A UK guide to matching BMW rear boot letters and badges before ordering. BMW Accessories on Automotive Outlet are mainly rear boot-lid lettering badges, with some roundel and M boot badges as well. Order the exact model text and finish shown on the listing, and check the photos for size.
Letters vs round boot badges
BMW boot badge letters spell the model designation on the rear boot lid. They are sold by that exact text, for example 118d or 120i. Round boot badges in the same BMW Accessories range are a different kind of product: roundel and M boot badges, rather than a line of model letters.
- Model lettering - The characters already used on that car, such as 118d or 140i. Each designation is its own badge.
- Roundel and M boot badges - Separate boot-lid badges. The M boot badges in this range are the 172mm competition pack tailgate badges, not a set of model letters.
Match the exact model text
Read the designation on the boot before you choose a listing. The letters must match the designation already on that car, or the designation you are correctly replacing like-for-like. A 118d boot badge is not the same badge as a 118i.
Examples on the site for the 1 Series, in gloss black and matt black, include:
- 114d and 114i
- 116d and 116i
- 118d and 118i
- 120d and 120i
- 125d and 125i
- 140i
Gloss black, matt black, and chrome
BMW boot letters are listed in chrome, gloss black, and matt black. Choose the finish on the listing as well as the model text. A gloss black 118d is not a matt black 118d, and neither is the same as a chrome 118d.
| Finish | How the range uses it | What to match |
|---|---|---|
| Gloss black | A named finish for the 1 Series boot letters listed above, and for one of the 172mm M boot badges. | BMW gloss black boot letters still have to be the correct model text, such as 118d rather than 118i. |
| Matt black | The other named finish for those same 1 Series model texts. | Same letters as the gloss black listing, different finish. A matt black 118d is not the gloss black 118d. |
| Chrome | Listed as its own finish, alongside gloss black and matt black. | Order the chrome listing for that model text. Chrome is not a substitute for gloss or matt black. |
172mm M boot badges
A 172mm BMW M boot badge is a separate product from model lettering. The listings are a 172mm gloss black rear boot badge and a 172mm satin black rear boot badge, described as competition pack tailgate badges for M3, M4, M5 and M6.
- These are not 118d, 120i, 140i, or any other model-letter badge.
- Satin black on these 172mm badges is the finish named on those listings. It is not the matt black finish used for the 1 Series letters above.
- Check the listing photos for size. One badge does not fit every BMW generation or every boot shape.
Important: if the boot already carries model letters, replacing those letters is a different order from buying a 172mm competition pack tailgate badge. Read the listing title for 172mm, gloss black or satin black, and M3, M4, M5 or M6 before you add it to the basket.
Fitment checks
Badges are cosmetic adhesive fitments. Clean and dry the boot lid before fitting. Use the listing photos to check size. Do not assume one badge fits every BMW generation or every boot shape, even when two cars share a similar model name.
Boot letters and round boot badges are separate from spoilers, splitters, and other body trim. For those parts, see the body trim, spoilers and splitters fitment guide.
How to align the letters
Line the characters up before the adhesive touches the paint. Park on level ground so you can judge the boot properly.
- Look at the boot from directly behind, then from a few metres back.
- Use the old letter positions, or a strip of low-tack masking tape, as a straight baseline. Do not guess by eye alone.
- Space the characters evenly. 118d is four separate pieces, not one sticker. The d or i must sit at the same height as the numbers.
- Peel the adhesive liner only after the letters are lined up. Press from the centre of each character outward.
- Check the boot is shut and the letters are level with the shut line or the existing badge line, not tilted up at one end.
- One spacing measurement does not fit every BMW. Check that boot, and the listing photos, before you press the letters down.
Clean the boot before fitting
The adhesive needs a clean, dry panel. Wax, polish, and heat left on the boot lid will stop the letters sitting properly.
- Wash the area with warm water and a drop of normal car shampoo, or plain warm water. Dry with a clean microfibre cloth.
- The panel must be dry, free of wax and polish, and not hot from sitting in direct sun.
- Old adhesive can be lifted with fishing line or a plastic trim tool. Do not dig with a metal screwdriver or blade; that cuts the paint.
Do not use chemicals on the badges
Gloss black and matt black letters have a colour coat that can haze or peel. Keep solvents and polish off the new badges.
- Do not use T-Cut, cutting polish, acetone, nail-varnish remover, brake cleaner, isopropyl alcohol, adhesive remover, or solvent on the new badges.
- If you use adhesive remover on the paint to clear old tape, keep it off the new letters and wash the panel again with warm water before fitting.
- After fitting, clean letters with a damp microfibre cloth only.
Ordering from Automotive Outlet
- Read the designation on the boot lid, or confirm the designation you are replacing like-for-like.
- Choose that exact model text. A 118d listing does not supply a 118i badge.
- Choose chrome, gloss black, or matt black to match the listing. One finish does not replace another.
- For a competition pack tailgate badge, choose the 172mm gloss black or 172mm satin black listing, not a model-letter set.
- Compare the listing photos with the boot lid, including size, before you order.
FAQ
- What are BMW boot badge letters?
- They are rear boot-lid lettering badges sold by the exact model text. On Automotive Outlet the 1 Series examples include 114d, 114i, 116d, 116i, 118d, 118i, 120d, 120i, 125d, 125i, and 140i, in gloss black and matt black.
- Is a 118d boot badge the same as a 118i?
- No. The letters have to match the designation already on that car, or the designation you are correctly replacing like-for-like. The same applies to 116d and 116i, 120d and 120i, and the other pairs.
- Are BMW gloss black boot letters the same product as matt black?
- No. Gloss black and matt black are different finishes of the same model text. Order the finish you want as well as the correct letters.
- Is chrome one of the named finishes for those 1 Series letters?
- Yes. Chrome, gloss black, and matt black are separate finishes. Order the finish shown on the listing as well as the correct letters, such as 118d.
- What is a 172mm BMW M boot badge?
- It is a separate rear boot badge: 172mm gloss black or 172mm satin black, described as a competition pack tailgate badge for M3, M4, M5 and M6. It is not model lettering such as 118d or 140i.
- Will one badge fit every BMW?
- No. These are cosmetic adhesive fitments. Clean and dry the boot lid, and check the listing photos for size. One badge does not fit every BMW generation or every boot shape.
- How do I line the letters up?
- Park on level ground and look at the boot from directly behind, then from a few metres back. Use the old letter positions, or a strip of low-tack masking tape, as a straight baseline. Space the characters evenly. 118d is four separate pieces, and the d or i must sit at the same height as the numbers. Peel the liner only after they are lined up. One spacing measurement does not fit every BMW.
- Is polish or alcohol safe on the badges?
- No. Gloss black and matt black letters have a colour coat that can haze or peel. Do not use T-Cut, cutting polish, acetone, nail-varnish remover, brake cleaner, isopropyl alcohol, adhesive remover, or solvent on the new badges. After fitting, clean the letters with a damp microfibre cloth only.
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