Hood Emblem Mystery
 

Maybe someone can help me figure this out, I'm genuinely baffled. Yesterday I had a hood emblem that was in really good shape, no visible problems at all. This morning I woke up and when I went to my car to go to work my emblem was now completely silver. Has BMW changed the way they make the emblem badges? From my old e30 (which I did replace the badge when I bought) it looked like it was painted on. Are they now a sticker of some sort? The badge isn't banged up, it's just all silver now.

Had you had the car washed the night before? I know it sounds kinda ludicrous, but almost the same thing happened to me. My emblem was pretty old and cracked and brittle, and when drying the car off after washing it flecks of the emblem went flying off too. It was time to get a brand new one, and no, it didn't come with a sticker, it was the genuine painted-on article.

Still, from what you say I guess you're dealing with poltergeist of some sort...

Nope, I hadn't washed it anytime in the last week. It was in perfect shape the day before, then the next day it looks like someone buffed it like a mirror. I'm sure it was a vandal, but I don't understand why someone wouldn't just take the whole thing.

Who knows what those fruit cakes will do? To the extent I can figure out their psychology, I guess they wanted to "erase" the symbolism, of your having something nice, that they don't. In any event, it's a good thing they didn't take a screwdriver to pry the thing off, and if it was about time for replacement, then it's a little easier to take. The punks may return to the neighborhood, so take precautions (where you park, stuff that's visible in the interior of the car), and report it to the police. Perhaps a bit laughable, but then again the little things can tip them off to other stuff and suspicious behaviors.