The hood emblem, or badge, on my 20005 Saab 9-3 had slowly worn off over the years. I assumed it was going to cost a fortune to have it replaced at the dealership, so I procrastinated for many months. My Saab just didn't feel the same and with the badge's prominent location on the car, I was reminded of the eye sore every time I got in and out of the car. Once I found that I could replace it easily on my own with an OEM part purchased online for less than $60, I decided it was time to restore the 9-3 to it's glory.
I switched the hood emblem on my 2005 9-3 and it was much easier than I thought. The badge is held on by adhesive two-sided foam tape. I was concerned about damaging the paint on the hood around the badge, so I used a thin dusting cloth to avoid scratching. Using a very small flathead screwdriver I slowly pried it away from the hood, making my way around the edge of the emblem . Once I had some separation from the hood, I used some dental floss (by sliding it under the badge) to help lift up and away from the hood. Once the hood emblem was removed, I picked the large remaining pieces of adhesive off with my fingers, before soaking what was left with WD-40. After several minutes of marinating, I used an old gym card and my fingernail to remove the rest. Once free of the old adhesive, I used a clean cloth and rubbing alcohol to remove any remaining WD-40.
On to installing the new hood emblem. The two legs on the new badge will insure that it's lined up perfectly on your hood. The foam adhesive tape comes with the new badges on this page. Simply line up the pegs and press firmly into place, holding pressure for 20-30 seconds. Done! This one simple and cost-effective switch has me washing my Saab 9-3 like it's brand new again.
