# Automobile - Legal to put Different Company Emblem on My Trunk than the Car's real make **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 12, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349 "2013-07-12T19:44:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/21 "2013-07-13T01:44:46Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Save your money and just put a Type-R sticker on it. > > Hoons. God. n00b. Type-R is a Honda thing. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/22 "2013-07-13T01:52:42Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > n00b. Type-R is a Honda thing. No matter what car it’s on, it’ll still make it go faster. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/23 "2013-07-13T01:59:51Z")
I had a 1983 Sentra with a diesel engine. The deck lid badges said Datsun Nissan on the left and Sentra DIESEL on the right. I took off the left ones and put them in front of the ones on the right so it read DatsunNissanSentraDIESEL starting at the center of the trunk lid. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/24 "2013-07-13T02:00:15Z")
Not quite the same thing, but a friend in Albuquerque used to live in Colorado. On his VW bus, he kept his old Colorado plate on front and his valid New Mexico plate on then back. New Mexico requires only a plate on back, but still I asked him whether the police might frown on that. He wasn’t worried, said the cops can’t look at both ends at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/25 "2013-07-13T03:16:08Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > n00b. Type-R is a Honda thing. That’s the point. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/26 "2013-07-13T03:59:15Z")
Same make, but, because my mom’s middle name is “LeBaron”, my dad drove her Plymouth Volaré station wagon down to the Chrysler dealership and got them to replace the Volaré logo with a Chrysler LeBaron logo. (Okay, that was actually the finishing touch after he had the car repainted and reupholstered.) ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/27 "2013-07-13T11:59:32Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > no matter what car it’s on, it’ll still make it go faster. Yep, each Type R decal adds five horsepower, minimum!:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/28 "2013-07-13T18:14:20Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > … why _wouldn’t_ it be legal? Well, looking at it backwards, if it were illegal, I would bet it would have something to do with trademark law. You know, similar to why Disney freaks out if you draw a picture of Mickey Mouse in any public place. Having the logo on the car would imply the company supported claiming this car was made by them. Since it’s not illegal, I can only guess that this doesn’t matter. But I would love to be told why. ---
**Author:** ![lawbuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@lawbuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawbuff)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/29 "2013-07-13T18:22:12Z")
> [@bup](#): > > I want to put a Mercedes trunk emblem on a Toyota trunk. Is that legal (USA - I guess it would be state law, but if it’s illegal in \*any \*state, I’d like to know)? > > I wouldn’t think it would be, but I could also see lots of inaccurate descriptions. > > I don’t know how to google it and get a reliable source. The 1ST Amendment protects such, as long as the useage is not promoted for an illegal/defamatory purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/30 "2013-07-13T19:05:38Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > I I took off the left ones and put them in front of the ones on the right so it read DatsunNissanSentraDIESEL starting at the center of the trunk lid. A family member turned a NISSAN pickup tailgate into INISSANT with some very well-made and -matched vinyl letters. After the third very borderline traffic ticket in a year, she peeled the extra letters off. (I think it was notability rather than content that was causing problems - the well known red Corvette syndrome.) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/31 "2013-07-13T19:07:47Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > You know, similar to why Disney freaks out if you draw a picture of Mickey Mouse in any public place. But Disney does not generally care if you post, paste, stick or stand an authorized, licensed, paid-for Disney indentifier anywhere you like. It’s the freelance copies that annoy them. (And excessive use, like using birthday-party items intended for private use as public come-ons.) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/32 "2013-07-13T19:20:35Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Save your money and just put a Type-R sticker on it. Noooo! I’m savin’ my money for a\*\* BIG GIANT WING\*\* for the trunklid! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/33 "2013-07-14T13:04:13Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > I’ve heard that some people will put a Mercedes logo on a Smart Fortwo, but then a Smart _is_ a Mercedes in a way, sort of like how Scions and Lexuses are Toyotas. I think some car companies use different logos in different countries - at least historically, Toyota cars sold in their home country were always Toyotas but when they were exported they would sometimes get a new brand name like Lexus or Scion pursuant to whatever marketing strategy they had for that market. My Smart had Merc badges on it, put there by the previous owner. I’ve seen a couple red mobility scooters with Ferrari badges on them. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/34 "2013-07-14T13:18:50Z")
I remember reading about a guy who (frustrated with his M-B engine), put a FORD 289 V-8 in the car. He put the “289 SL” sign on it. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/35 "2013-07-14T23:09:11Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Well, looking at it backwards, if it were illegal, I would bet it would have something to do with trademark law. You know, similar to why Disney freaks out if you draw a picture of Mickey Mouse in any public place. Having the logo on the car would imply the company supported claiming this car was made by them. > > Since it’s not illegal, I can only guess that this doesn’t matter. But I would love to be told why. One of the elements of trademark infringement is that the mark must be used “in commerce.” If you aren’t selling anything, you can use that trademark to your heart’s content. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/36 "2013-07-15T01:52:12Z")
I assume there is a Legal agreement between various automotive customizers and the Big Three to, say, convert your Chevy Camaro into a Pontiac Firebird/Trans-Am [https://www.google.com/search?q=new+pontiac+firebird&client=firefox-a&hs=zME&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ik\_jUYHYFNS14APQkoHIAw&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=689](https://www.google.com/search?q=new+pontiac+firebird&client=firefox-a&hs=zME&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ik_jUYHYFNS14APQkoHIAw&ved=0CDwQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=689) Dodge Challenger into a Plymouth Baracuda [https://www.google.com/search?q=new+plymouth+barracuda&client=firefox-a&hs=jit&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=0E\_jUbGPIbGw4AOM8oHQCw&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=689](https://www.google.com/search?q=new+plymouth+barracuda&client=firefox-a&hs=jit&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=0E_jUbGPIbGw4AOM8oHQCw&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=689) or Ford Mustang into a Mercury XR-7 [https://www.google.com/search?q=new+mercury+cougar&client=firefox-a&hs=nUE&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=blHjUbraNbHj4AP004DwCw&ved=0CAkQ\_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=689#client=firefox-a&hs=yUE&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&tbm=isch&q=new+mercury+cougar+concept&revid=1537597135&bav=on.2,or.r\_qf.&bvm=bv.48705608,d.dmg&fp=94f8a377012d0536&biw=1024&bih=689&imgdii=\_](https://www.google.com/search?q=new+mercury+cougar&client=firefox-a&hs=nUE&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=blHjUbraNbHj4AP004DwCw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=689#client=firefox-a&hs=yUE&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=fflb&tbm=isch&q=new+mercury+cougar+concept&revid=1537597135&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48705608,d.dmg&fp=94f8a377012d0536&biw=1024&bih=689&imgdii=_) Personally, I’d like a new AMC AMX derived from Mopar mechanicals [http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp\_0804\_amc\_concept\_cars/photo\_07.html](http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_0804_amc_concept_cars/photo_07.html) ---
**Author:** ![jaymac1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/48db29/32.png) [@jaymac1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaymac1)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349/37 "2013-07-15T02:02:23Z")
I have an Aston Martin badge on my Citroen C2. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/automobile-legal-to-put-different-company-emblem-on-my-trunk-than-the-cars-real-make/663349.md?page=1)