Good news! The clunky HYBRID badges on the side of the Camry are the standard taped-in-place removable type.

As soon as my car arrives, the first order of business will be a quick streamlining surgery to remove ALL taped-on badges, including CAMRY and HYBRID symbols on the trunk lid and sides.

Steve Villatoro
www.stevenvillatoro.com
“An enlightened guide to small business mastery.”

heh - stealth car. People will be asking, WTF's that? How bout shaving the door handles too?

When they grow hair on 'em, I'll shave 'em!

Wondering... will a Lexus logo badge fit in place of the front/rear Toyota badges? (Mostly kidding.)

Steve Villatoro
www.stevenvillatoro.com
“An enlightened guide to small business mastery.”

why?

I'll keep the trunk badges but I really hate those side HYBRID badges near the doors. I'll definitely remove them when I get the car.

I understand this from an aesthetics standpoint, but I'd feel a little odd removing badges from an already pretty well "stealthed" hybrid like the HCH or Ford Escape Hybrid. First Responders use those badges, among other telltale signs (unique vehicle features, eg. the center roofmounted antenna on the HCH or the rear side window vent on the driver's side of a Ford Escape Hybrid), to determine if a vehicle they're about to work on is a hybrid. I'd hate for my aesthetics to put a First Responder in extra jeopardy, though it's unlikely they'd not notice pretty quickly. They probably can spot things about vehicles faster than most of us common folk can, and react accordingly.

Just a thought, though.

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

Are there aftermarket badges that could be used to replace what Steve and CG are afraid of blemishing their cars? I too would not put a first responder in danger because of my fear of clunkiness but I don't want the clunkiness.

I'm not sure I get all this. Is it something to do with not wanting people to know you're driving a hybrid? Or is this just a general feeling of 'my car shouldn't be a billboard for the manufacturer?'

If you just want to take off the logos and insignia etc. because you think of it like taking off the product packaging when you buy something, that's one thing, (personally I think everyone should get rid of those tacky license plate holders that advertise the dealership- they just cover up part of the plates and look awful) but if you're actively disclaiming the hybrid part of the product packaging, then I'd be interested to hear your motives. Ashamed of your hybrid? Or something else?

btw, I happen to love the Ford hybrid logo (obvious, I guess, from my choice of avatar here) and wouldn't remove it or the ESCAPE name or anything else. It's part of the vehicle, to me, and removing it would mean something was "missing". That and I've seen how much replacements go for in the aftermarket ($35 or $40 for one Ford hybrid logo w/sticky ready for application, if I remember correctly; I randomly stumbled upon it while searching for accessories for the Ford Escape Hybrid, and a spare plastic part that mysteriously popped off that I'm waiting for my 5k service to have the service dept. replace.)

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

I just think it's tacky having hybrid badges on the side. Same with GT or GTI or whatever; I don't think that crap should be plastered all over the car.