d2dbca261.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/43 "2012-05-24T04:33:34Z")
I always kinda liked this MR2 Ferrari kit: ![](http://www.imcdb.org/i136582.jpg) Not that I’d ever even consider doing that to mine, but as fake cars go, it looks pretty decent. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/44 "2012-05-25T03:21:20Z")
Remember that Porsche that was really mostly a VW Rabbit with a Porsche body? I think it was the 924. Early 80’s I think. That was a pretty cool car, and I don’t think the 924 owners felt they were simply doing a meritricious imitation of a real Porsche owner. But maybe that’s different than an econo-box owner simply replacing the emblems. After all, the 924 was actually sold by Porsche. For me, I take no offense with the opinions posted as this idea is totally rhetorical. I can’t afford even a new econobox on which to place the BMW emblems! And I couldn’t afford the emblems either!! But the more I’m looking at these cars on the road, the similarities I see in the styling, the more I think people are probably already doing it! ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/45 "2012-05-25T05:12:44Z")
George, you are probably thinking about the 914. I owned one, and I can tell you that the rumors about it having VW parts are, um, incorrect. I could not find parts that fit a VW and my car. My parts were waaaay to expensive to have been VW parts. As you may know, VW parts are expensive. And Porsche parts are way _more_ expensive. I’ve never owned a car that was more fun to drive (or even remotely close), but all that fun certainly cost a pretty penny. Side note: The 914 is not a daily driver at 40 or so years old, but it is an incredibly fun car. If you don’t mind the expense of a Porsche, it can be a rewarding weekend car. At least it’s not as expensive as a 911. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/46 "2012-05-25T05:59:01Z")
Those VW to RR and Ford kits were made in San Leandro CA. The company often bought the sheet metal from me in Oakland. I believe he called his company Super Plus. But that was 40 years ago and those Cobbs have been busy lately. The webs are awful. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 9:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/47 "2012-05-25T09:52:30Z")
Here’s a pic of a customer’s car, a 1992 Dodge 325 XJ6. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/48 "2012-05-25T19:31:36Z")
These were the days… [http://www.oldbug.com/rolls.htm](http://www.oldbug.com/rolls.htm) PS: I liked the first Mustang pickup. Why don;t the manufacturers think of these things? ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/49 "2012-05-26T02:13:49Z")
“Why don;t the manufacturers think of these things?” I think they do. The problem they face is selling enough of them to justify the expense of building it. It sometimes happens, but not often. Chrysler built the Prowler, but it only lasted 2 years. Chevy had the SSR and that lasted 4 years. Maybe they didn’t loose much money or even any money. But they make a lot more if they can amortize the capital costs over more time. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/50 "2012-05-26T02:53:52Z")
Great photo @asemaster ! lol … thanks for sharing. See, I knew I was on to something here with the BMW emblem switching , although I wouldn’t have thought of a 92 Dodge… lol … @jtsanders … no, not the Porsche 914. The 914 engine was rear mounted air cooled, right? I looked the 924 up on Wikipedia. The 924 replaced the 914, and was the first Porsche with a 95 HP front mounted, water cooled, fuel injected engine, hence the similarity to the VW Rabbit. Here’s what it says about the VW engine/Audi xmission drive train they used in the Porsche 924 … _The original design used an Audi-sourced four-speed manual transmission for the 924 mated to VW’s EA831 2.0 L I4 engine, subsequently used in the Audi 100 and the Volkswagen LT van (common belief is that the engine originated in the LT van, but it first appeared in the Audi car), as well as in the AMC Gremlin, Concord, and Spirit. The engine used Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, producing 95 horsepower (71 kW) in North American trim. This was brought up to 110 horsepower (82 kW) in mid-1977 with the introduction of a catalytic converter, which reduced the need for power-robbing smog equipment. The four-speed manual was the only transmission available for the initial 1976 model. An Audi three-speed automatic was offered starting with the 1977.5 model._ > **[Porsche 924](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_924)** > > The Porsche 924 is a sports car produced by Porsche AG of Germany from 1976 to 1988. A two-door, 2+2 coupé, the 924 was intended to replace the Porsche 914 as the company's entry-level model. Although the water-cooled, front-engined 928 gran turismo was designed first, the 924 was the first road-going Porsche to have a front engine rear wheel drive configuration. It was also the first Porsche to be offered with a fully automatic transmission. The 924 made its public debut in November 1975. It was... ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2012, 5:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/51 "2012-05-26T05:36:45Z")
Well wait a minute VDC…they made a Subaru look like a SAAB…;=) ---
**Author:** ![johnny-d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/22d042/32.png) [@johnny-d](https://community.cartalk.com/u/johnny-d)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/52 "2012-05-27T00:53:45Z")
I don’t see why not - I have a 600 series mercedes I put Kia logos on for a reason not unrelated to yours… ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/53 "2012-05-27T01:08:16Z")
**“…they made a Subaru look like a SAAB”** Well, perhaps that Subaru looked like a Saab to someone who is unfamiliar with both of those makes, but to me, the so-called “Saabaru” was a very obvious cosmetic make-over of a Subaru Impreza. I think that we can put this into the category of “one of GM’s worst ideas”. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/54 "2012-05-27T02:10:55Z")
@GeorgeSanJose Thanks for the update. I did not own a 924, and can’t comment on it. But the 914 had the same rumors. ---
**Author:** ![KLM\_Instructor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aca169/32.png) [@KLM\_Instructor](https://community.cartalk.com/u/KLM_Instructor)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 4:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/55 "2012-05-27T04:25:18Z")
How about 30 years ago when GM stuck some Cadillac emblems on a Chevy Cavalier and called it the Cimarron? Was that legal? Ethical? Moronic? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535/56 "2012-05-30T02:57:38Z")
Ford made a Jag look like a Mercury Contour too… [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-it-legal-to-change-a-toyota-emblem-to-a-bmw-emblem-ethical/72535.md?page=2)